Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!
Member
They've been using the same format for almost 20 years now. Nothing ever changes. It's stale as hell now.
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WWE Raw drops to lowest TV rating in 18 years
- Thread starter RBH
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They've been using the same format for almost 20 years now. Nothing ever changes. It's stale as hell now.
I don't get why he would try this hard with someone fans clearly despise* when he could push someone they actually like. I'm all for not giving into fans' every whim and doing what you want creatively, but there has to be a line somewhere. How does Vince watch Raw, see people cheering Dean Ambrose or Seth Rollins (despite him being heel right now) and think Roman is still the way to go at this juncture. I would really love to pick the man's brain on this.
*Not everyone hates Roman. There's lots of women who like him. Maybe Vince is trying to appeal to the female audience.
Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!
Member
I don't get why he would try this hard with someone fans clearly despise* when he could push someone they actually like. I'm all for not giving into fans' every whim and doing what you want creatively, but there has to be a line somewhere. How does Vince watch Raw, see people cheering Dean Ambrose or Seth Rollins (despite him being heel right now) and think Roman is still the way to go at this juncture. I would really love to pick the man's brain on this.
*Not everyone hates Roman. There's lots of women who like him. Maybe Vince is trying to appeal to the female audience.
That's the way he's been forever though. Late-period Hulk Hogan, Lex Luger, Diesel, early Rock, Cena, etc. There are a million other small examples. The history of the WWE has always been about what Vince wants vs. what the fans want. It makes for fascinating television.
Arrowgigantic
Member
We're gonna make Darren Young great again!
We're gonna make Roman Reigns, uh, a new chest protector a size up in the waist?
Plinko
Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Don't include Luger in that group. I just watched that stretch of RAW on the network. Luger was SUPER over in WWF. There was zero reason he shouldn't have had the title.
Piston Hyundai
Member
Make Roman Reigns Decent For Once
Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!
Member
Those Raws were recorded in a tiny arena and they weren't live. It's pretty easy to get the reaction you want in that atmosphere. Luger didn't draw very well and Vince had to change the finish to Summerslam 93 because the rest of the wrestlers literally threatened to revolt if he was given the title which is something that not even Roman Reigns can say he accomplished .
Hippopuncher12
Member
Break glass for The Rock? lol
Nerdkiller
Membeur
Not exactly possible these days in a world without a WCW sized competitor.
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
Speaking of, this week is the 20th anniversary of Bash at the Beach 1996 and the beginning of the nWo. Wednesday, to be specific, apparently.
Jacknapes
Member
20 years ago, wow. The moment that changed pro-wrestling for the better. I think for old times sake, i'll watch that PPV on Wednesday. Holds close in my top 5 wrestling moments.
Autumn Wind
Member
1996 was such a focal year. In October, it'll be 20 years since the Piper debut in WCW.
I thought the WWE did something that was simple, yet effective at the beginning of Smackdown last week:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4...ne-2016-30-6-2016-full-show-part-1-2-hq_sport
(watch the first couple of minutes)
Instead of starting Smackdown off with some 20-minute promo like usual, they started off the show by showcasing these 30-second pre-taped backstage promos from the four wrestlers who would then take part in a #1 contenders match to kick off the show. Each wrestler talked about why the match was important and why they were going to win.
It was a nice change of pace from the usual long drawn-out promo that seemingly starts most episodes of Raw/Smackdown these days, and I hope that they continue this in the future. Something simple like this conserves time, prevents the audience from losing their attention, allows each wrestler to get some face time, and it gives the audience more of a reason to care about each individual wrestler.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4...ne-2016-30-6-2016-full-show-part-1-2-hq_sport
(watch the first couple of minutes)
Instead of starting Smackdown off with some 20-minute promo like usual, they started off the show by showcasing these 30-second pre-taped backstage promos from the four wrestlers who would then take part in a #1 contenders match to kick off the show. Each wrestler talked about why the match was important and why they were going to win.
