Even the hardcore who hate Raw and actually follow through on the promise to not watch would still want NXT, available on the WWE Network.
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February Wrasslin' |OT| WrassleGAF. In 2016.
- Thread starter FallingEdge
- Start date
I suspect they've already flattened out. It looks like that 1-1.3 range is their maximum average even with all the worldwide launches they did. They were expecting, what 3-4 million worldwide within a few years?
They'll get that WM bump for the Spring but the rest of the time, eh.
Possibly. Rumble was ok.
CTE? Yes the research is going to have a huge.........IMPACT.
Bluekaveli
Member
I wondered what was going on back there
Lol!Counterpoint:
Chris Jericho probably used all the drugs which is why his stomach now looks like Krang got in a street fight.
These kids don't know about that rockstar lifestyle brrr!
Brian_FETO
Banned
NXT was pretty solid
-I really don't mind Baron. His character/performance is good enough. Not my favorite to watch but I don't think he really deserves "boring" chants yet
-Cameron seemed really bad
-Why are Alexa Bliss and friends dressed like Freddy Krueger? I love it but still
-Jordan/Gable and Enzo/Cass promo was good
-The Drifter is the worst gimmick, Graves' heel commentary was funny though
-Bayley/Carmella was pretty good. Two consecutive crossbodies to the outside was weird...expected a counter to the second rather than a recreation
-Asuka the best. Love that her character is just "say nothing and make a face" and it works. I hope when they bring her up to main roster she just walks into other people's interviews/promos and stares at them
-I really don't mind Baron. His character/performance is good enough. Not my favorite to watch but I don't think he really deserves "boring" chants yet
-Cameron seemed really bad
-Why are Alexa Bliss and friends dressed like Freddy Krueger? I love it but still
-Jordan/Gable and Enzo/Cass promo was good
-The Drifter is the worst gimmick, Graves' heel commentary was funny though
-Bayley/Carmella was pretty good. Two consecutive crossbodies to the outside was weird...expected a counter to the second rather than a recreation
-Asuka the best. Love that her character is just "say nothing and make a face" and it works. I hope when they bring her up to main roster she just walks into other people's interviews/promos and stares at them
They'll always get more for Mania season.
I think they need to put Summerslam back at 3 hours, though. 4 hours is FAR too long for something that's not in a Stadium/Ballpark.
slightconfuse
Banned
didnt know Batman was a tanahashi fan(and Rock)
He played it once, when he appeared in London. You know: the capital city of the nation best known for travellin' country music.
slightconfuse
Banned
they get payed ether way regardless of ratings, but their next tv deal might be rough and the network is not in shape to support them full time.
also are they making money off these other ways?
they only leverage they have is that USA is a worse network without wwe. what USA is willing to pay is another question
I'm sure he does. Gotta push the Network HARD.
Given the current "new" TV deal was apparently far lower than they had been expecting, they may have a bit of a problem on their hands in about two years.
UberTag
Member
Pretty much this. Hardcore wrestling fans suck and don't back their disgust with their wallets. They are spineless sheep. Even video game fans have more of a backbone.
Wrestling fans will happily pay the WWE $9.99/month (and more for merch, tickets, etc.) and then go on the Internet and bitch about them for 6 hours.
And all that tells the WWE is to continue the status quo because it's "obviously working".
That'll be his audition tape for getting promoted to the main roster. Nothing attracts the attention of Steph and company more than a guy capable of burying the talent.
The crazy thing is that he just might. If ratings continue to fall across the board and if USA has data showing Raw is relatively DVR-proof (note: LOL how do people watch this without fast forward) compared to their scripted and reality fare, the drop off in ratings would be put in a context that makes it seem normal.
Bluekaveli
Member
Idk nbc network sure would miss that wwe raw star power. I guess they show law and order for 3 hours if they let it go lol
4 hour RAW brother!
Depends on how much better there show ratings are compared to all the original content USA produces itself. Plus it seems WWE is losing some viewers to youtube which is funny because they get money from that while USA doesn't see a dime from it.
