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WWE Raw drops to lowest TV rating in 18 years

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They already Global and still make most on their money in the USA.
Sure, they can be called global already, but that's true only if you think the world just cares about American talent and wouldn't want to have their own local brand and roster. Why exactly is it you think the US is their top market? Coincidence? How do you think they're going to get new subscribers or expand WWE past the standard Mon-Wed TV shows now?

I'm not even talking hypotheticals and speculation at this point, Triple H and the wrestling press were openly talking global expansion and multiple Performance Centers around the world on yesterday's NXT Takeover press call as if it were common knowledge. Somehow this common knowledge passed right by you. :/
 
A big issue is that the format is totally outdated. WWE has had the same format since the late 90's. If I were Vince, I'd give it a complete overhaul in format and presentation. Give it a more "Sporty" feel. Kind of how it felt in the 80's/early 90's, or something like PRIDE.
 

kiguel182

Member
Roman is boring to me but Goldeberg being the main event with Brock is even worse because at least with Roman I have some investment. With those two I couldn't care less. I have zero interest in that match.

I think the whole "booking Roman as a face so he is a heel to some fans" is completely ridiculous. Even if it's true it's dumb. Because there needs to be a payoff with heels, where they lose and Roman doesn't have that payoff so it's just frustrating and not fun to watch. And why would you want to frustrate your fan base instead of making a product everyone loves? There's no good reason for that.

Sure, you can't please everyone but you can do better than frustrating half or more of your audience.
 
Roman is boring to me but Goldeberg being the main event with Brock is even worse because at least with Roman I have some investment. With those two I couldn't care less. I have zero interest in that match.

I think the whole "booking Roman as a face so he is a heel to some fans" is completely ridiculous. Even if it's true it's dumb. Because there needs to be a payoff with heels, where they lose and Roman doesn't have that payoff so it's just frustrating and not fun to watch. And why would you want to frustrate your fan base instead of making a product everyone loves? There's no good reason for that.

Sure, you can't please everyone but you can do better than frustrating half or more of your audience.
Is there any top person that wouldn't frustrate half the audience? This is just a reality of the expanded demographic targets. I think a lot of people forget half the audience has been furious that Kevin Owens has been champ for half a year because the title was handed to him. That Goldberg win was euphoric for them, but meant nothing to me.

I think there's this mental block Roman haters have at acknowledging and respecting the noise the dude gets. I go to every show that comes by. That dude is over. Only Cena gets anywhere near the same "holy fuck I have to jump out of my seat and make a noise right now" moment.

Raw is 3 hours long. If Roman frustrates you, that's less than 1/6th of the show. (I know sometimes we get it worse.)
 
Roman is boring to me but Goldeberg being the main event with Brock is even worse because at least with Roman I have some investment. With those two I couldn't care less. I have zero interest in that match.

I think the whole "booking Roman as a face so he is a heel to some fans" is completely ridiculous. Even if it's true it's dumb. Because there needs to be a payoff with heels, where they lose and Roman doesn't have that payoff so it's just frustrating and not fun to watch. And why would you want to frustrate your fan base instead of making a product everyone loves? There's no good reason for that.

Sure, you can't please everyone but you can do better than frustrating half or more of your audience.

I'd much rather have Oldberg in the main than Roman. Roman can't even do a good spear. In a perfect world, AJ or Fin should be in the main vs Brock. It's still annoying that they wasted Roman on Brock on 31, when the storyline should have been Bryan.
 

Mahonay

Banned
Is there any top person that wouldn't frustrate half the audience? This is just a reality of the expanded demographic targets. I think a lot of people forget half the audience has been furious that Kevin Owens has been champ for half a year because the title was handed to him. That Goldberg win was euphoric for them, but meant nothing to me.

I think there's this mental block Roman haters have at acknowledging and respecting the noise the dude gets. I go to every show that comes by. That dude is over. Only Cena gets anywhere near the same "holy fuck I have to jump out of my seat and make a noise right now" moment.

Raw is 3 hours long. If Roman frustrates you, that's less than 1/6th of the show. (I know sometimes we get it worse.)
I was at RAW last week at Barclay's. People were not excited to see Roman in the main event. They were booing while seated

Super loud boos when he speared Taker.

