Flexing Females # 7

Theresa Bostick Competes At Jan Tana Classic (1999)

The Status of Sports Illustrated

 

Sports Illustrated has laid off staff. The sports magazine is in serious financial consternation. A combination of corporate avarice, mismanagement, and faults in the capitalist business model might be the demise of the magazine. Sports Illustrated was purchased by the Authentic Brands Group in 2019. This corporation has owned a number of brands, which has essential reduced business competition. The Arena Group which has the license to publish Sport Illustrated  made serious error. The realization that some articles written with AI generated controversy. The failure to expand in terms of online publication and social media pushed the magazine behind. Consumers of a certain age are not going to read newspapers or magazines. The platforms and consumption of entertainment has changed. The corporate practice of terminating staff to increase profits is more prevalent. Authentic Brands Group's executive leadership is making more and will not accept cuts in pay to save the magazine. Unionized workers were given a notice in advance and those not part of a labor union were terminated immediately. Just being part of a labor union does not ensure job security. Print journalism is slowly becoming a relic of the past. The nature of sports reporting is also undergoing transformation. Arena Group is attempting to reach an agreement with Authentic Brands Group. Without some licensing publication Sports Illustrated could cease. The magazine started in 1954 and has become an icon of sports journalism. While the status of Sports Illustrated remains unknown, it amassed a major following in its 69 years of circulation. 

Jade Cargill Obtains A WWE Contract

 

All Elite Wrestling has lost one of their most popular wrestlers. Jade Cargill has signed a multi-year contract with WWE. Jade was absent for a period with no official explanation. Some fans feared that AEW terminated her employment. Jade herself said that she loved working with the company and had been in contact with management. The WWE is  changing. It has been purchased by Endeavor. It also owns the UFC. This falls under the TKO Group Holdings. Vince McMahon does not hold  the majority of control of the WWE. He remains Executive Chairman of  the Board. While he holds some influence, most of the power is invested in TKO Group Holdings CEO  Ari Emmanuel. Jade Cargill's employment could represent stage in transition for professional wrestling. A new era in sports entertainment  has begun. The failure of AEW to retain its talent means that it might not last. Seeing Jade on AEW was refreshing and fun. The AEW will have to make adjustments to remain competitive in the sports entertainment market. One question is if Jade can retain her ring name when going to the WWE. Assuming it is copyrighted under AEW, then she will have to select a new one. Jade made her debut in professional wrestling in 2021. She did attempt to get into the WWE in 2019. This did not result in a contract, so Jade went to the AEW. She expressed her gratitude to the AEW for giving her a chance. So far, Jade Cargill has done a total 64 ring matches. Her matches have not extended beyond ten minutes. When she goes to the WWE, it will be much longer. Some fans might think Jade could be the next Chyna. Her potential is there as long as the WWE makes the right decisions. No statement has been given by the WWE on when her first match will be. Jade Cargill at the moment is training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Her time with AEW is over, but a new journey is starting with the WWE.  

The 2023 Women's World Cup Begins

 

The Women's World Cup has began. The host countries are both Australia and New Zealand. This is the ninth competition to be held since 1991. The competition will go from July 20th to August 20th. The final match is going to held in Sydney Olympic Stadium. Fans can watch the Women's World Cup on FOX, FS1, and the FOX Sports App. It will also be available on their website as well. The opening matches were between Australia and Ireland. This was flowed by New Zealand and Norway. Nigeria will be facing Canada. The Philippines will go against Switzerland followed by Spain and Costa Rica. Vietnam will compete against the United States. Megan Rapinoe announced she will retire after this Women's World Cup. US Women's Soccer has won many victories and her contribution cannot be underestimated. The athletic talent is expanding in women's soccer. As more nations send there athletes having one nation become dominant is not ensured. The unusual aspect of the Women's World Cup is that two nations are acting as hosts. FIFA has run into controversy considering when Qatar did hosting duties. Some female athletes might not approve of   the Gulf monarchies having a high level of financial influence on soccer. The objection comes from the fact women's rights  in those nations are limited. The hope is that the 2023 Women's World Cup does not come with massive controversy. Some countries are going to absent. Afghanistan was developing a women's soccer team, but Taliban rule has stopped that. Russia has been banned from the Women's World Cup. This is unfair, due to the fact athletes did not develop policies for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These two issues cannot be ignored no matter how much sports reporting tries to omit them. Despite these concerns the hope is the competition will generate high TV ratings and ticket sales.   

Flexing Females #6

 

American Gladiators Documentary Muscles And Mayhem Is Coming To Netflix

 

Muscles and Mayhem : An Unauthorized Story of The American Gladiators will be streaming on Netflix. The show ran from 1989 to 1996 and was a popular game show that featured a number of bodybuilders facing off against various contestants. The show was the essence of 1990s American  culture. Sports, prevalent commercialization, and the image of action hero are the best way to describe the American Gladiators craze .   The documentary will look at the rise of popularity, the lives of the gladiators, and the challenges that came with producing such a unique show. There have been attempts to revive the series. The 2008 version only lasted two seasons. The original American Gladiators ran for 208 episodes and seven seasons. The Netflix documentary will cover some of the controversial elements surrounding the show. Performance enhancing drug use, conflict during competition, and injury rates were concerns. Granted the Netflix production will have a good amount of sensationalism to gain viewership. While their documentaries are fascinating they sometimes feel too much like a tabloid. ESPN also has produced a documentary about the show. The fact these two documentaries are being produced indicates there could be interest in having the franchise revived. At its height the show had products like shirts, lunchboxes, video games, and action figures. A cartoon was rumored to be in development, but nothing came of this. Although it seems that American Gladiators remains in pop-culture dormancy, it hold a special place in nostalgic memory. Muscles and Mayhem : An Unauthorized Story of The American Gladiators  should  be a must watch for any devoted fan.