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Rumor: WWE Network to include EVERY Raw/Smackdown/PPV ever, Netflix Style, $12/mo

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A

Anth0ny

Member
fwbsucd.jpg


According to a source from within WWE...

After speaking with sources in WWE, Chair Shot Reality on WZ can confirm new details regarding the WWE Network.

We can confirm PWInsider.com's report of February 24th being the expected launch date of the WWE Network.

WZ can now exclusively report the WWE Network will contain all of the RAW's, SmackDown's and WWE pay-per-views ever produced off the bat on the first day of launch in its extensive library.

However, there are some interesting new details regarding the WWE Network and that it won't be available via cable providers. For this, plus to view it, how it relates to pay-per-views, the price and more — please check out the CSR segment below for the full explanation at the very beginning of the video.
Click to expand...

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/436381-major-wwe-network-details-on-csr

From the video at the link:

- expected launch date: February 24, 2014
- will not be a conventional channel like NFL Network or NBA TV, but a Netflix like subscription service for TVs, mobile devices, game consoles, etc.
- both live streaming footage 24/7 AND programming from archived footage that you can choose.
- at launch, will include every Raw, Smackdown and WWE PPV ever.
- Pricing: between $10 and $12 a month.
- WWE will be looking to hook people at launch with a $60 for 6 month subscription that ALSO includes Wrestlemania 30. In the future, a subscription will give you access to every monthly WWE PPV.

None of this is confirmed yet, but people from within WWE leak shit all the fucking time. Furthermore, WWE has been sending out invites to the press for an event in Las Vegas in January. Could this be where we get some details for the network confirmed? Vince McMahon will be there:

screenshot.jpg


So, after more than 2 years in limbo, and about 12 years after everyone stopped caring about wrestling, the WWE Network looks like it will soon be a reality. It seems like they've been trying to find a TV provider for this entire time, unsuccessfully. Maybe because they can barely convince people to watch the free Wrestling content every week, let alone pay to watch it 24/7/365.

A wrestling Netflix always seemed like a great idea to me, and I've seen it tossed around in the various wrestling threads on GAF, and on wrestling podcasts. WWE's tape library is fucking enormous. I feel like, IN 2014, it makes a whole lot more sense going down the Netflix route than going for a traditional TV channel type of deal.

Some points of discussion:

- Current Wrestling fans: Does this interest you? Is the 10+ hours of weekly WWE content not enough to satisfy your sports-entertainment appetite? Is $10-$12 a month too much? Would you be willing to drop $60 for basically Wrestlemania + a 6 month free trial of the network? Is old Raw/Smackdown/WWE PPVs enough, or will you wait for them to flesh out the library a bit more? I have to imagine Nitro, Thunder, ECW and everything else will make it's way on there sooner or later. Will we see ******?

-Former Wrestling fans/non-Wrestling fans: Does this interest you? WWE has always been big on nostalgia, and I'm guessing the advertising for this network will be no exception. For people who grew up on 80s WWF, the PPVs will be there from the start (I'm guessing that includes every Wrestlemania) and I'm sure Saturday Night's Main Event will be up there soon. As for Attitude Era fans, relive every Stone Cold stunner, people's eyebrow, and choppy choppy of pee pees. Every Attitude Era Raw, Smackdown and PPV is in DVD quality, presumably uncensored and a simple click away. Would you be willing to pay $10 a month for a massive dose of nostalgia? Do you think you'd check out some of the newer stuff while you're at it?

-Everyone: Do you know anyone who would be willing to pay a montly subscription for wrestling content? In 2014? WWE has stated their goal for the network: 1 million subscribers. That is an incredibly high number, and I find it hard to believe they'll reach that goal anytime soon. They definitely won't be getting it from the core wrestling fanbase.

Personally, I probably watch on average an hour of wrestling related content a day, whether it's randomly on youtube, or watching old RAWs and PPVs, or the current product. Yet, I had absolutely no interest in a traditional, 24/7 wrestling channel. But with the possibility of a Netflix style subscription service and every old Raw/Smackdown/PPV available from the start... I'm legit shook. I'll be buying this shit day one, no questions asked. I've been clamoring for DVD/Blu-Ray sets of old Raws and PPVs, but this will do just fine. $12 is absolutely worth it for that library, and not having to search for old, shitty VHS quality episodes of RAW in 10 parts on dailymotion is a huge plus in my book.

What does GAF think? Can a wrestling Netflix work? in 2014?
 
Carnby

Carnby

Member
Can you clear this up...

Can I watch new PPVs and Raw episodes live with this subscription? Is so, then I'll gladly purchase a subscription.
 
S

Snaku

Banned
I'll sub for that first six months, but if they don't get WCW or ECW content on there I won't renew.
 
NYR

NYR

Member
Anth0ny said:
So, after more than 2 years in limbo, and about 12 years after everyone stopped caring about wrestling
Click to expand...
Wrestling is making a bit of a comeback. Not huge, but it is definitely swinging upward again. It's a cyclical business.
 
D

Deleted member 8095

Unconfirmed Member
If the ECW and WCW stuff is on there I'd be more interested. Also, what about the WWE stuff prior to Raw? The real kicker, will Shotgun Saturday Night be available?
 
C

Cagey

Banned
$12/month for Wrestlemania, every RAW/Smackdown/PPV ever on-demand, and then future monthly PPVs?

That's a really damn good deal.
 
B

British Monsoon

Member
I'm probably in the minority, but it's the non-WWE content I'd be interested in.