At the end of the show the general feeling was disappointment.
 
I was at RAW last week at Barclay's. People were not excited to see Roman in the main event. They were booing while seated

Super loud boos when he speared Taker.

At the end of the show the general feeling was disappointment.
Well that's Raw. I've never left Raw feeling good since like 2002. And Roman is absolutely the heel in all ways for this Taker feud.

I was there when Seth cashed in and pinned Roman, and everyone left WM feeling alive. It was pretty amazing. WWE knows Roman's the biggest heel in the business (think about it: who can be his opponent and receive more boos than Roman? No one.), but they also see the merch money at the same time. They know what's going on.
 

Mahonay

Banned
Well that's Raw. I've never left Raw feeling good since like 2002.

I was there when Seth cashed in and pinned Roman, and everyone left WM feeling alive. It was pretty amazing. They know Roman's the biggest heel in the business, but they also see the merch money at the same time. They know what's going on.
Look. I'm huge on the idea that a true mega heel Roman could be big money for WWE and turn Roman into an actual top guy.

But he's not a fucking heel as it stands. He's booked as the top baby face. I don't enjoy booing him. In fact I didn't bother to boo at all until he speared Taker and they played Roman's music to close the show. I like his ring work and presence. But holy Jesus the booking and writing is insultingly bad. The Roman Reigns Baby Face character is pure dog shit. It's objectively bad.
 
Well that's Raw. I've never left Raw feeling good since like 2002. And Roman is absolutely the heel in all ways for this Taker feud.

I was there when Seth cashed in and pinned Roman, and everyone left WM feeling alive. It was pretty amazing. WWE knows Roman's the biggest heel in the business (think about it: who can be his opponent and receive more boos than Roman? No one.), but they also see the merch money at the same time. They know what's going on.

He's really not a heel. Vince has an obvious hard on for the guy and wants to make him THE guy of this generation, but nobody is buying it. Vince dreams of Roman being over AF.
 

kiguel182

Member
Is there any top person that wouldn't frustrate half the audience? This is just a reality of the expanded demographic targets. I think a lot of people forget half the audience has been furious that Kevin Owens has been champ for half a year because the title was handed to him. That Goldberg win was euphoric for them, but meant nothing to me.

I think there's this mental block Roman haters have at acknowledging and respecting the noise the dude gets. I go to every show that comes by. That dude is over. Only Cena gets anywhere near the same "holy fuck I have to jump out of my seat and make a noise right now" moment.

Raw is 3 hours long. If Roman frustrates you, that's less than 1/6th of the show. (I know sometimes we get it worse.)

Bryan was loved by everyone. New Day got/get mostly cheers, AJ is a heel but a beloved one, Ambrose gets awesome reactions, Rollins is mostly liked. Those are just the few I remember.

The idea that it isn't possible is false.

I don't care if he gets noise or how much merch he sells. I don't have WWE shares what I care is if he entertains me and he doesn't.

I watch Raw as background noise and it entertains me enough to keep watching but the show could be much better and I think changing Romans role could help.
 

kiguel182

Member
Roman is a heel in the sense that people don't like him. But he isn't booked like an heel and I don't enjoy watching him like I do true heels and good faces.

I wanted Zayn to win against Joe but both entertain me. One as an hero and the other as a villain. It's pretty simple.
 
Look. I'm huge on the idea that a true mega heel Roman could be big money for WWE and turn Roman into an actual top guy.

But he's not a fucking heel as it stands. He's booked as the top baby face. I don't enjoy booing him. In fact I didn't bother to boo at all until he speared Taker and they played Roman's music to close the show. I like his ring work and presence. But holy Jesus the booking and writing is insultingly bad. The Roman Reigns Baby Face character is pure dog shit. It's objectively bad.
He is a heel! You hate him, right? Lots of people do, right?

There are four marketing quadrants: young men/women + older men/women. Roman gets a reaction from each of these quadrants. He's the biggest babyface on the show and the biggest heel on the show at the same time, just like Chris Jericho for the last year. WWE isn't targeting 18-35 men exclusively anymore, so reactions are going to be mixed for the biggest stars.

