DECEMBER WRESTLING CHIT CHAT

[Victator]

Even as popular as AJ appears to be I would say WWE would still choose at least half of the male wrestlers over her if they had to. That's why it's crazy for any diva to get involved with a top guy. You can date Billy Kidman. You can date an Uso. You should probably stay away from everyone else. What's going to happen if Cena and Nikki have a bad breakup? You know what's going to happen..  She will either disappear from TV, be humiliated or possibly released.. I feel bad for the divas but that is the way it is and I'm surprised they haven't realized it yet.

They had no problem firing Sable at the peak of her popularity. Just keep your head down or at least don't make an ass of yourself in front of a guest and company higher ups. 

[muhammedboehm]

I belive the reason they cant get Coke, McDonalds, Walmart goes back to the PTC back in the late 90's early 00's.

[Ace]

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

 

It could be worse. One of the major reasons that Cartoon Network cancelled "Young Justice" is because girls watched it.

[MonteCarl]

The thing about longer matches on RAW because of the 3 hours: That's true, but it also hurts PPV revenue. They burn through so much because they have so much time to fill, and thus the PPVs aren't special anymore. Yeah, it's great for the fans because we get quality in-ring action, but if RAWs had more shorter, filler matches and the PPVs featured the long 20 minute hot tag matches or awesome Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton matches like last night's show, we'd all be more apt to watch the actual PPVs.

[Victator]

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

This needs more likes. 

[Cristobal]

The thing about longer matches on RAW because of the 3 hours: That's true, but it also hurts PPV revenue. They burn through so much because they have so much time to fill, and thus the PPVs aren't special anymore. Yeah, it's great for the fans because we get quality in-ring action, but if RAWs had more shorter, filler matches and the PPVs featured the long 20 minute hot tag matches or awesome Daniel Bryan vs Randy Orton matches like last night's show, we'd all be more apt to watch the actual PPVs.

I know that makes marketing-logic sense, but does it actually work out in a wrestling fan's brain that way?

"Well, Raw's really been shit these last few weeks, I guess I'd better drop 50 bucks on the PPV cuz that's the only place I'll ever see good wrestling again!" thought literally no one ever.

[Fat Spanish Waiter]

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

It could be worse. One of the major reasons that Cartoon Network cancelled "Young Justice" is because girls watched it.

I don't even get that logic at all, what the fuck.

[Niners Fan in CT]

I belive the reason they cant get Coke, McDonalds, Walmart goes back to the PTC back in the late 90's early 00's.

 

Possibly but they have been a PG rated program for over 5 years now.

[Phantom Lord]

 

 

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

It could be worse. One of the major reasons that Cartoon Network cancelled "Young Justice" is because girls watched it.

I don't even get that logic at all, what the fuck.

 

Even in kids demos, advertisers and industry want the male demo.  But it is Cartoon Network which is run by Time Warner and well there's your answer.

[Raziel]

 

 

 

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

It could be worse. One of the major reasons that Cartoon Network cancelled "Young Justice" is because girls watched it.

I don't even get that logic at all, what the fuck.

 

Even in kids demos, advertisers and industry want the male demo.  But it is Cartoon Network which is run by Time Warner and well there's your answer.

 

Yeah.  Cartoon Network cancels YJ because the "wrong demo" watches it.

 

HUB on the other hand, has no issue with whatever demographic watches certain shows, so long as its bringing in ad revenue.

[alan]

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

 

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

[Cobra Commander]

 

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

 

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

 

to the disappointment of DVDVR board posters lobbying for Mark Henry to be in a History Channel miniseries

[Tromatagon]

I find it funny that in an era where nobody watches anything any more, a show that consistently gets 5 million viewers isn't attractive because they're the wrong viewers. The whole tv system is fucked.

It could be worse. One of the major reasons that Cartoon Network cancelled "Young Justice" is because girls watched it.

I don't even get that logic at all, what the fuck.

There's an article that's been making the rounds with Paul Dini talking about what happened. Depressing read though. I met Dini and his wife a couple times when I worked at the horror collectibles store. Super cool folks so it sucks seeing them jerked around.

[nate]

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

to the disappointment of DVDVR board posters lobbying for Mark Henry to be in a History Channel miniseries

Wonder what kinda missile dropkick that Jesus feller has, in his moveset?

[cool arrow]

 

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

 

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

 

 

WWE will never get on History.

 

No aliens.

[Casey]

 

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

 

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

 

perfect time to hire David Benoit, guys.

