Jerry Hattrick Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I don’t know how to explain these numbers but last months Survivor Series did 103,000 buys on traditional pay-per-view according to WWE’s Key Performance Indicators report. Remember, the show was available for free on the WWE Network during the “Free November” trial month. Last year the show did 177,000 buys and that was before there was a WWE Network. Those numbers are crazy. Surely there are not that many people that are located in rural areas with no broadband internet who have no problem spending $60 on 1 PPV. I also don't see how there's so many people that don't know how to get the network on their TV but are willing to spend $60. Who are these 100,000 people who spend $60 for a 3 hour show that was technically free? Some of that 100K+ audience may be that far out in the sticks, while others just may order one or two PPV's a year without the extra expense of an ISP (or smart phone w/ data plan). Some are just old fashioned technophobes who don't wish to deal with that pesky internet. (My mom has had DVR since July '12, when I first moved back home from FL. She's just *now* getting the hang of the remote). Then...well...there are those who struggle to spell WWE, never mind finding the Network. I need to explain that last part. Blindly pick any website and go to the comments section. That is the group I am regarding, not the "dumb redneck rasslin' fan" stereotype I was probably looked at as referring to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Plus I mean a lot of people prefer to watch wrestling on their big screen TV, and people aren't going to go buy the equipment to do that just for one free PPV. Maybe if they ordered it long term, sure, but my dad isn't going to buy a roku to use it once (he didn't buy the PPV either). Remember what the average age is that now watches WWE (I think it was over 40), a lot of older viewers wouldn't have the knowledge, internet speed, and/or equipment to watch a PPV on their TV via the Network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Hattrick Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Kevin makes a good point about watching it on the big screen. Plus there's also some of us, like myself, who have outside circumstances that keeps us from seeing the live feed. With me, a lot times it's work. So many variables. I'll be 40 in a few weeks. That last line of Kevin's kind of makes me sad, but I'm sure is mostly true. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I've brought this up before, but in my time working in cable for the last year, I've been blown away by the amount of people I talk to that still buy the traditional ppvs. Not only that, but I'm always reminded at what an awful job WWE does at branding and marketing the Network, because I get at least one call per week from someone wanting to add it to their cable package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nature Boy Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 I don’t know how to explain these numbers but last months Survivor Series did 103,000 buys on traditional pay-per-view according to WWE’s Key Performance Indicators report. Remember, the show was available for free on the WWE Network during the “Free November” trial month. Last year the show did 177,000 buys and that was before there was a WWE Network. Those numbers are crazy. Surely there are not that many people that are located in rural areas with no broadband internet who have no problem spending $60 on 1 PPV. I also don't see how there's so many people that don't know how to get the network on their TV but are willing to spend $60. Who are these 100,000 people who spend $60 for a 3 hour show that was technically free? So we know that there are at least 100,000 people who are stupid enough to buy something that is technically free. From what I can see from Facebook though, there are a lot of wrestling fans who are complete morons. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebbie Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 This made me smile. Also, what a tall fucker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Spoilered for size: That's a pretty stacked card. I'd go if I was anywhere near Belleville, IL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiztor Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Plus I mean a lot of people prefer to watch wrestling on their big screen TV, and people aren't going to go buy the equipment to do that just for one free PPV. when they add a WWE Network app to either the Wii(U) or Sony Blu-Ray players, then i'm in. but i'm not going to buy a device for JUST the network, as everything else i want to do online thru my tv is available thru those other 2 devices. but i sure as shit am not paying $60 for a wrestling ppv. especially one that's free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Maybe some people are just stupid? Let's not try and trationalize it too much. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobholly138 Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 What channel does Night Court come on? I haven't seen that in years. Please tell me that this isn't some local syndication deal. Encore Classics Mon-Friday at 3 or 4pm Central. Magnum PI comes on after them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Fresh Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 In support of his L.A. Fight Project, Nigel McGuinness has put his documentary, "The Last of McGuinness" on Youtube, but only until Monday! Watch now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPgm45qRc1M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Conn Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 What channel does Night Court come on? I haven't seen that in years. Please tell me that this isn't some local syndication deal. Encore Classics Mon-Friday at 3 or 4pm Central. Magnum PI comes on after them. Murphy Browns comes on before it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomAct Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 You know, I have a guy at work named Melvin. He likes to pretend that I'm Murphy Brown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 To bring this full circle, I'm writing a Murphy Brown. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 The state of high-speed internet coverage in this country is fucking shameful, which probably mostly explains the 100K+ buys on traditional PPV. We haven't had a great national project since the Hoover Dam and the national highway system, but if we were going to do one, a national broadband project would be the ticket. It's easy as an urban warrior to forget just how many small towns and sparsely populated areas have no access to even DSL. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cristobal Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 The state of high-speed internet coverage in this country is fucking shameful, which probably mostly explains the 100K+ buys on traditional PPV. We haven't had a great national project since the Hoover Dam and the national highway system, but if we were going to do one, a national broadband project would be the ticket. It's easy as an urban warrior to forget just how many small towns and sparsely populated areas have no access to even DSL. Comcast says "Go fuck yourself, poor person." 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niners Fan in CT Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Is there a coverage map available somewhere? I'd like to see the areas that don't have broadband access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bustronaut Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 As of april 2014: Zoomable/searchable maps http://www.broadbandmap.gov/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Fresh Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 The state of high-speed internet coverage in this country is fucking shameful, which probably mostly explains the 100K+ buys on traditional PPV. We haven't had a great national project since the Hoover Dam and the national highway system, but if we were going to do one, a national broadband project would be the ticket. It's easy as an urban warrior to forget just how many small towns and sparsely populated areas have no access to even DSL. I may not be remembering this right because I didn't research it very thoroughly, but isn't Google trying to get this done? I'd count on them getting it done quicker than the US Government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaedmc Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Google Fiber is their project to start laying internet specific lines that they say will be significantly faster than the lines your using through Comcast/ATT/etc. Their written goal is to expand their projects so everyone has access to speedy broadband regardless of location. I imagine their unwritten goal is to have enough infrastructure in place so that when we inevitably make internet into a utility they can get some fat government paychecks. So the answer is yes, and it'll probably with the gov too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Wilson Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Last I checked PPVs were $45 ($50 for HD), I think people are exaggerating for effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 That's still some serious coin, especially for a shitty show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 $54.99 + tax and fees. In comparison, Wrestle Kingdom 9 is only $9.99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHFP Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 From Meltzer a while back "People are going to hate to hear this, but the really stripped down [WWE Network] television version in Canada is a huge success," Meltzer said. "It's more expensive and you get far less, but it's on television not on the Internet." So apparently being available on TV and not just on the internet is still a huge deal. That might continue to change but it will probably take many years and I doubt Vince has the patience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Fresh Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Oh shit, Wrestle Kingdom 9 is only $10??? I did not know that. They should be pushing that fact more. I was gonna skip it. Now I'm in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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