If you don't believe me about this new face/heel dynamic in the main event, just listen to Kevin Owens explaining the exact same thing on Austin's podcast two weeks ago. The future isn't main event stars on which everyone has an accepted, absolute shared opinion, other than your occasional mega-babyface. We use the Internet, we know that no one agrees on anything.
 

kiguel182

Member
You call him a heel I call him a bore that makes me want to tune out. Yay?

At this point I don't care if he wins or loses. Is that what the WWE wanted? It achieved that. I'm just over the dude.
 

JavyOO7

Member
Hopefully USA gives WWE the same amount of money on the next TV renewal but with 2 hours instead of 3. 1 is most optimal, though. And hopefully NXT never goes past 1 with their weekly shows.
 

Mahonay

Banned
He is a heel! You hate him, right? Lots of people do, right?

There are four marketing quadrants: young men/women + older men/women. Roman gets a reaction from each of these quadrants. He's the biggest babyface on the show and the biggest heel on the show at the same time, just like Chris Jericho for the last year. WWE isn't targeting 18-35 men exclusively anymore, so reactions are going to be mixed for the biggest stars.

If you don't believe me about this new face/heel dynamic in the main event, just listen to Kevin Owens explaining the exact same thing on Austin's podcast two weeks ago. The future isn't main event stars on which everyone has an accepted, absolute shared opinion, other than your occasional mega-babyface. We use the Internet, we know that no one agrees on anything.
I don't think it's possible for me to disagree with you more than I do right now.
 
You call him a heel I call him a bore that makes me want to tune out. Yay?
I don't know why you think you finding him boring is some sort of unique or special opinion. I fast forward him a lot too. He's not my guy. I FF all his Raw shit.

But I don't deny that every time he's in a PPV title match, which coincidentally is almost always against someone I already love or want to love, I'm hyped for him to lose. They got me. He's the biggest heel in the business to me, because they book him like the biggest face for a different segment of the audience.

I don't know how to explain further that there's something to the idea that every single one of us still talks about Roman Reigns every single fucking week despite him "boring" us for years in this (in my opinion, miscast) role he's in. I think people are afraid to admit they get worked in any small way, as if somehow we're entranced weekly to watch a product in which we know everything going on in any way and see it all coming.
 

Spuck-uk

Banned
I don't know how to explain further that there's something to the idea that every single one of us still talks about Roman Reigns every single fucking week despite him "boring" us for years in this (in my opinion, miscast) role he's in. I think people are afraid to admit they get worked in any small way, as if somehow we're entranced weekly to watch a product in which we know everything going on in any way and see it all coming.

People talk about Roman Reigns a lot because his push encapsulates everything wrong with WWE right now. That he's a void of charisma doesn't help, but it's not the main reason.
 

gurudyne

Member
I don't know how to explain further that there's something to the idea that every single one of us still talks about Roman Reigns every single fucking week despite him "boring" us for years in this (in my opinion, miscast) role he's in. I think people are afraid to admit they get worked in any small way, as if somehow we're entranced weekly to watch a product in which we know everything going on in any way and see it all coming.

Never been a fan of this meta perspective. It feels way too much like rationalization. I think the more likely explanation is they pushed Cena to the moon, it worked for him despite the boos, so they're repeating it. If the guy gets the same mixed reaction, it must be working because no reaction is a bad reaction.*

And everyone talks about Roman because it's annoying being force fed something you don't like. You can skip it, but that doesn't make the part you're skipping any less a part of the show. That goes double if the thing you're skipping is the headliner.

*I've never understood this idea either. Not all reactions are good. It's one thing to dislike a heel and want to see someone kick his ass. That's a solid foundation--every storytelling medium uses this because it works. If a heel is getting booed because they're boring or annoying and the audience just doesn't want to see them at all, even to get beat by a face, that's not a good reaction. Yet I see people defend that as good heel work. This is an entertainment product. Having things on the show that make people not want to watch the show is bad.
 

