[MEDIA] Miami Herald 10.21.03 Piracy issue concerns wrestling industry

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/wrestling/7054689.htm

Piracy issue concerns wrestling industry

By SCOTT FISHMAN
HERALD WRITER

The issue of piracy has become a serious concern in all facets of
entertainment with the expansion of technology and the internet. Now
the wrestling industry is grappling with this problem as well.

According to the Associated Press, Michael E. King, owner of Mark Out
Video, pleaded guilty to reproducing wrestling tapes and selling them
over the internet.

The 30-year old Springfield, VG man now awaits sentencing on Jan. 2
where he could face a maximum of three years in prison and a fine up
to $250,000. In addition, King may also be forced to pay back more
than $16,000 he cost Ring of Honor, World Wrestling Entertainment and
World Championship Wrestling (owned by WWE).

Bootlegging wrestling tapes has been occuring for years, but now it's
finally being addressed. This is a wake up call to the website
entrepreneurs and those that sell them through internet auctions.

To them it's making a quick buck, but they're really taking money out
of the pockets of all the performers and those working behind the
scenes that sacrifice life and limb to put together an entertaining
product.

It's not just affecting the WWE. Independent promotions like Ring of
Honor make most of its money on T-shirts and video tapes. The people
who reproduce copyrighted wrestling tapes and sell them for profit may
only see this as an isolated incident, but now that is out in the open
it may just be a sign of things to come.

• Trish Stratus made her producing debut with the release of ''Trish
Stratus: 100% Stratusfaction.'' The DVD gives fans a personal look at
a pioneer who just three years helped revolutionize the way we see
women's wrestling today.

Fans will get a different side of the wrestling superstar who went
from medical student to world renowned fitness model to WWE Diva of
the Decade.

The profile introduces fans to her friends and family with interviews
of how she was growing up in Toronto.

The diva discusses being a fan of sports entertainment as a child,
wrestling with her cousins and idolizing the ''Macho Man'' Randy
Savage. The former medical student sheds some light on how she was
discovered by a modeling agency after her professors went on strike.

Footage of her appearance on TSN television show Off the Record is
shown, which ultimately began her transition into wrestling. She
discusses her debut as the manager of T&A and becoming an actual
competitor. Along with the Dudley Boys, Stratus reflects on the table
spot that earned her respect in the locker room.

Ron Hutchinson and Fit Finlay discuss training her in the ring and how
she evolved into today's performer. She became Vince McMahon's love
interest and battled to win the women's title.

Victoria, Jazz, Ivory, Terri and Torrie Wilson share their experiences
working with the four-time women's champ in the squared circle or on a
photo shoot. Cameras take fans behind the scenes while Stratus
prepares for a show in Madison Square Garden. A film crew also follows
Stratus as she prepares to present an award with Chris Jericho at the
Much Music Awards in Canada.

Some of the extras included on the DVD are some of Stratus's most
memorable matches including the mud match with Stacy Keibler, street
fight with Victoria, wrestling at Wrestlemania XIX and her
confrontation with Jazz at Insurrextion.

Other special features include tantalizing vignettes, winning Diva of
the Decade and other great moments. They also packed in more exclusive
goodies including a look at her magazine photo shoots, a tour of her
house, guest starring on MadTV and humorous stories told by the people
that know her best to leave fans stratusfied.

For the third straight year, Stratus won the Babe of the Year award
through votes from wwe.com fans. She defeated Stacy Keibler in the
finals. A website with a new photo shoot is the prize for Stratus and
her fans.

• Scott's High Spots:

One of the best parts of Stratus's DVD is when Stone Cold Steve Austin
and Linda McMahon show up unexpectedly when she is getting ready for a
match. The spontaneous conversation between her and Austin is pretty
funny.

Surprised they didn't put her match against Stephanie on there as it
still is one her best matches. Interestingly enough she loses most of
the ones they show in the extras.

Ironically they barely touched on her matches with Lita and Molly, two
of her biggest rivals.

The DVD needed more matches. Any of her women's championship wins
would have made sense.

All and all an interesting look at ''Canada's greatest export.''
Despite a few flaws, there's a little bit of everything for male and
female fans.

You can't go wrong when a DVD is 100-percent stratusfaction
guaranteed.

• The Ultimate Ric Flair DVD will be available Nov. 18 and will
feature a 1976 Madison Square Garden prelim match against Pete
Sanchez. The match is billed as his debut match, although he already
was wrestling nearly four years.

The DVD also includes his match with HHH and post-match footage (which
didn't air on TV), plus battles with Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Barry
Windham, Ricky Steamboat, Terry Funk, Sting and the 1992 Royal Rumble.

• Randy Savage released an album/CD full of rap songs. Looks like
Macho Man isn't the only wrestler with a CD. Apparently, Florida indie
wrestler Mister Saint Laurent also offers a CD. John Cena is expected
to release a rap CD in early 2004.