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WWE Raw Ratings: Viewership Hits Record Low
- Thread starter DMczaf
- Start date
Ninja Scooter
Member
The kind of appeal Pro wrestling used to have with kids and teens just isn't there anymore. This is probably the new normal.
slightconfuse
Banned
Most of them probably watch clips on YouTube. Average age of a raw viewer is like 44
XiaNaphryz
LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
WWE ratings will be saved when Roode finally makes his triumphant return to the big leagues.
Ratings will then spiral back down when he gets mired in booking and story hell.
Actually, its just not good anymore and people notice it. If they were to have the stars now to replicate the attitude era...BOOM. However, Linda is involved in politics now. Not gonna happen. Make Cena a heel already.
Ninja Scooter
Member
RAW viewers can still go damnit!
shaowebb
Member
Because who wants to follow the antics of cartoony comedy and child level schoolyard taunting.
Mediocrity is the name of the promo. Theres no real bite to anything they say out there. No one feels like they are doing anything of note. Some guys are amazingly gifted in the ring and work great matches but theirs no way to build these kinds of stories. It may as well be gimmick city early 90s wwf here.
Get a new network, dont run shows so stupidly long, and get rid of PG so you can do some decent cutting promo work. The Raw that made those numbers is not the Raw they are writing now. It was a different kind of show with a different kind of tone and it had more appeal to the masses than cartoon schoolyard feuding.
I've lost interest in WWE over the last year. At first I thought it was because I was lurking squaredcircle on Reddit and the threads here. I deleted all subscriptions and went cold turkey leading up to Wrestlemania. Thought by doing that I would take myself out of the "know" by not reading the rumours and behind the scenes stuff. It didn't work. I canceled my Bell Aliant, $12cdn+tax, shitty channel only, WWE Network the day after Wrestlemania. Haven't watched RAW since. My PVR still records Smackdown but I fast forward most of it and maybe watch 30mins tops. I'll check back in come Royal Rumble 2018 but don't expect to be watching much.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
PG is never going away so long as they have the Mattel deal and sponsors they do. The other issue is wrestling is like magic, there's only so many times you can see magicians pull a rabbit out of a hat, saw a lady in half and so on before people get bored and he's refusing to freshen up his act or maybe doesn't know how but it's okay because the money is still coming in, better than ever even though there's less people coming to his shows.
Linda being involved with politics and specifically Trump now days is one of the least reasons for WWE's going PG. It was about a toy deal with Mattel, wanting to attract better sponsors and generally most positive mainstream attention which when it comes to the latter Vince has always craved.
They could have a good show within the constraints of a PG rating if Vince wasn't Vince and feeling zero pressure to improve.
Linda being involved with politics and specifically Trump now days is one of the least reasons for WWE's going PG. It was about a toy deal with Mattel, wanting to attract better sponsors and generally most positive mainstream attention which when it comes to the latter Vince has always craved.
They could have a good show within the constraints of a PG rating if Vince wasn't Vince and feeling zero pressure to improve.
Dick Justice
Banned
B-but I thought people would keep tuning in next week regardless? 
Plinko
Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
This is the worst route to take. PG isn't the reason the show sucks.
If you want harsh realism, UFC provides it. WWE has tried too hard to emulate UFC and pretend it is a real sport. It makes zero sense. Everyone knows it is fake.
Just get competent writers that can craft long-term storylines with multiple branches. Stop forcing every guy who is a giant down people's throats. Let personalities shape characters and make sure Vince doesn't have a hissy fit when something happens that he didn't create.
Not coming back. Enough.
I'm 16 and I love wrestling.
BlazinSkatinAxel
Member
Mauro kept me watching Smackdown! and as a result watched Raw.. No Mauro no wrasslin.
ryutaro's mama
Member
Roman Reigns looks like a younger LaVar Ball.
Now you see it too, DM.
Now you see it too, DM.
damn it
It's a bland, boring and shitty product. And that comes from above. They have the talent, the workhorses to be killing it, so there's no excuse now. I haven't watched Raw since WM and have no desire to start again. It's shit.
Went to a ROH show on Sunday here in Toronto and witnessed more great wrestling in that four hours than I've seen in all of Vince's product all year. The Elite (Young Bucks/Kenny Omega Vs. Tanahashi & The Addiction (Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian) was one of the best, most fun matches I've ever seen live.
And the best part is there are so many great alternatives out there now! Go watch NJPW or DDT or Evolve/PWG or any number of fantastic promotions doing it big right now. And now is the best time to get invested with Dominion/BOSJ Tourney/G1 in the USA coming up! It's such a better product that deserves your money/attention.
If you want good, quality wrasslin, the WWE is the last thing you should be watching now.
Went to a ROH show on Sunday here in Toronto and witnessed more great wrestling in that four hours than I've seen in all of Vince's product all year. The Elite (Young Bucks/Kenny Omega Vs. Tanahashi & The Addiction (Christopher Daniels/Frankie Kazarian) was one of the best, most fun matches I've ever seen live.
And the best part is there are so many great alternatives out there now! Go watch NJPW or DDT or Evolve/PWG or any number of fantastic promotions doing it big right now. And now is the best time to get invested with Dominion/BOSJ Tourney/G1 in the USA coming up! It's such a better product that deserves your money/attention.