Paracelsus

Member
Never been a fan of this meta perspective. It feels way too much like rationalization. I think the more likely explanation is they pushed Cena to the moon, it worked for him despite the boos, so they're repeating it. If the guy gets the same mixed reaction, it must be working because no reaction is a bad reaction.*

And everyone talks about Roman because it's annoying being force fed something you don't like. You can skip it, but that doesn't make the part you're skipping any less a part of the show. That goes double if the thing you're skipping is the headliner.

*I've never understood this idea either. Not all reactions are good. It's one thing to dislike a heel and want to see someone kick his ass. That's a solid foundation--every storytelling medium uses this because it works. If a heel is getting booed because they're boring or annoying and the audience just doesn't want to see them at all, even to get beat by a face, that's not a good reaction. Yet I see people defend that as good heel work. This is an entertainment product. Having things on the show that make people not want to watch the show is bad.

Cena was jobbed to the whole roster for a year as a rapper before her started getting props as a midcarder, and only when talent was running dry he finally got his push to the top. What has Roman ever done to deserve the push? Cena's feuds before winning the title were actually quite entertaining, Roman instead was always, as in from day one, a garbage heater, because he doesn't even look stronger than your average Uso.
 

Mrbob

Member
He's really not a heel. Vince has an obvious hard on for the guy and wants to make him THE guy of this generation, but nobody is buying it. Vince dreams of Roman being over AF.
I haven't watched much WWE over the years but what happened to the idea of turning someone full heel to eventually get him over as a face. The Rocks best work was when he went full heel and over time all those boos turned to cheers and the face turn is complete.
 

Paracelsus

Member
I haven't watched much WWE over the years but what happened to the idea of turning someone full heel to eventually get him over as a face. The Rocks best work was when he went full heel and over time all those boos turned to cheers and the face turn is complete.

You missed the part where he was a heel with the Shield, beating up good guys to help the bad guys, and then he changed his heart and started helping the good guys but suddenly a good guy became a bad guy and betrayed him.

It was at that point that you should have started loving him. Did you? Because that's clearly what happened in Vince's mind.
 

Indelible

Member
I haven't watched much WWE over the years but what happened to the idea of turning someone full heel to eventually get him over as a face. The Rocks best work was when he went full heel and over time all those boos turned to cheers and the face turn is complete.
That makes to much sense, current WWE is all about selling merchandise instead of doing what is logical.
 

Heroman

Banned
Sure, they can be called global already, but that's true only if you think the world just cares about American talent and wouldn't want to have their own local brand and roster. Why exactly is it you think the US is their top market? Coincidence? How do you think they're going to get new subscribers or expand WWE past the standard Mon-Wed TV shows now?

I'm not even talking hypotheticals and speculation at this point, Triple H and the wrestling press were openly talking global expansion and multiple Performance Centers around the world on yesterday's NXT Takeover press call as if it were common knowledge. Somehow this common knowledge passed right by you. :/

USA is their top market is because they most of thier money off tv. The world just cares about American talent ,. I mean when wwe goes to the UK they will draw way more then the WWE UK thing.

HHH can say all he wants but it going to really hard to make performance centers across the world given that NXT/ performance centers don't actually make money and is poor at making stars.
 

kiguel182

Member
This idea that there's this whole meta booking is dumb. Even if that's the case what matters if you enjoy it or don't. If you don't then who cares what you call Roman?

"Oh, he is actually a heel you see?!" - who cares? I don't care what you call him what I care is if he contributes for a better show. He doesn't. Not with his currently character.

And no, it's not impossible to have a character most people like as the front dude. And the audience didn't "turn heel" or whatever. They just don't like him. Not as a villain, as a character.

Whatever, I'll keep watching it even if most of the time I'm just half paying attention. It's enjoyable enough for me to keep doing it, I'm not hate watching it.
 
The audience demands a more intelligent and compelling story than what WWE is capable of writing, partly due to the restrictions of their current format. This will be the same old shit until the company folds or drastically changes.
 
USA is their top market is because they most of thier money off tv. The world just cares about American talent ,. I mean when wwe goes to the UK they will draw way more then the WWE UK thing.
I just want you to post one source or citation for the thinking behind any of your posts. This is insane US-first thinking, as if the UK doesn't have its own identity, or as if the WWE, a top 5 entertainment/sports brand in America, wouldn't do the research or planning necessary to determine the viability of a global push before attempting it, but you, Heroman, dude guessing on the Internet, knows better than them. These arguments would be harder for you to make if you tried to back up your assertions to yourself first, man.

