JULY WRESTLING DISCUSSION

[Skelemania]

The multiple login things is going to backfire. I'm sure there are people that share accounts now but I'm not sure if it's worth the headache that would happen if someone couldn't have it on their mobile device & PC at the same time because of multiple login rules.

[Big Z]

Glad that the WWE is all-in on the Network investment, as it will eventually pay off big for them. Sucks that mostly uncontrollable circumstances have temporarily hindered its growth, but this will eventually be a blip on the radar of its success. Also sucks that many workers will lose jobs (at least in the short term), but it is worth cutting whatever costs necessary for the long term growth of the Network and subsequently the company.

[Raziel]

Wait, wait, wait...This year, for Wrestlemania, Extreme Rules, Payback and MitB did 690k, 108k, 67k and 122k. Then you factor in the 700k subscribers. Isn't that a good thing as far as PPV views goes?

Wrestlemania 30 was the most watched WWE PPV of all time (1.3 million combined between PPV and Network).  So yeah. its awesome.

 

The Network is still in its infancy.  Its way to early to toast its success or dance on its grave.  

[Super Ape]

Glad that the WWE is all-in on the Network investment, as it will eventually pay off big for them.

The more I look at things, the more it seems like the Network isn't so much a frivolous venture as it is a boat they can't jump off of midstream, as if this is the 'E's last gamble. piranesi summed it up in the TNA forum; this is the only real feasible method of growth they have now. If it doesn't take off, it could really damage prospects of the company's future, if not that of the entire business.

[Big Z]

The Network is a moderate gamble with some short term pain, but long term is brilliant given the current TV climate and the misperception of wrestling among TV executives. I believe that the WWE will always have some television home, but it is wise to not be fully tied to TV with the issues with wrestling on TV and the rising cable costs/growing cable monopolies and eventual mass migration from cable in the next 10-20 years.

[DMN]

The Network is a moderate gamble with some short term pain, but long term is brilliant given the current TV climate and the misperception of wrestling among TV executives. I believe that the WWE will always have some television home, but it is wise to not be fully tied to TV with the issues with wrestling on TV and the rising cable costs/growing cable monopolies and eventual mass migration from cable in the next 10-20 years.

This. Things might be bad now, but I honestly think they're ahead of the curve on this one.

[Yo-Yo's Roomie]

I don't get why so many people are cancelling subscriptions. The network has provided me with everything they said it would, plus more. Then again, I have it mainly for the old pay-per-views, and don't even really watch the new ones unless something gets pimped hard.

[Cristobal]

Apparently they already lost 128.000 subscribers.

I wouldn't be surprised, if at least half of those people bought the network and then were too stupid to figure out how to get it to work.

This makes no sense to me. 667K people sign up, committing to 6 months, and 128K have cancelled their subscription even before the 6 months is up?

I mean at least stick around for SS and get Lesnar/Cena (again) and Ambrose/Rollins (We'll Actually Wrestle This Time!) and Reigns/Orton.....ok, never mind. I get it now.

[Cristobal]

The Network is a moderate gamble with some short term pain, but long term is brilliant given the current TV climate and the misperception of wrestling among TV executives. I believe that the WWE will always have some television home, but it is wise to not be fully tied to TV with the issues with wrestling on TV and the rising cable costs/growing cable monopolies and eventual mass migration from cable in the next 10-20 years.

This, btw. If it weren't for sports, I'd have cut that cord by now, and it's only a matter of time before I can buy the sports I want a la carte and let all those Pawn Stars reruns slip off into the annals of "history".

[Raziel]

I don't get why so many people are cancelling subscriptions. The network has provided me with everything they said it would, plus more. Then again, I have it mainly for the old pay-per-views, and don't even really watch the new ones unless something gets pimped hard.

Dissastified with the current product.  Upset certian things aren't up yet, Nostaliga trip over, realization that the Attitude Era was actually really embarassing, didn't realize that you need a decent connection at worst to get it, upset that its not all in glorious 1080p 60fps HD, bored with it, realized that they no longer used it after that initial Mania push, canceled because they're joining Cibernetico's Class Action Lawsuit because a couple "fucks" got bleeped out of old ECW PPV's, thus its not uncensored like they promised...

[ebbie]

Personally, I just hate that what I want to watch isn't up yet. Why have all the PPVs but like no Raws leading up to them? Video packages from 10 years ago don't make me want to watch the match unless I already know what I want to watch.

Also, the layout on the PS3 is terrible. It's holding down the left or right arrows for days and it constant blacks out to the point I have unplug the system.

[Dewar]

August 12 in Canada, and on a television channel so I don't need to buy more hardware to access the network? They will be getting my 60 bucks.

