Cody Rhodes Diva
Main Eventer
#1 Seattle Seahawks fan!
Joined on: Aug 10, 2011 3:28:01 GMT -5
Posts: 1,954
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Post by Cody Rhodes Diva on Aug 1, 2017 14:45:05 GMT -5
Source: Wrestling IncThere are major cutbacks going on all over WWE right now, including the cancellation of WWE Network programs and no longer doing the pyro at shows. Dave Meltzer stated on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE "promised everyone" they were going to have bigger profits in 2017 than they had in 2016 and they're not anywhere close. "So last year's profits were about $30 million," said Meltzer on the August 1, 2017 episode of Wrestling Observer Radio. "And this year we're about halfway through and — I don't have the exact numbers in front of me - but it's like five or six million, which means there's a lot of catching up to do." This is believed to be the reason why there is no longer a pyro at WWE shows and a lot of shows on the WWE Network are getting canceled, in an attempt to lower production costs. "They're not in any financial trouble but the Network subscriber number is a genuine disappointment," explained Meltzer. "The growth coming out of WrestleMania that would have been expected wasn't there." One thing that has not helped the growth of the WWE Network is doing brand specific pay-per-views for RAW and SmackDown but it's not expected that WWE is going to go back to just one pay-per-view a month. "The one thing that we have learned is that the two pay-per-views a month, that has not helped," said Meltzer. "The Network number is not growing the way they expected it to so that's been a bad situation. But I don't think they want to drop one of the pay-per-views because I think that would hurt ratings a little bit." More cutbacks are expected in WWE and it's one of the reasons why the company has been slow on the United Kingdom show. Dave Meltzer noted their tournament to crown a WWE United Kingdom Champion earlier this year cost a lot of money and the show will mean spending a lot of money for more tapings every month.
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Post by J12 on Aug 1, 2017 14:49:28 GMT -5
This has been brewing for quite a while, and the elimination of pyro (which is super expensive) was a pretty clear indicative of that. The Network is stagnant, and their head isn't in the right place to change that. They've been rolling with the idea of "more, more, more" and that's obviously not working.
They don't seem to realize that aiming their product at non-wrestling fans doesn't create enough new wrestling fans to sustain their business model. And, every time they do something designed specifically for, say, ESPN, it turns more wrestling fans off. It's a damaging cycle.
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Deleted
Joined on: May 17, 2024 4:23:49 GMT -5
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2017 14:50:38 GMT -5
You gotta spend money to make money.
The reason I'm not subscribed to the Network is because they don't give me a reason. I can live without watching their lesser PPVs like Battleground. I can live without NXT.
What I want is what made me love the Network when it launched. The original shows, Legends House, Countdown, Swerved. That kind of stuff.
Soon RAW will take place in the Hammerstein ballroom with a curtain and some stairs for the stage.
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Post by TheLastDude on Aug 1, 2017 14:51:28 GMT -5
So, in other words, they went from:  to:  And nobody was surprised. |
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Post by ~*Young $ Money*~ on Aug 1, 2017 14:56:13 GMT -5
They need to eliminate the crap writers they have. Between everything being predictable and the 3 hours of torture every week what do they expect? You try to cut your one big company with all top stars and make it 2. Not going to work. End the split, make better storylines, keep adding content to the network and make some more original shows. Some of the stuff on there is really cool, just have to pull more people in
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Post by ClashOfStyles on Aug 1, 2017 15:19:45 GMT -5
They've been putting on a crappy show and ignoring the fans' opinions for a long time, and now it's finally coming back to bite them. WWE's fan base has been plummeting for a years now, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Maybe this situation will make Vince realize that the writing team, booking, marketing, and positions on the card need to change.
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Post by TheSystem 1.5 on Aug 1, 2017 15:24:12 GMT -5
Less pyro, less big stages, less Elias Sampsons name
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Post by blissfan4life on Aug 1, 2017 15:28:58 GMT -5
Budget Cuts are the jerk of the month.
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Post by Angel Beast on Aug 1, 2017 15:38:11 GMT -5
I won't be surprised if we see the network subscription fee increase.
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Post by Triple S on Aug 1, 2017 15:40:06 GMT -5
Budget Cuts are the jerk of the month. 4/16 Quotes reference from well over 3 years ago... 🤔 |
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Post by IRS on Aug 1, 2017 15:42:42 GMT -5
You have to wonder, how many people simply subscribe for the PPVs alone? I'd be willing to bet it's at least a good 60-70% of the subscriber base. And if the product is crappy, then they're not gonna want to watch the PPVs. And eventually, they'll probably be unsubscribing. Instead of putting all the Network shows on the chopping block, they should be focusing on making the damn shows better on a weekly basis. Somehow, I doubt Big Show vs. Big Cass main eventing RAW is gonna make people go, "gee, I'm sure excited to see what happens next week." Or Jinder  ing Mahal as WWE Champion. Not to mention giving matches like the triple threat or Nakamura/Cena away on free TV. There's no buzz, almost no long-term planning. It's almost pointless to watch every week. They can slash budgets all they want, but unless they make the product as a whole better, they're not gonna draw in new eyes (and subscribers). |
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Post by rowdy1971 on Aug 1, 2017 15:48:28 GMT -5
Hopefully Brock leaves and that will free up a lot of money. They could cut house shows down, I can't see them making a whole lot of money off those. And most of all they can get rid of dead weight like:
Zach Ryder
Emma
Curt Hawkins
The Ascension
Most everyone on 205 Live
a few refs
that Charlie interviewer chick who sucks
Alicia Fox
Summer Rae
Mickie James
Elias
Sin Cara
Kalisto
Ziggler
and probably another 10 people. There are too many on the roster as it is. Trim it man!