Plus this Meltzer picture MLW found is amazing:
shaowebb
Member
I ask that same question about the WWE everytime I tune in and suddenly HHH is at the top of the card with a belt, and they try and convince me Taker, Kane, Show, and Mark Henry still add anything to a match in terms of intimidation factor. Folks need to know when to retire from the televised product and start building up new talent. I think a lot of the problem is they keep making new characters into cartoon joke characters instead of anything resembling what a legit action oriented lead role in a story people would mark out for should be.
Looks like a TMF
Bluekaveli
Member
That looks like Brian Pillman
FlammableD
Banned
Sometimes you gotta job while shootin
TarpitCarnivore
Member
They'll happily pay because it lets them have access to a massive library of content. I feel like WWE is in a weird spot where it's become easy for people to only tune into PPV and immediately know backstory. There aren't enough moments to keep people watching week in week out.
I know for me the biggest reason I watch RAW is because I spend four hours a day commuting so RAW (and sometime Smackdown) is a great filler.
Angry Grimace
Two cannibals are eating a clown. One turns to the other and says "does something taste funny to you?"
What it actually is is a sign that the popularly held opinion on NeoGAF that everyone hates WWE isn't actually true, its just an echo chamber. Anecdotal evidence doesn't become non-anecdotal because you don't personally know the people giving the anecdote.
Bluekaveli
Member
WWE has hired a big PR firm to help promote Stephanie McMahon as the companys Chief Brand Officer. The WON reports that the company hired the new firm to push McMahon as a friendly public face for WWE.
The first appearance that the new firm landed for McMahon was her recent Good Morning America appearance, and more are on the way. The firm is also aiming to get McMahon recognized for her charity work in the same way that Dallas Cowboys Chief Brand Officer and EVP Charlotte Jones Anderson is.
Not everyone can handle being the bad guy.
The first appearance that the new firm landed for McMahon was her recent Good Morning America appearance, and more are on the way. The firm is also aiming to get McMahon recognized for her charity work in the same way that Dallas Cowboys Chief Brand Officer and EVP Charlotte Jones Anderson is.
Not everyone can handle being the bad guy.
Verendus was right, ratings shouldn't be viewed in a vacuum.
FlammableD
Banned
didn't that appearance get bumped?
maybe she should, like... stop playing a bad guy on tv
I know this would probably cause her to spontaneously combust... but maybe get the heel authority figures off TV for a little while. like, right after mania. Maybe they can mix it up by introducing a *shock* face authority figure?
only problem is choosing that face. unfortunately, no one comes to mind. I can't think of anyone lovable, off the top of my head, that could fill in such a role. Like, someone with nothing else to do at the moment that is still signed with the company. it would have to be someone the fans love. damn.
anyone?
It's an interesting picture when you include that live event ticket sales are up in both quantity and price domestically. International's up in quantity but price per seat dropped. The only part of WWE's biz that's sagging in any recent report is TV viewership. They're clearly doing something right by a number of segments of dedicated fans.
Company cares more about her than anything else.
Does a face authority figure actually work though? The dynamic seems off: if the person or group in charge are good guys, then the faces have the greatest power in the company on their side, and it turns the heels into underdogs. A face authority figure putting the heel in a match to give them comeuppance just seems like a heel thing to do.
The few times I remember seeing it on WWE TV, I remember thinking it was an awful idea -- regardless of execution.
How could this be made to work? Honest question, not rhetorical.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
I think it could be viewership fatigue. Fans aren't feeling compelled to tune in for 3 full hours, well I guess 5, every week for story lines that don't really progress. I've definitely been told by some people they only watch PPV. It's anecdotal, but I'm sure there is a big segment that is like that.
slightconfuse
Banned
Foley worked. You just have to have the right person in that position. That person that connects with the fans and knows how to talk.