[Jiji]

So, my Canadian ass won't be able to watch it on my computer or playstation, instead I have to pay for a channel? Am I getting that right? Right now, I'm paying for the network and unblock-us, so I guess I'll continue to do that.

[piranesi]

If you're already seen it all, then I can see not keeping it as long as they refuse to put older more obscure stuff up.

 

But, if you came late to the game and still have big chunks of the main (PPV) stuff you haven't seen, then it's pretty great.

 

I'm enjoying seeing the WCW stuff I never followed back when the only t.v. I had was over the air (so, Smackdown!).  Just going through the end of '97-98 and I'm amazed at how small it looks...not the production, but the same guys coming out segment after segment and the same damn theme song over and over.

 

It's like, how piddling does your company look when you have Virgil coming out three times during a PPV?

[BEN!]

when Sting was the leader of the Main Event Mafia (a heel group) why wasn't he, like, full heel? They kept him tweener didn't they?

 

Shades of grey, bro.

 

I don't even know if I'd call him a tweener.  He felt some of the youngsters in TNA were disrespectful and in order to teach them some respect he hooked up with the other vets (and Kurt Angle) and they just happened to be heels.  He never took part in any of the heel beatdowns and he never did any real cheating, just taking advantage of situations.

 

And when it started, Angle was actually the leader which was never conveyed clearly.  It would have made more sense for Sting to be the initial leader since he was the World Champion at the time of formation.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

 

I don't get why so many people are cancelling subscriptions. The network has provided me with everything they said it would, plus more. Then again, I have it mainly for the old pay-per-views, and don't even really watch the new ones unless something gets pimped hard.

Dissastified with the current product.  Upset certian things aren't up yet, Nostaliga trip over, realization that the Attitude Era was actually really embarassing, didn't realize that you need a decent connection at worst to get it, upset that its not all in glorious 1080p 60fps HD, bored with it, realized that they no longer used it after that initial Mania push, canceled because they're joining Cibernetico's Class Action Lawsuit because a couple "fucks" got bleeped out of old ECW PPV's, thus its not uncensored like they promised...

 

 

I actually think they undercharged for it. They should have charged 10$ just for the new PPVS and another 10$ on top for the archive (but only if you get the PPVs, otherwise 15$). I think they showed a real lack of confidence in the value of their product.

[Spritenaut 32]

 

Apparently they already lost 128.000 subscribers.

I wouldn't be surprised, if at least half of those people bought the network and then were too stupid to figure out how to get it to work.

This makes no sense to me. 667K people sign up, committing to 6 months, and 128K have cancelled their subscription even before the 6 months is up?

I mean at least stick around for SS and get Lesnar/Cena (again) and Ambrose/Rollins (We'll Actually Wrestle This Time!) and Reigns/Orton.....ok, never mind. I get it now.

 

 

In my opinion, the problem with the Network isn't whether or not it's a great deal (it is), but whether or not there's an audience for that much wrestling.  I think the company massively overestimates how much wrestling the casual fan wants to watch in a month (or year).  I'm probably willing to watch more wrestling than most fans, and even I think the Network is kinda nonessential.  Yeah, it's a great deal, but I don't have time or interest to watch hours of wrestling each day every day.  And, when I do watch wrestling, I don't really want it to be limited to whatever the WWE decides to offer me.

 

In theory, the Network has a lot to offer me.  I'd kinda like to watch ECW TV from the beginning.  I'm definitely planning to watch the first three or so years of Raw.  Ditto WCW Nitos and Saturday Night, if/when they add them.  I don't spot watch anymore.  I'd like to be able to watch the major TV and PPV's from a given year, in order.  At most, I'm going to find the time to watch about an hour or so a day - maybe 90 min, so it would take me at least five months just to watch the first three years of RAW.  That's assuming I watch every day.  So watching everything I have some interest in should take me..... years, maybe.

 

That's a lot of watching.  I don't really feel compelled to watch a lot of wrestling at a stretch and I generally don't want to watch wrestling every day.  Raw (or, more likely, Primetime or some program from the territories) is something I watch while I answer email at the end of the day, after I've been to work, spent time with the wife and kids, gone for a run, read a book, watched network tv with the wif, etc.  It's my least important hobby, basically.  I can go long stretches without watching anything then I"ll toss a year of Mid-Atlantic in the DVD player and watch a show a night for a while. 

 

Paying for the Network makes me feel like I should be watching it more often, since I pay for it.  That's kinda annoying.