It was a nice change of pace from the usual long drawn-out promo that seemingly starts most episodes of Raw/Smackdown these days, and I hope that they continue this in the future. Something simple like this conserves time, prevents the audience from losing their attention, allows each wrestler to get some face time, and it gives the audience more of a reason to care about each individual wrestler.
SpideySenses
Member
Even putting aside the format, just them looking straight at the camera is a huge improvement.
It was fairly consistent?
Ninja Scooter
Member
It's always weird as fuck to me when JoJo or Renee interview someone, they cut a promo, leave, and then the camera always lingers on JoJo or Renee with this uncomfortable look on their face. WWE really needs to just fire all their producers and overhaul everything. So much of how it's shot makes no sense.
Vince loves Kevin Dunn. RAW will continue resembling its current form for some time to come.
The Albatross
Member
It was a really bad RAW. They've been spinning their wheels waiting for the brand split while also producing some bland, inconsequential content. Hope the split works out for them, cuz it's only downhill from here.
serenewarfare
Banned
Actual rating is in. 1.87
Host Samurai
Member
Lugar was pretty over till WMX. After that he kinda just fizzled into the upper mid card. I'm sure if Roman was around in 93 and had this same kinda push, we would see lots of guys walking to WCW.
It's the Zero Ratings Dilemma!
Anyone expecting a good holiday RAW was fooling themselves, because those have always been terrible for quite awhile.
Not worse than what they've been doing, adjusted for holiday.
October 14 1996 did a 1.8.
So it's either tied with the worse rating ever, or the worst rating ever, depending on how they rounded.
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn son
Violence Jack
Member
In the two RAWs since the one after Money in the Bank, did they really lose a combined 800,000 viewers? Was it just the holiday, or was it still terrible?
RobbieNick
Junior Member
Just watched it on Hulu. The most boring RAW I've seen in years.
I know it's not an original opinion but I don't think WWE has been good since the Attitude era ended. Why watch WWE when you can watch Lucha Underground?
But no one watches Lucha underground.
Sectorseven
Member
That main event was so thrilling, I wasn't sure if team America would win.
What bothered me was how much better team International was in every possible metric, yet you knew there was no way they'd win because 'Murica
Simply Sami
Member
It's the same shit every week.
But nothing will change. WWE needs to go edgy and they need to sack most the writing team.
But nothing will change. WWE needs to go edgy and they need to sack most the writing team.
It won't matter who's on the writing team when Vince still has final say.
shaowebb
Member
I know it's not an original opinion but I don't think WWE has been good since the Attitude era ended. Why watch WWE when you can watch Lucha Underground?
This. Gimmicks are more cartoony than ever and feuds mean nothing. 50/50 booking, burying top performers for company picked men, not listening to audiences to the point of not even being able to succeed in editting out the boos during matches without full audio loss, not getting that folks can't be told something is popular in an era when they can go online during a match and see live commentary from folks and on forums stating the obvious fact that folks hate the product in spite of trying to convince folks to adopt a bandwagon fandom for it. And how in the hell can you EVER see someone as a badass or a tough guy when they insult like 10 year olds because the rating has to stay PG! Seriously...3 hours of kindergarten tantrum feuds. If the classic WWE was so good that you bury your own talent for the boost in interest the product gets anytime The Rock cameos maybe you should start pushing a product similar to the one he was a part of that people loved even if it means going to a new network.
Just a shitty scene in WWE period. Fuck PG products in a major fed that has 3 hour time slots with 2+ of it talking. You dont have to be sleaze but you can at least be relatably realistic in how tough badass characters should behave and speak.
Raw becomes the most watched show on cable during the holiday?
Reigns should just stay off TV then. Ambrose is the real draw as champion.
THey dont need to go edgy
Glorified G
Member
Citation needed because it sounds like you just made that up as you were writing that post.
Dental Plan
Member
I watch all three hours every week. I find it entertaining.
Instead of focusing on the holiday, look at it as a whole and from a year to year basis. It's been on a steep decline and it's just July. There's no competition. There's no football. How bad can it be come October, November, or December? Some pin it on more people watching Youtube clips for it, but that was readily available then, too. The product is simply not engaging and is too stale for new viewers to come in and stay.
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