Jump to content

Jakks Classic Figure Contract versus WWE Legends Contract


CarpeDiem

Recommended Posts

[size=2]There are two types of contracts for the legends. One is a [b]"WWE Legends Contract"[/b] and the other is a [b]contract with Jakks[/b].

There have been many posts on the board saying "Warrior" has a figure - he can easily be in the game.....Not true. I'm gonna try to clear things up.

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Legends Contract[/b][/u][/color]

The WWE legends contract is specifically with WWE. For instance, Jim Duggan, Kamala, and Jake Roberts all signed "Legends Contracts." This means that they are used for appearances to promote the legends program.

[url="http://caws.ws/forum/index.php?showtopic=248423"]WWE Legends Contract : List of Superstars [/url]

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Jakks Classic Figure Contract [/b][/u][/color]

The Jakks contract is strictly with the Jakks company. Jakks has the contract with WWE to produce any number of legends/current star figures at their discretion. Just because a superstar has a legends figure doesn't mean they are immediately affiliated with WWE. In reality, some of them are only affiliated with Jakks.

Bruno Samartino and Ultimate Warrior are good examples of that.

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Conclusion[/b][/u][/color]

Vince can stop Jakks from making anyone. For instance Jakks was trying to negotiate with Savage but Vince didn't let that happen. This only fueled those *ahem* "rumors" since he even let Warrior and Bruno sign with Jakks.

Just because they have a figure does not mean that they will be in-game.[/size]
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='CarpeDiem' post='4658836' date='Jul 27 2008, 06:17 PM'][size=2]There are two types of contracts for the legends. One is a [b]"WWE Legends Contract"[/b] and the other is a [b]contract with Jakks[/b].

There have been many posts on the board saying "Warrior" has a figure - he can easily be in the game.....Not true. I'm gonna try to clear things up.

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Legends Contract[/b][/u][/color]

The WWE legends contract is specifically with WWE. For instance, Jim Duggan, Kamala, and (up until a couple months ago) Jake Roberts all signed "Legends Contracts." This means that they are used for appearances to promote the legends program.

[url="http://caws.ws/forum/index.php?showtopic=248423"]WWE Legends Contract : List of Superstars [/url]

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Jakks Classic Figure Contract [/b][/u][/color]

The Jakks contract is strictly with the Jakks company. Jakks has the contract with WWE to produce any number of legends/current star figures at their discretion. Just because a superstar has a legends figure doesn't mean they are immediately affiliated with WWE. In reality, some of them are only affiliated with Jakks.

Bret Hart, Bruno Samartino, and Ultimate Warrior are good examples of that.

[color="#FF0000"][u][b]Conclusion[/b][/u][/color]

Vince can stop Jakks from making anyone. For instance Jakks was trying to negotiate with Savage but Vince didn't let that happen. This only fueled those *ahem* "rumors" since he even let Warrior and Bruno sign with Jakks.

Just because they have a figure does not mean that they will be in-game.[/size][/quote]

Thanks for the info. Makes me wonder, why THQ aren't allowed to use certain superstars, whilst Jakks are? If Jakks are allowed to publish figures of any wrestler they want, i wonder why THQ didn't opt for a similar contract with the WWE.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because this is WWE's product based on their television programming. WWE's product is placed into video game form whic is a representation of their product. Jakks figures are just that, figures. Jakks doesn't need WWE's permission to make figures of wrestlers that are not under contract, although they do need permission to make figures for wrestlers that are under contract.

WWE realizes that the figures are going to be made whether they want them to or not for guys outside of the company. THQ's whole product is based on copyrighted material from WWE. Even this game. It uses the Wrestlemania logo which is copyrighted. They will be using acutal WWE film in the game, which they cannot use without WWE's permission. If THQ decided to make a legends wrestling game without WWE's permission, they would have to remove all WWE's logos, the Wrestlemania name, any wrestler under contract with WWE, including Legends contracts. What you would be left with, at best, is Legends of Wrestling 3 without the biggest names. WWE would then use another company to make their video games. Since Smackdown vs Raw is one of THQ's flagship games, they couldn't afford the loss.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jakks needs WWE's permission to make any action figure. Jakks have said before they wanted to sign Savage but WWE won't allow it. I think anyone signed to a Jakks contract can be used in this game as long as the WWE doesn't object or the wrestler themselves (Warrior). Why would they be able to use their likeness for an action figure but not a game? L.O.D. were legends in a previous game and they don't have WWE Legends contracts but they do with Jakks.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's also not just the Legends contract, it's whether WWE owns the rights to the character and the name.

WWE does not own the Ultimate Warrior name, Jim Helwig (I refuse to call him Warrior) and Ultimate Creations owns the name. The reason WWE produced a DVD was because Jim signed the rights to them for the DVD, but refused to have any part in it and that pissed Vince off, so he made the DVD bashing him.

It's all about whether WWE owns the name. Like mentioned, it has nothing to do with the Jakks contract. The Legends contract will give you a good idea, but there are people who aren't signed that will probably make it because they are deceased.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Jakks contracts do matter. I used the Legion of Doom as examples before so I'll stick with them. They don't have legends contracts and the WWE doesn't own their characters but they will be in this game. Why? They have a deal with Jakks who in turn have a deal with WWE. This game is being made/published by THQ/Jakks so I don't see any reason the Jakks contracts wouldn't carry over to this game. If you go back and look at the legends in the SvR series you'll see many legends made their first appearance in the game the same year their Classic Superstar figures debuted (Dusty Rhodes, Mr Perfect, Bam Bam Bigelow, Rick Rude, etc.) I don't think its a coincidence.

The Warrior's Jakks contract is different than most in that he has the final say over what products use his likeness. I don't believe the majority of wrestlers signed by Jakks have this clause. That being said, having a Jakks contract doesn't guarantee they'll be in the game (they have hundreds of guys signed), but not having one will pretty much guarantee they won't (Savage, Sting, Von Erich, Owen). In the end though, everyone in this game will have to be WWE approved.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...