HHH can say all he wants but it going to really hard to make performance centers across the world given that NXT/ performance centers don't actually make money and is poor at making stars.
You've got so much you think you know but literally not a single link, source, or even educated editorial to back up any of your guesses or statements. :/
 
This idea that there's this whole meta booking is dumb.
What do you think was behind Roman entering 30 at the Rumble this year, then?

"Oh, he is actually a heel you see?!" - who cares? I don't care what you call him what I care is if he contributes for a better show. He doesn't. Not with his currently character.

And no, it's not impossible to have a character most people like as the front dude. And the audience didn't "turn heel" or whatever. They just don't like him. Not as a villain, as a character.

Whatever, I'll keep watching it even if most of the time I'm just half paying attention. It's enjoyable enough for me to keep doing it, I'm not hate watching it.
I don't think you understand my argument.

0Y0RK.png


You fit one of these demographics. Is your opinion on Roman unique within that demographic? Probably not. And they know.
 

Dazzler

Member
anyone know when WWE's TV deal runs out?

Curious to see what'll happen with the next deal

Also, I wish they did more title tournaments. It's widely reported Vince doesn't like them, but the Cruiserweight Classic was incredible
 

kiguel182

Member
What do you think was behind Roman entering 30 at the Rumble this year, then?

I don't think you understand my argument.

0Y0RK.png


You fit one of these demographics. Is your opinion on Roman unique within that demographic? Probably not. And they know.

He entered 30 because there was no one else to enter at 30 and he is "a big name".

I'm not saying I'm unique. I'm saying I don't care. I'm saying whatever you called it what I care is my reaction and it isn't a positive one. It's a reaction that makes me not giving them money, is that what they want?
 
He entered 30 because there was no one else to enter at 30 and he is "a big name".

I'm not saying I'm unique. I'm saying I don't care. I'm saying whatever you called it what I care is my reaction and it isn't a positive one. It's a reaction that makes me not giving them money, is that what they want?
If you're like me, you should probably be honest with yourself about just how much money you really ever have given them, or think about why they should be concerned about losing the fandom of someone who admits to still lazily watching and talking online about it weekly anyway.
 

Foggy

Member
anyone know when WWE's TV deal runs out?

Curious to see what'll happen with the next deal

Also, I wish they did more title tournaments. It's widely reported Vince doesn't like them, but the Cruiserweight Classic was incredible

It wasn't just the tournament, it was also that it wasn't overbooked into oblivion because it wasn't bearing the weight of WWE creative. The most acclaimed and exciting the WWE did last year is antithetical to how they work day to day. Funny how that works.
 

Mahonay

Banned
If you're like me, you should probably be honest with yourself about just how much money you really ever have given them, or think about why they should be concerned about losing the fandom of someone who admits to still lazily watching and talking online about it weekly anyway.
Lol ah "you guys are not REAL fans". Haven't seen that one in a while.
 

Sephzilla

Member
Vince doesn't like tournaments because he can't advertise half of the card. That's why King of the Ring barely exists anymore and when they do a KOTR tournament its stretched over the course of a month instead of a night. Tournaments also have a somewhat rigid structure which means creative cant overbook it to hell or get 50/50 booking.

If you're like me, you should probably be honest with yourself about just how much money you really ever have given them, or think about why they should be concerned about losing the fandom of someone who admits to still lazily watching and talking online about it weekly anyway.

They should be concerned because, if the ratings are any indication, they're the only people still watching
 
Lol ah "you guys are not REAL fans". Haven't seen that one in a while.
That isn't anything close to what I was saying?

I was actually suggesting WWE might not give a fuck about me or him, because we don't really give them money. How often do you see them marketing to the older audience that dominates their demographics? They don't buy shit.
 

Mahonay

Banned
That isn't anything close to what I was saying?

I was actually suggesting WWE might not give a fuck about me or him, because we don't really give them money.
Most people subscribing to the Network are niche hardcore fans. So that doesn't make sense either.

And TV views will keep going down if they stay their current course.
 