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Post by Triple S on Aug 1, 2017 15:50:25 GMT -5
The product is the worst it's been since probably 2011-2012 and they have the best in-ring talent pool since, well, probably ever.
Problem is, the wrong talent is getting pushed for a company that mostly focuses on wrestling. Even if Vince hates that word.
Fans don't care to stay up or stay tuned in to see Big Cass vs. Big Show... as much as Vince probably loved it.
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Post by Darkhawk on Aug 1, 2017 16:01:46 GMT -5
Well if WWE brought back "WWE: Rivals" and other shows similar than I may consider subscribing. Once WWE stopped producing shows like that, I just stopped my subscription, I don't need to see NXT, Womens Tournament, or any other crap, I like pro wrestling but I'm not a pro wrestling fan 24/7.
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Post by King Bálor (CM)™ on Aug 1, 2017 16:24:00 GMT -5
Heres an idea....why are you signing every single wrestler in the world when you dont use half of them? The roster sizes are ridiculous!
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Post by ThugSuperstar on Aug 1, 2017 16:29:21 GMT -5
I'm curious why they actually thought they'd make more money this year. Attendance and TV ratings have been plummeting steadily for a while now, and the Network subscriptions have never once come close to reaching the numbers they thought they'd have. Were they really naive enough to think that their audience would suddenly do a complete 180 and start paying money to see Roman Reigns overcome the odds after two years of them rejecting him every single step of the way? Vince made his mind up that he's willing to run this company into the ground with Roman as his top babyface because he wants the fans to like who he wants them to. And he's well on his way to crashing and burning with Roman. Frankly, the company is lucky to make any profit at all given how bad things are.
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Post by Glorydaysofwrestling on Aug 1, 2017 16:46:56 GMT -5
Lots of replies in this thread hit the nail on the head. I've been a fan since 1985 and I honestly gave up on wwe. It's been my obsession since I was a child. ..literally an obsession. I dedicated my life to it. The product is absolutely horrible and when someone who is obsessed with wrestling can't stand to watch their weekly TV shows ( I can almost handle smackdown...almost) that's a very bad sign. The past 2 years or so have really turned me off to the product.
As far as the network goes...I just want to see all the classic stuff add more of that and I'll be happy. I'd never ever pay for a wwe ppv these days....hell they're included in my subscription& sometimes I don't even finish them.
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Post by theoutlaw1999 on Aug 1, 2017 16:49:11 GMT -5
I'm a firm believer is quality over quantity and quite frankly there is too much WWE. Cut PPV's, end the split and already tons of money will be saved.
Also just drop Brock Lesnar. The guys is a waste of money because he gets paid millions of dollars to wrestle short matches that mostly consist of the same move.
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Post by TheSystem 1.5 on Aug 1, 2017 16:59:13 GMT -5
Hopefully Brock leaves and that will free up a lot of money. They could cut house shows down, I can't see them making a whole lot of money off those. And most of all they can get rid of dead weight like:
Emma
The Ascension
Most everyone on 205 LiveAlicia Fox
Summer Rae
Mickie James
Elias
Sin Cara
Kalistoand probably another 10 people. There are too many on the roster as it is. Trim it man! Or they could you know actually try with these guys and gals and build the great divisions they could have instead of kicking people out on their ass |
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Plastic Cowboy
Main Eventer
Joined on: Dec 19, 2011 15:59:19 GMT -5
Posts: 1,426
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Post by Plastic Cowboy on Aug 1, 2017 17:01:34 GMT -5
Yeah, I love pro WRESTLING , and have been watching it since the 70s but I don't even bother watching the ppv on the network anymore, they are just basically episodes of RAW and Smackdown. Nothing ever happens because Vince does not allow organics anymore. It is just what the old out of touch dude wants (Great Balls of Fire as an example, he probably loved that in his childhood). Talent is to scripted by the soap opera writers. Look at how gold the Miz is on Talking Smack, actually look at how good his and Cenas feud was at WM season. Pretty sure those are two guys that are allowed to go off script. Had that not had the obvious finish and the women involved that could have been a classic Wrestlemania build up. But it was ruined with elements we didn't want to see. It seems most everyone actually likes Roman, but because of his force feeding and his awful scripted lines we can't stand to see the dude on our tv. Vince is a heck of a business man but he needs to check his ego. Think if he gave a guy polka dots today he would be DOA because it's so scripted, but Dusty made you not see the polka dots that Vince made him wear, just because he thought it would be funny.
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