The network was the smartest thing they've done recently. They make more from network subscriptions than they have in years from PPV.
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WWE Raw drops to lowest TV rating in 18 years
- Thread starter RBH
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The network was the smartest thing they've done recently. They make more from network subscriptions than they have in years from PPV.
I think I purchased one PPV in my life. I've been a network subscriber for over a year now
It's hoovering up people like for for whom $10 bucks a month is nothing, but who would balk at shelling out multiples of that for PPV
They make more than they do from PPV. And they make more than they do from TV rights.
But they probably don't make more than they do from TV rights + PPV combined.
At least not yet.
The thing that seems so stupid is that for WWE's bigger plan for relying on the Network, it relies on pulling in new fans or people with passing interest that are not already invested in their WWE ecosystem. How do you expect to create new core fans when you're shitting out half assed episodes of RAW every single week? If you don't have a hot current product the overall mainstream interest is going hit a certain peak and just stop.
How can you possibly expect people to flock to your brand when the majority of your existing fans let others know how much is sucks a large portion of the time?
JesseEwiak
Member
You're running under the assumption that a majority of the audience actually believes that. According to the Internet, everything sucks all the time and everything is horrible and it's impossible that anybody likes anything.
The truth is, the vast majority of families who show up to a WWE show are perfectly happy - they cheer, they buy some merch, their kids are happy, and that's that.
But that audience is nothing even close to the level of their hot points (Hogan and Attitude era). Their attendance level has been not that great this past year. A lot more empty seats than I can remember in their recent history. Sure, the people who do go to the live events still get a great experience most times since that's Vince's strong point after all as a wrestling promoter. It's why he's able to make Mania the insane spectacle it is now. But it just feels very flat overall at the moment.
The potential to make massive amounts of money is there for the taking, especially when they are the only show in town, but those in charge are happier with just towing the line and living off the TV rights/ad revenue.
JesseEwiak
Member
Actually, house show attendance is up in the last quarter.
But frankly, the casual audience isn't going to come back because Kevin Owens is having five star matches or all of the sudden the show has fantastic writing. The way WWE originally got from a 3 to a 5 is simple - boobs, blood, and badasses.
I've made this argument before and people don't like it, but it's true - if you like the modern WWE's level of wrestling, you don't want it to be more popular. The casual fan that was lost doesn't like long matches. He doesn't care about quality main events. Frankly, if you want AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro matches getting 20 minutes on RAW or PPV, you want the WWE at this level of popularity - flat but steady.
serenewarfare
Banned
But the whole point of the promo was her being disingenuous and demeaning to Brie and acting like she cared about Bryan. So if she didn't sound genuine, she did exactly what she was supposed to do.
What?
I mean yeah, strong story telling is what makes wrestling entertainment truly wide appeal. But that's the biggest problem. The story telling often fluctuates from very poor to non-existent. If anything compelling happens they often stumble into it by accident.
Stronger work rate across the board is not making things worse. It's filling in the gaps where storytelling used to be.
Last quarter was the holidays. Isn't that kind of expected?
bean breath
Member
What are their TV ratings?
UberTag
Member
I don't want to see those matches on RAW. I want to see those matches after a build during a program that builds one or both talents. I'd like to see those matches on network specials or main eventing a TV show. Watching them on a TV show with 3 commercial breaks interspersed in the middle sucks complete ass.
If anything, matches on RAW need to be shorter aside from the main event. And talents of that calibre shouldn't be fighting nearly as much as they do (usually in instances where they trade wins back and forth). They mean absolutely nothing.
Lower than Raw, but that's expected since it is on the El Rey Network.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
I think it was a bit of both, WCW losing so much money was a strong justification along with Jamie Kellner coming into power over Turner owned networks after Ted was pretty much pushed out due to that ill conceived AOL merger. Pro-wrestling ad buys being relatively shit compared to even syndicated reruns didn't help either. But Kellner and Brad Siegel and whatever other suits were there definitely didn't care for wrestling and got rid of it as soon as they could with Ted pretty much out of the picture. Kellner is also hated by people who know he was responsible for cancelling a lot of WB's animation block back in the day.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/19/b...tling-in-first-decision-by-its-new-chief.html
EDIT: Just found a timeline. http://www.wrestling-online.com/timeline/the-sale-of-wcw-to-wwe/
Etrian Oddity
Member
A bar here in Austin (called the Mohawk) has weekly Lucha Underground parties every wednesday. I think I may partake tomorrow.
(Austin is the hometown of El Rey founder Robert Rodriguez.)
Violence Jack
Member
Nemesis121
Member
Hour 1 numbers, nice..
Smokey_Run
Member
They have a serious problem keeping people around for the third hour.
Certain individuals around these parts would have you believe that it doesn't matter what the third hour ratings look like.
The Silver
Member
I see everyone followed along in leaving after Bork
Officerrob
Banned
People tuned-in for Shane, and tuned-out in droves rather than watch Reigns
kunonabi
Member
The constant tag matches turned me off and the main event wasn't even announced by the time I stopped watching. Not that I would have bothered with reigns/sheamus anyway.
It's clearly not Roman's fault though, it's Shaemus!
Smokey_Run
Member
I feel its an indictment of their main event scene.
newdayrocks
Member
That Reigns/HHH segment was incredible, tho.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
The ratings for the third hour have been like this for a while. Nothing new here.
People just hate Reigns. They're tired of the Roman Reigns Show.
The HHH stuff really confuses me. He acts like he draws this monster heat because everyone hates him, but the truth is that nobody hates him. Nobody cares about him. They're tired of and indifferent toward him.
It's really strange because it sounds like HHH has been the one making a lot of the smarter decisions behind the scenes, but the dude just cannot let go of his desire to be in the limelight. It's like the washed up high school football star who spends his days pounding beers and retelling the same old stories to the same old audience... except the audience is shrinking.
Roman just never was. He's the Scrappy Doo of pro wrestling.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
What are you basing this on? Do you have quotes for this?
I feel like some of you guys see opinions on the Internet and then work yourself into a shoot over it.
About sums it up. Still shook, honestly.Dat first hour
Dick Justice
Banned
And vice versa. "Bryan's not a draw". "It's not Reigns' fault, viewership is down in general".
I'm sorry, but that's the same rationalization used against Bryan to declare that he's not a draw. But it's a different story when it involves Reigns now?
Sounds like a terrible excuse.
Frustrated_Grunt
Member
Great 1st hour.
Can't believe they planned that garbage main event match though.
Can't believe they planned that garbage main event match though.
ratcliffja
Member
I think that's a huge part of it. It's just something people watch, but it's not must see TV, especially when you can just catch results later on the internet.
This always happens. Kids go to bed.
Viewers stayed around when Raw was just from 9 to 11. Or do you think Raw would do better from 8 to 10?
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