If you want good, quality wrasslin, the WWE is the last thing you should be watching now.
illmatic22
Banned
It was a pretty boring episode.
Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew
Banned
Botchamania and Raw highlights on YouTube covers it for me.
Empyrean Heaven
Member
The thing is, it's only Raw. Smackdown is much better week to week and with only a two-hour show is a much easier watch. The talent is also better over there - AJ Styles and Nakamura alone are are among the most prolific stars on the planet today, and while Raw does have Balor and Rollins, they are overwhelmed by the hurricane of suck known as Roman Reigns.
This. This so hard. New Japan has become the primary focus of my wrestling fandom and I'm so Goddamn happy. And with two of the best matches of the year coming out of New Japan and about to have rematches, including one that was named by the premier wrestling journalist as the greatest match of all time and receiving a rating he has never given a match ever, there's no better time to jump in.
Host Samurai
Member
I personally don't care if it's PG. I just want good booking, wrestling, commentary, creative freedom and the right guys being pushed.
Aside from his theme, he kind of bores the hell out of me compared to guys already there that don't. (Mired in booking in story hell.)
Edit: I see a lot of crediting of Smackdown being better because of Aj and Nakamura, don't sleep on Owens he along with Jericho CARRIED Raw and were often the only watchable part. Him on a show that takes itself a bit more seriously in Smackdown can be immense.
Mike Works
Member
WWE definitely has a ratings problem, but to be fair these shows were both pre-taped and they didn't give away any big matches. If the ratings stay the same in the coming weeks, then there'll be an issue...
...until GREAT BALLS OF FIRE THE BEST PPV OF ALL TIME
...until GREAT BALLS OF FIRE THE BEST PPV OF ALL TIME
LiquidSolid
Member
Wat. If anything, WWE doesn't try hard enough to pretend it's a real sport (probably because Vince and most of the writing team don't understand real sports). Almost every match is filler, most of the roster is in midcard limbo forever, jobbers like Jinder Mahal get championship matches and so on.
New Japan does the "fake sport" thing right and it's a fantastic product to watch and follow.
Plinko
Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
The WWE Network has been one massive attempt to let you get to know the wrestlers more and see more of them outside the ring. Most wrestlers come in as "Generic first name last name" guy. Gimmicks are almost all gone. They've tried to emulate UFC in that respect, and it backfired. It's stupid.
BackLogJoe
Member
Realism isnt why people want the PG to go away. Its quite the opposite. People loved the fantastical stories during the attitude era. Stephanie hanging on a cross, Edge banging Lita in the middle of the ring, vampires and murdered parents.
Bruce Springsteen
Member
I can honestly say this has been the absolute worst era in wrestling I have ever seen
But I keep watching because I'm a lifelong fan, I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone
But I keep watching because I'm a lifelong fan, I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone
Professor Beef
Banned
USA Network, believe it or not
Fast Forward
Member
Actually, WWE gets low ad rates, especially when you compare it to other shows that have similar ratings.
Rather, reason USA keeps WWE around is because it bumps them up in the ratings game. All the more so now USA is having trouble finding the ratings success like they once did since the end of the Blue Sky Era.
Mike Works
Member
USA Network. I'm guessing if it were up to Vince (or at least the writers), it'd be a 2 hour show.
But who knows, they air 3 hours of wrestling the next night if you could 205 Live.
SonicXtreme
Member
braun needs to flip more ambulances
ironically that was honestly one of the best moments in raw history, so it's not like they aren't capable of better
ironically that was honestly one of the best moments in raw history, so it's not like they aren't capable of better
Bruce Springsteen
Member
Braun is a heel who gets no heat, creative has given very little reason to hate him
They need to turn him face
They need to turn him face
Realism isnt why people want the PG to go away. Its quite the opposite. People loved the fantastical stories during the attitude era. Stephanie hanging on a cross, Edge banging Lita in the middle of the ring, vampires and murdered parents.
Nah the attitude era was carried by Austin, the rock and the nwo. Out side of them there was an insane amount of talent. Those over the top stories and characters were killing the WWE before Austin took off. The attitude era was also full of terrible wrestling , racism and sexism. It's very simple let the wrestlers have personalities, get them off of scripts and have better story lines . Austin even said he wouldn't be a star the way it's ran right now .
LiquidSolid
Member
THAT's what you consider emulating UFC? That's not pretending to be a real sport, that's just them looking for filler for the WWE Network. There's plenty of gimmicks though, especially Vince's favourite one: Evil foreigner.
I do agree with you that PG isn't the reason why it sucks though. WCW at its hottest point in the 90s was PG and it was amazing. Going back to tits, blood and cussing isn't going to change the fact that WWE's booking and writing team is horseshit.
WWE isn't concerned about making stars to draw crowds anymore. It's all about the brand and the network above anything else. Their current biggest stars are part-timers (Lesnar, Cena) and the top full-time guy they have on that level (Roman Reigns) is the worst draw since Diesel.
BadAss2961
Member
Miz has been the face of Raw for the past few weeks... Miz.
Raw's been bad for the longest, but this is something else right now. Only explanation is they're purposely sabotaging it to elevate Smackdown.
Raw's been bad for the longest, but this is something else right now. Only explanation is they're purposely sabotaging it to elevate Smackdown.
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