Yo-Yo's Roomie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I was at the show last night. Last time I went to a Smackdown in Detroit, there was the same issue. Lot of empty seats. However, Detroit crowds are always hot. Bryan and Rusev were the most over guys on the show. Lots of Rusev Day chants before the show even started. Crowd was getting angry by the lack of Rusev in the triple threat match, and really popped when he finally tagged in and ended up winning the match. I had floor seats for the first time, which was cool. But also I'm short, so it was kinda hard to see a lot of what was going on. As I said, Bryan was very over, and the crowd really got into R-Truth too, which was cool. I'm so all in for a Truth/Carmella pairing, and I think a Carmella face turn would work well. One of my favourite things to do when I'm at live shows is play spot the t-shirt. I think the Rusev Day shirt was the most popular. Saw lots of people wearing that one (myself included). Also saw a lot of Styles, New Day and Hardys. A few of the new Bryan one. Last time I went to a show, the Rusev Day thing was just starting to get over, and he didn't even have a shirt out yet, so it's pretty cool to see where he's at now. It's crazy how stacked the SD roster is. I'd never seen Bryan wrestle live before, so I was super excited we got Bryan/Almas and really a show built around Bryan. New Day and Nakamura didn't even appear. The Bar came out for like 2 seconds just to stand on the ramp. No Orton or Hardy, which I'm really happy about, but they're two of the bigger stars on the show. Becky and Charlotte were in the dark match with Carmella, and were otherwise just on the screen. Asuka just did the run in. Joe and Styles had the brawl, which I'm fine with. But that's a lot of talent that didn't even wrestle. Not sure how it was on TV, but it was a lot of fun live. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJ Hero Morganti Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 When i went to smackdown in Oakland. Same thing. Sparse crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beech27 Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Kansas City looked close to that also. It makes for a slightly awkward experience for kids/newer viewers especially, who can't quite get their heads around why the wrestlers are playing to empty seats. (At least, I always hear comments to that effect.) Given that relative lack of engagement, I thought Detroit sounded good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChesterCopperpot Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Toronto likewise last week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 Those fans 15 rows up sitting in their seats politely with entire rows empty below them is the most Canadian thing I've ever seen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Whoa. If Smackdown keeps looking like that and ever comes back to Champaign (I think the last time was literally right before Eddie died) then I'm going for sure. Being able to carve out my own little spot in the middle of the Assembly Hall will be a trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo-Yo's Roomie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 It's a bit depressing, considering how good the current roster is. I didn't stay for 205 Live. I wonder how bad it looked for that. How do they even shoot that for TV? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonzombie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Attendances been down for several Smackdown markets for some years. Even before that, house shows attendance for both brands have been low for years. Vince doesn't care anyway, because he getting so much money from tv deals and merch to make up for losses. Funnelling money to use buildings. Maybe someday they will flim their tv in a custom studio with please applause signs. The Fox loft would be handy. They can always rebuild a new fanbase over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamal Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Glad to see Asuka with something to do now. I had a feeling that she would be the one to assist Naomi. I can get behind their team. This show made me want to see Carmella vs Maryse lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 That was another big plus, Asuka returning, and promptly whipping some ass. Yo-Yo's Roomie, there was Orton but in a video package. You got lucky not having to see that. But leaving for #205Live? C'mon man, they need all the help they can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo-Yo's Roomie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I know. I felt bad. I really do feel for those guys. But one of the guys I was with had to be at work at 7 the next morning, and he was driving. So it was kinda out of my hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Damn, sorry. Must not have been any great shakes because nobody's even posted anything in the thread for the show yet... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustronaut Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 1 hour ago, Curt McGirt said: Whoa. If Smackdown keeps looking like that and ever comes back to Champaign (I think the last time was literally right before Eddie died) then I'm going for sure. Being able to carve out my own little spot in the middle of the Assembly Hall will be a trip. The only TV taping that I know of in the CU area was a marathon WCWSN taping where Pain Stewart literally evolved from Barry Darsow doing a random golf gimmick to full blown character over the course of the evening. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPPA Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Its gonna be even worse for 205 Live if they stick with the model of doing SDL -> MMC -> 205 in the next couple of weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonzombie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 They should just end 205. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonteCarl Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 They should tape 205 Live before SDL begins and air it on tape delay 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyLaw Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Full Sail. The answer for 205Live remains Full Sail. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 2 hours ago, Betsy Zeidler said: The only TV taping that I know of in the CU area was a marathon WCWSN taping where Pain Stewart literally evolved from Barry Darsow doing a random golf gimmick to full blown character over the course of the evening. I swear -- SWEAR -- that Smackdown came through the week of Eddie's passing. It was probably a house show but I was all geared up to see him specifically, then balked at the price. And then days later he was dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 1 hour ago, JonnyLaw said: Full Sail. The answer for 205Live remains Full Sail. 205 should absolutely be connected to nxt, the way the UK title is. It would be better than the purgatory they're in now, not really being connected to Raw anymore, with the exception of Spud as the AoP's new manager and Drew Gulak being part of the anti-Shield militia, and not being part of SD despite taping immediately after SD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydneybrown Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 14 hours ago, ChesterCopperpot said: Yikes "Hey Joe, when you cut your promo tonight, don't let the fans get to you. Maybe focus on an area where there aren't so many of them." "So where do you want me to look?" "Oh, you'll know." 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 8 hours ago, Curt McGirt said: I swear -- SWEAR -- that Smackdown came through the week of Eddie's passing. It was probably a house show but I was all geared up to see him specifically, then balked at the price. And then days later he was dead. They came to Champaign on 11/06/05. They were test running the triple threat matches between Eddie, Batista and Orton that would have supposedly ended up on a PPV with Eddie winning the World Heavyweight title. Then Eddie died a week later (11/13/05). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Nailed it! Thanx for doing the legwork on that Casey. A triple threat... with Orton... and green Batista... maybe I dodged a bullet there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 The card for that house show was pretty shit. I'd say you didn't miss much of anything. Quote Juventud Guerrera b Kid Kash to retain the Cruiserweight title Joey Mercury & Johnny Nitro b Road Warrior Animal & John Heidenreich, William Regal & Paul Burchill and Super Crazy & Psicosis to retain the Tag Team titles Bobby Lashley b Sylvan Mr. Ken Kennedy b Hardcore Holly Christy Hemme b Melina Melina Perez in a Bra & Panties match Booker T b Chris Benoit to retain the United States title Rey Mysterio & Matt Hardy b John Bradshaw Layfield & Orlando Jordan Batista b Randy Orton and Eddie Guerrero in a 3-WAY to retain the World title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt McGirt Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 Damn... I dunno. I could have seen Juvi Regal Crazy Nicho He Who etc. Booker Rey Rey Eddie Say what you will about the quality of the booking, just being able to SEE those guys wrestle would have been quite the memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustronaut Posted September 6, 2018 Share Posted September 6, 2018 It's kind of amazing how much He who must not be named worked Champaign. Outside of Orlando Jordan and Sylvain (and a house show bra and panties match!), nobody on the card was terrible. Although I even had fun the last time TNA came through Danville and 50 people showed up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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