 

There's also an opportunity cost for me.  Sure, I'd kinda like to watch ECW TV, but watching one year of Hardcore TV would take me two months or probably a bit longer.  That would probably be the only wrestling I watch during those months.  If I'm going to watch some wrestling during the next few months, I'd much prefer to watch Primetime or 1985 World Championship Wrestling (the Saturday night show) or USWA or early 80's Georgia.  If I were to watch every year of Hardcore TV, I'd end up putting all the other stuff off for well over a year.  That's not going to happen.  I'd like to see Hardcore TV, but it's not worth prioritizing it over the stuff I really want to be watching.  Since I don't have unlimited time to watch wrestling, I'm probably better off watching a year of Crockett or a Portland comp. 

 

If that's how I feel, I can imagine how more casual fans feel.  The Network is worth it even if all you want to do is save money on ordering new PPV's.   But you're only saving money if you are ordering PPV's in the first place.

[Sky Blue Sam]

Just after a couple of match recommendations if possible. I keep hearing a lot about KANA, and was hoping to get some pointers as to which matches of hers I should check out. I've seen a match she had for Smash against Shuri that I enjoyed, so any help would be appreciated.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

I haven't been using the Network as much as I used to because there just isn't enough TV on there that I can watch in order leading up to the god damn PPVs. Give me Superstars and the other weekend shows. I can only watch so many Rip Rogers job matches on 1994 Raws before saying fuck it and loading up the WCW C-Show thread here.

 

Also, I kinda feel like we were implicitly promised Nitro from launch. I spent a pretty good amount of time looking for it.

[John from Cincinnati]

So, my Canadian ass won't be able to watch it on my computer or playstation, instead I have to pay for a channel? Am I getting that right? Right now, I'm paying for the network and unblock-us, so I guess I'll continue to do that.

Access to the network will be provided on digital devices when individuals prove they’re a Rogers customer, similar to how people now interact with HBO Go.

http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/wwe-network-ready-for-international-rollout-to-pin-down-new-subscribers-1201272606/

So that's a thing. 

 

August 12 in Canada, and on a television channel so I don't need to buy more hardware to access the network? They will be getting my 60 bucks.

Has a Canadian price been announced yet? 

[Hollywood Cibernetico]

 

I don't get why so many people are cancelling subscriptions. The network has provided me with everything they said it would, plus more. Then again, I have it mainly for the old pay-per-views, and don't even really watch the new ones unless something gets pimped hard.

Dissastified with the current product.  Upset certian things aren't up yet, Nostaliga trip over, realization that the Attitude Era was actually really embarassing, didn't realize that you need a decent connection at worst to get it, upset that its not all in glorious 1080p 60fps HD, bored with it, realized that they no longer used it after that initial Mania push, canceled because they're joining Cibernetico's Class Action Lawsuit because a couple "fucks" got bleeped out of old ECW PPV's, thus its not uncensored like they promised...

 

 

The sad thing is there really is a pending class action suit and because I HAD stock in WWE- I am part of it.

[Victator]

After seeing Jackie's boobs censored on that UK PPV, I was tempted to join. 

[SirSmUgly]

I don't have discs worth of wrestling, so this is an easy way to watch all the old stuff that I like. This has been worth it just for the Clashes and WCW PPVs. When they start putting up random Saturday Nights or Worldwides, that will be wonderful.

 

I think to mollify some of the people that are bored with the current shows and that also have seen all the older big shows, it might be worth it to put up NWA/WCW Saturday Nights chronologically or to put up all the Shotgun Saturday Nights, ECW on TNNs, etc. Weekly shows that have stuff that we have probably forgotten about even if we were watching weekly back in the day would be nice for some of the folks like that. 

 

I also think they are missing out on a big chance to hook the nostalgia peeps by patterning at least some of their schedule around the old wrestling shows back in the day. WCW Saturday Night re-runs at 6:05 PM every Saturday, WWF Superstars re-runs at 11AM on Saturdays, etc. 

[Niners Fan in CT]

I don't get why so many people are cancelling subscriptions. The network has provided me with everything they said it would, plus more. Then again, I have it mainly for the old pay-per-views, and don't even really watch the new ones unless something gets pimped hard.

 

We can answer all these questions with "wrestling fans are dummies". If you can't pay $9.99 a month for this either you aren't into WWE, couldn't give a shit about it or you are flat broke. I don't see a third possibility.

[RandomAct]

I told someone earlier, that the $10 bucks was never meant to go towards the current product.  No one I know was spending it for that, it was for the old stuff and the current ppvs were a nice cherry on top.  Frankly, I enjoy having all of this stuff a click away instead of having stacks and stacks of tapes/discs, and full hard drives.  I feel like people who are cancelling due to displeasure with current stuff are cutting off the nose to spite the face.  Especially since they will just go back to pirating all the shows and ruining this thing for those of us who are getting their money's worth out of it.