[Cobra Commander]

they could have aliens if they steal my idea of Aliens from the year 1998 showing up to face Stone Cold

 

it could be like Space Jam too, where they steal the talent of some wrestlers

[Reggie20x6]

The upcoming WWE Netflix Network might eventually kill off PPV's, according to Meltzer. They're (supposedly) launching it before WrestleMania next year. The rumor being bandied about is if someone signs up for X amount of months, they'll get WrestleMania XXX for free. 

 

Here's the Observer bit on it:

It appears, after years of teasing, that the launch of the WWE Network is going to be announced imminently. On 11/18, the company informed cable carriers that it will cease production on the WWE 24/7 Classics on Demand channel in February, which would seem to confirm the already reported time line of February for a launch, reported by Pro Wrestling Insider as a 2/24 launch date, which would be the day after the Elimination Chamber PPV. It should be noted that WWE had more than a year ago sent messages to cable companies that Classics on Demand was being canceled, only to continue the service then the network launch was delayed.

 

This would launch it at the time interest in pro wrestling is the highest, the lead into WrestleMania. However, the main selling point of the station is the ability to get the PPVs far cheaper. The first PPV, if WrestleMania is not on the network, would be Extreme Rules on 5/4, which is several months after launch.

 

Very few internally are aware of any details past the point that the company is shooting a lot of footage for the network, but nobody has been told when it would be airing. Then again, very few in the company, including those you would think would be aware, had any idea of Classics on Demand being shut down until the story got out after WWE contacted the cable companies.

 

There was one source who said that WrestleMania was being strongly talked about (actually one person said it was even in the plans) to be used this year as the lure to get people to sign up, with the idea that they can get a huge amount of sign-ups immediately if people realize they can get Mania for “free” in HD by signing up for$9.95 per month to get Mania and tons of new content instead of $69.95 price single-event price. It’s unclear how much national clearance there would be for the network at the start, but if 600,000 people in North America are willing to spend $60-70 to watch Mania, and there is 100% clearance, they will easily get 1 million people, and probably a lot more than that, to spend $9.95 (a price point floated for getting it through Netflix, although prices of $12.95 and $14.95 have been talked about as well). The hope is if they sign up, most won’t cancel, will like what is offered including the monthly PPV “for free,” and it won’t be a slow growth but an instant hit.

 

If that is the idea, of using Mania to kick off the network, you are giving up on the most profitable event of the year. But it avoids what could be a cold open.

 

If Mania is actually used as the selling point and the clearance is high enough to where, say, it costs 400,000 of the Mania buys in North America, that would be about $10.8 million in company revenue at that point. If the price is $9.95 and the company gets half, then they would need an additional 2 million subscribers to make that work out financially. Now, that would only be over the course of a year, not a month. The idea is this will bring in 167,000 people who wouldn’t have otherwise subscribed, and they stick with it for the entire year, the economics over the course of the year do make sense. The thought process is once you sign up for a station like this, most don’t bother canceling, and they will become long-term subscribers. It was acknowledged that if this approach is what is taken, it would be the beginning of the end of PPV as we know it as a pro wrestling revenue stream, but that network profits will more than make up for it. At a $14.95 price tag, the economics are needing 129,000 new subscribers who will stay the full year.

 

In other words, they would likely lose huge for the month, the show and even the quarter as compared with the previous year, but they could make it up (and hope to do so in a big way) over the course of a year. But if the price is $9.95 instead of $14.95, the break even also moves from 1 million homes to 1.5 million, and throwing in WrestleMania at 60-65% market clearance, to 1.7 million. That 1.7 million would be roughly the figure they’d need to make it break even based on availability in 65 million homes, although adding Netflix would also help. All these numbers vary based on how much of the U.S. market will have the availability to order the station. If this is the approach taken, it’s also significant because every cable company that doesn’t offer the station will be inundated with wrestling fans who want to get WrestleMania “for free” by getting the station, as opposed to spending $59.95 to $69.95 getting the show on its own.

 

There is a major flip side to this. This becomes a gamble not just on the WWE side, but the cable industry side. With the exception of the biggest UFC events and huge boxing matches, WrestleMania is one of the biggest days of the year for the cable industry. They are 50% partners in a sense in both the show and the network and if they don’t buy the economics, there will be major pressure on WWE not to do it. Their revenue in April from WrestleMania will be way, way down next year if Mania is offered as part of the network package. If a system offers the WWE Network and it includes Mania, basically they are cutting their own throats short-term by killing Mania buys within their system. Yes, they could make it up by the end of the year, but as these numbers show, this doesn’t come without substantial risk. The other key is that it will be difficult if Mania is put on the network this year, to not have it on the network next year. That means they will have to maintain the “Mania added subscribers” for the year and through next year as well. If the network gets, let’s say, 500,000 new subscribers based on Mania, they all order it, pay their $9.95, and most cancel it after the month, it’s a major backfire.