The only way I'd be interested is if they made available the entirety of their library that has been digitized so far. It's not enough for a few token compilations and documentaries about the territories era, but I would be very interested to have a library of full TV episodes available from the likes of Mid-South, GCW, Memphis, Crockett Promotions, Stampede, etc.
 
B

BoboBrazil

Member
Snaku said:
Or Vince sees the cord cutting trend and is being proactive.
Click to expand...

You don't know Vince McMahon or how he gets his profit if you think he doesn't care about cable. By the way, they are talking to the people behind mlb.TV to do their service.
 
Carnby

Carnby

Member
Snaku said:
Or Vince sees the cord cutting trend and is being proactive.
Click to expand...

This. I do not have a cable subscription. It's a waste of money. I want access to the WWE Network, but no way am I going to buy cable for it.

If the rumors are true, I will gladly purchase a subscription.
 
C

Chamber

love on your sleeve
I watched mostly WWF back in the day and I still remember those shows pretty well. I'd be more interested in seeing old WCW stuff I never watched.

Would still probably subscribe to this for a couple months at least.
 
davepoobond

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
i wonder if they'll ever put up WCW/ECW/whatever else is underneath them stuff up



honestly its a bit high for a sub, but with all the potential content you could get, its actually not "bad" per se.

also you get access to all the new pay per views and shit? that's well worth it if you keep buying them.
 
F

fader

Member
WinoMcCougarstein said:
If the ECW and WCW stuff is on there I'd be more interested. Also, what about the WWE stuff prior to Raw? The real kicker, will Shotgun Saturday Night be available?
Click to expand...

from what I hear, what was discussed was that ALOT of WWE libraries will go up but they are starting with Raw and Smackdown first. In time I'm sure Velocity, Saturday Night Main event, and etc will go up. And maybe even their non-WWE archived stuff like MCW, AWA, Smokey Mountain, etc. I'm pretty optimistic of this, I'd rather an archive internet sub than a tv channel altogether.
 
Soodanim

Soodanim

Member
If they offer playlists, this will be great. Want to watch all of the Rock and Sock Connenction stuff? Boom, done. Otherwise, it's a lot of content to sort through.
 
J

Jamie OD

Member
If anyone is worried, WWE is working with MLB.TV to get this up and running. MLB is one of the better sport streaming services out there.
 
S

strobogo

Banned
LOL at all you people wanting WCW stuff up there.



legitshook.com


Read the 1998/1999 reviews and think really hard if that's something you want to see. Look at the 1998/1999 gif threads and think about paying to watch that.
 
B

BoboBrazil

Member
By the way this is going to be a hard sale to the general public during a time of waning interest in wrestling. If you look at a service like netflix that only has about 30 million paid accounts with a much more broad appeal and lower point of entry into service, it's going to be hard to see how this will top around 500k paid members when there are only about 3-4 million viewers of the WWE when it's free on Monday nights. Also it is going to erode their ppv business even further than it has already been going down causing them to lose the income from ppv buys. Very few will pay full price for these when they are free on the service.
 
J

Jamie OD

Member
Ronin said:
What about all the Chris Benoit stuff?
Click to expand...

DVD-wise, they show his matches now but edit out his entrance, any mention of him on commentary and remove his name from the match listing. Biggest example is the Wrestlemania 20 DVD after his death changed the main event listing on the back cover to something like "Shawn Michaels and Triple H battle over the WWE championship".

BoboBrazil said:
By the way this is going to be a hard sale to the general public during a time of waning interest in wrestling. If you look at a service like netflix that only has about 30 million paid accounts with a much more broad appeal and lower point of entry into service, it's going to be hard to see how this will top around 500k paid members when there are only about 3-4 million viewers of the WWE when it's free on Monday nights. Also it is going to erode their ppv business even further than it has already been going down causing them to lose the income from ppv buys. Very few will pay full price for these when they are free on the service.
Click to expand...

They're kind of willingly sacrificing their PPVs to make this a success. The big money for them now is TV deals, both American and worldwide.
 
P

pretty done

Member
Wrestling is fucking awful now, but I'd sub at least for a couple months if they added all WCW Nitro and WCW PPVs. I'd prefer to watch the superior Monday Night Wars show, Vince.
 
B

BoboBrazil

Member
Jamie OD said:
They're kind of willingly sacrificing their PPVs to make this a success. The big money for them now is TV deals, both American and worldwide.
Click to expand...

The problem is WWE is thinking this is going to generate them much more in revenue than the old model and that people actually want more WWE. That isn't true as shown by lower ratings typically during the third hour of Raw. There is a very small hardcore number of fans that would pay for something like this. Of course the first 6 months might be more successful since they are giving you that first Wrestlemania free, but overall it's just a bad idea. An actual cable channel could be much more profitable for them since they could sell ad space during commercial breaks, but as you can tell by this move and the long delays, the cable industry wanted no part of this.
 
H

Heel

Member
This is a great deal for the pay-per-view crowd dropping $50 a month, and an interesting pricing compromise for the hardcore internet fans who watch everything and pay nothing. Even $120/year is more than $0/year to the WWE. There's clearly a lot of math going on here.

I'm glad they've set this precedent before UFC launches their online network next year. I'm curious if they'll follow a similar structure. Their pay-per-view numbers are a bit bigger, but their business structure is very similar.
 
A

atomsk

Party Pooper
Every Raw and Smackdown?

This will just lead to another Martha Hart lawsuit

edit: personally I can see the delays being due to a heavy amount of editing, which kills any interest I have in this.
 
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