Anyways, on a completely unrelated note, here's the final yes chant:
It's beautiful ; _ ;
slightconfuse
Banned
Real Ass stone cold laying into Monsoon was great
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l1umshwiHM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuCcpJ8uNw4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l1umshwiHM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuCcpJ8uNw4
Watch William Regal on NXT. It works. He shows up to make rulings on matches, make announcements for future shows, set up matches, etc. Everything he does is logical and consistent, and he never takes over the show. He doesn't flip flop from face to heel, or do twenty minute promos about himself.
The key to any authority figure now is to never have the show revolve around them. Unless you're exceptional like Dario Cueto, and even then he's never the star of the show.
They should be used just to facilitate the booking for the real stars of the show, the wrestlers.
UberTag
Member
I have never once said that everyone hates WWE.
I've said that the WWE is putting out a shitty main brand product.
Lots of people love Michael Bay and Adam Sandler movies, too. Doesn't mean they're any good and above criticism.
And, you didn't refute my main argument... that there are a bunch of hypocritical people out there who actively hate the current product and still paying money for it.
They simply rationalize or justify their way around doing so... and then have the audacity to expect the WWE to change what they're doing. Why would they? They have your money that you continue to give them.
It would be like decrying microtransactions or Amiibo while still forking out tons of money on them.
Liquidsnake
Banned
Any news today?
Face authority figures stay mostly unseen and only show up to set up fair final showdowns between feuding superstars. It works and is generally better for storytelling, but WWE hasn't had a true face Authority figure since probably Foley.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted Roman Reigns has been in the main event segment of WWE RAW 14 out of the last 16 weeks. Reigns had been featured in the segment 11 weeks in a row at one point; the last RAW without him main eventing was on October 12th.
UberTag
Member
This week broke that 11-week streak, I'd imagine. That's quite the run. Or was it broke before Monday?
Over exposure is going toreally hurt roman in the ling run.
The only thing an authority figure, face and heel, really needs, is an actual motivation that's consistent.
William Regal has the motivation of wanting a clean wrestling show that runs smoothly and fairly. Thus he gives fair opportunities to faces and heels both, if they've earned them, and people who haven't earned anything get the chance to do so. So he's a face because he's upstanding and honest.
Dario Cueto wants to make money, and he does this by promoting matches and shows that fans will pay for. So he gives faces and heels alike the opportunities in order to make big matchups to make him more money, and gives no shits about the welfare of his wrestlers in the process. So he's a heel because he only cares about his greed and has no morals.
Stephanie and HHH want...something. What is it has never been defined, now is how they plan to achieve this undefined thing even more so. They are just there, making random matches and never having any consistent motivation or logic behind them. They shit on faces then give the faces free opportunities. They support heels then shit on said heels in the next segment. They constantly talk about being best for business but never actually talk about making money and constantly do things that accomplish the opposite.
Vince used to have this, it's what made Vince vs Stone Cold so great, but eventually he just devolved into a cartoon villain who does shit because they need shit to happen.
William Regal has the motivation of wanting a clean wrestling show that runs smoothly and fairly. Thus he gives fair opportunities to faces and heels both, if they've earned them, and people who haven't earned anything get the chance to do so. So he's a face because he's upstanding and honest.
Dario Cueto wants to make money, and he does this by promoting matches and shows that fans will pay for. So he gives faces and heels alike the opportunities in order to make big matchups to make him more money, and gives no shits about the welfare of his wrestlers in the process. So he's a heel because he only cares about his greed and has no morals.
Stephanie and HHH want...something. What is it has never been defined, now is how they plan to achieve this undefined thing even more so. They are just there, making random matches and never having any consistent motivation or logic behind them. They shit on faces then give the faces free opportunities. They support heels then shit on said heels in the next segment. They constantly talk about being best for business but never actually talk about making money and constantly do things that accomplish the opposite.
Vince used to have this, it's what made Vince vs Stone Cold so great, but eventually he just devolved into a cartoon villain who does shit because they need shit to happen.