 

A big move made for the network release was the hiring of Matthew Singerman as the Executive Vice President of Programming. Singerman will report only to Vince McMahon, which would make him immediately one of the company’s top power players. His role includes development of new content, including original reality programming, scripted programming, for both television, digital, and primarily the network. Singerman has experience in helping start up new networks, working as a consultant in the early days of the NFL Network, Nuvo, Pivot and Back9. He was a key part of the early growth of the Fox News Channel. He was also Senior Vice President of Programming at Reelz, and also was part of senior management at the TV Guide Network. The company has also been making calls to people at ESPN looking for more new hires.

 

WWE has not confirmed anything about the network past the plan for launching sometime in 2014, nor did they respond to questions related to this story.

 

 

It makes sense, to me, to ditch PPV. Get the television money while you can (read: before that bubble bursts someday). PPV is starting to level off big time, due to how readily and easily people can get a stream online. An online network, where people are essentially paying WWE for a monthly PPV (plus lots of old matches that I doubt will be fully taken advantage of by the average subscriber)

[SirSmUgly]

 

 

 

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

to the disappointment of DVDVR board posters lobbying for Mark Henry to be in a History Channel miniseries

Wonder what kinda missile dropkick that Jesus feller has, in his moveset?

 

 

Don't know, but the crooked moneylenders of the time say he throws a sweet right hand. 

[Casey]

I'm really skeptical about how much older content they'll offer us, even if it IS online, with this model. For some reason I feel like it'll just be a slightly larger match listing than what they do for WWE OnDemand (cable, not online). Are they still running with the idea of making it like an actual channel, but just online (IE: show what they want), or just open up the entire thing to us?

[piranesi]

I got a good laugh out of the notion the WWE sent out feelers to A&E. I mean there are some arts types that absolutley hate that Duck Dynasty is the highest rated show on that network. They would probably take a running leap out of the A & E building if they signed a rasslin show.

 

 

 

 

"Arts types" at A&E?  Like some legacy executive who's been hanging on since 1988 hoping to pitch a new show about opera?

 

It's straight-up hillbilly central.  Is there even a single "arts" related show on there?  like, History channel can at least pretend that "Mega Machines from the tomb of King Tut" is historical.  As far as I can tell, A&E today is basically running the original programming that The Nashville Network would be running it it was still around.

 

On the front page of their website I see:

 

DUCK DYNASTY

AMERICAN HOGGERS

RODEO GIRLS

STORAGE WARS: TEXAS

CRAZY HEARTS NASHVILLE

 

It's bizarre.  The "Arts" in A&E might stand for like whittling and hog-calling or something.

 

And yes, that still means they will consider WWE far far beneath them....

[Skelemania]

 

 

they should try seeing what the History Channel could offer them

 

Five or six guest star spots for Big Show in that Bible miniseries?

 

 

WWE will never get on History.

 

No aliens.

 

 

Alien, alien, alieeeeeen?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGfxoSZ0qjM

[rzombie1988]

Hate to say it, but TBS would probably be perfect for WWE, though I'd keep Raw on USA. One of the newer sports channels would definitely work too but the ratings would be much lower. It's going to be a long long time before the general public even knows that CBS, NBC and Fox all have sports channels, yet alone turns them on. I'd make the pitch if I were them and risk losing rep, because they will make it up in ratings. I really don't know how CBS Sports, Fox Sports and such haven't lost their asses yet.

 

I don't think they will be able to bundle everything together though. There's way too many shows. Really, to watch all shows, you have to basically dedicate your life to WWE.

 

They have to get Smackdown off of Fridays at minimum. Live would be cool but I don't think the drop would be too much if it were taped.

[scraylo187]

Raw is going to end up as an IFC web series

[BoKnowsWrestling]

No way that NBC doesn't win the bid, their content would be good for the nbc sports network, plus the WWE would be dumb to move Raw off NBC.  They could move Smackdown to NBC Sports if they want to be more like a sport, plus i'm sure they could fill up other random time slots on that channel with content that they have on their own WWE Network.  I would push for saturday night main event on nbc sports outside of college football season and when there are not boxing or mma fights on.