WWE RAW Comes To Staples So NBA Can Play

By KURT HELIN

Updated 8:06 AM PST, Thu, May 21, 2009

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If there is one thing the WWE and Vince McMahon love to do, it’s milk a minor controversy. So it was like manna from heaven when the management team of Denver’s Pepsi Center double-booked game four of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals and WWE’s RAW for next Monday.

But just like a WWE match, the outcome here was preordained. The NBA and its money and television contracts were going to win. The Lakers and Denver would take the floor Monday at the Pepsi Center. The only question remaining was where RAW would end up next Monday.

How about Staples Center in Los Angeles? That was the deal struck today.

See, unlike the management of the Pepsi Center — owned by Stanley Kroenke, the man who also owns the Nuggets — the management of Staples Center understands not to book another event on the night of a potential NBA playoff game.

Maybe because it has been 24 years since Denver has gone this deep in the NBA playoffs things can be forgiven. The first bookings were made back in August when nobody expected this out of Denver. But as things were confirmed in March with the WWE — when Denver was playing very well — it still seems like the right hand of Kroenke’s empire does not know what the left is doing.

Because in today’s world forgiveness usually equals money, Kroenke is very fortunate that he didn't have to pay out some money to the WWE and AEG (the owners of Staples) to make this happen.

And back in his office, McMahon is smoking a cigar and smiling. He milked the publicity. And since Tuesday night’s ECW and the following “Smackdown” shows also are Staples Center, this all works out as well as could be hoped for.