Heroman

Banned
I just want you to post one source or citation for the thinking behind any of your posts. This is insane US-first thinking, as if the UK doesn't have its own identity, or as if the WWE, a top 5 entertainment/sports brand in America, wouldn't do the research or planning necessary to determine the viability of a global push before attempting it, but you, Heroman, dude guessing on the Internet, knows better than them. These arguments would be harder for you to make if you tried to back up your assertions to yourself first, man.

You've got so much you think you know but literally not a single link, source, or even educated editorial to back up any of your guesses or statements. :/
It funny that you complaining that I don't back my claims with article but yet you haven't at all I'm mean where are getting this WWE is the 5 entertainment/sports brand info at cause it clearly ain't true.
 

kiguel182

Member
If you're like me, you should probably be honest with yourself about just how much money you really ever have given them, or think about why they should be concerned about losing the fandom of someone who admits to still lazily watching and talking online about it weekly anyway.


I don't think you understand. I don't care how their bottom line is doing besides passing curiosity. I care about the quality of the product and that's what I talk most about.

I watch it and enjoy discussing it. Do they care about me? No they don't. But that doesn't stop me from saying "this would be better with Roman doing something different".

Your talk is all about how irrelevant we are or how we are being "worked". Do you think you are somehow smarter or so self-aware?

I enjoy talking about the product and watching it and will keep doing it regardless if WWE cares about me or not. I'll give them money if I feel it's worth it and won't if I think they don't. That's it. It's pretty simple and you are just overthinking and somehow coming to the conclusion you have everything figured out. Congrats I guess.

EDIT: They cater to us a lot. What do you think the WWE UK thing was all about? Or Talking Smack? We are the ones that might sub to the Network. Not that it matters to my enjoyment but "we" have value to them obviously. This is a dumb discussion.
 

Paracelsus

Member
That isn't anything close to what I was saying?

I was actually suggesting WWE might not give a fuck about me or him, because we don't really give them money.

Ratings are going down, ppv buyrates are even worse. Who are these alleged people they care about? Who are these people that stick with the product on a weekly basis when they bring back Rock and Goldberg? Because there seems to be nobody like that.
 
It's weird that you guys see me as defending current WWE despite their downward trend or something when my message is pretty simple: if you think you aren't being worked by Roman Reigns or something similar, and you think the show is boring, why can't you stop watching?

Also, do you guys not see me arguing about them expanding globally and how imminent it is? The numbers are going down only in America. We're not the only place in the world. When you've exhausted your reach in one place, you pivot and expand. The diversity and international theme in the Cruiserweight Classic was no accident, and Triple H said as much yesterday: http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/23/15045270/triple-h-wants-diversity-wwe
 

Mahonay

Banned
It's weird that you guys see me as defending current WWE despite their downward trend or something when my message is pretty simple: if you think you aren't being worked by Roman Reigns or something similar, and you think the show is boring, why can't you stop watching?
Lol. Can't stop watching? I never watch RAW live and I've never seen a full episode of RAW this year besides the one I got brought to live.

Didn't you just say WWE doesn't care about us because we don't keep up with the weekly show?


Guess what show I do watch every single week in it's entirety? Smackdown. When WWE puts together a booking that's not awful I will watch it.
 

kiguel182

Member
I just said I enjoy it enough for how I watch it currently. Roman or no Roman. I still wish it was better. Like I do everything I feel has flaws. How can you not understand that?

EDIT: Stop acting like you somehow know what's better or are more enlightened about watching a dumb TV show.
 

Sephzilla

Member
It's weird that you guys see me as defending current WWE despite their downward trend or something when my message is pretty simple: if you think you aren't being worked by Roman Reigns or something similar, and you think the show is boring, why can't you stop watching?

Also, do you guys not see me arguing about them expanding globally and how imminent it is? The numbers are going down only in America. We're not the only place in the world. When you've exhausted your reach in one place, you pivot and expand. The diversity and international theme in the Cruiserweight Classic was no accident, and Triple H said as much yesterday: http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2017/3/23/15045270/triple-h-wants-diversity-wwe

Who says we can't?

I haven't watched Raw in about 2 months
 
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