How much of the wrestling programs do you actually watch?

[Death Before Disco]

I'm 32 and I have a family to which I have to attend, so I never have the time or the opportunity to actually watch TNA or WWE when it airs on TV. I DVR all of the shows and I usually watch them the next morning before I shower and go to work.

This morning, I watched last night's RAW in 25 minutes.

I started thinking about it, and I guess, on average, I only watch about 25-30minutes of any RAW or Smackdown. I skip through the rest. For Impact, I generally watch about 45-50 minutes and skip the rest.


So, my questions for the rest of the IWC are:


How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?


If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?


What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?


As for the second question, HELL NO, there's no way I could sit through a whole 2-hour program from start to finish without wanting to hang myself. WWE's programming is very poor as of late in particular. The stories are sophomoric at best, and creative seems to be scratching their heads to come up with anything coherent or entertaining, so I skip through all of the promos. I tried to watch part of the AJ/Punk/Bryan promo at the beginning of RAW but I just couldn't bear it. If it weren't for DVR, I probably wouldn't watch wrestling at all anymore.

For the third question, I have my own opinion but I'd like to read some thoughts from others first.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

All of it but I don't always watch SD as I really feel that WWe doesn't give it their undivided attention... so why should I?

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

Only just got DVR, but I watch Impact at the first opportunity I get on Youtube as I'd have to wait until Sunday night to see it over here. With RAW, I'd wait until the Thursday unless I was fortunate enough to be off on the Tuesday and able to sit up and watch it live (now, I record it and watch when I get home on the Tuesday. Like I've said, with SD, that would be dependent on if I could be arsed.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

Asides from meaning I don't have to wait until the Thursday night for RAW or watch adverts anymore, I don't see it really affecting my habits. While I scream at frustrating elements to wrestling, this isn't something exactly something new and plots like Punk / Daniel and Bobby Roode's arc remind me of why I still love the grapple game.

Destination X was fantastic to me because it constantly surprised. If I'm completely honest; I'd Daniels beating AJ (with help from Kaz of course), Angle beating Joe and Roode beating A Double... that's zero for three on the matches we had any real foreknowledge off. Not one of these surprises peeved me off though because there was no real reason why they shouldn't happen the other way round and all three bouts were very good.

And, at the end of the day, if you don't have the bits that leave you somewhat cold, will the bits that do normally stimulate not you lose some of their appeal?

 

[Nate DaMac]

I watch Raw and that's pretty much it. I'll watch Smackdown from time to time, but there is just no one on that show that does it for me anymore other than Sheamus. That, and it's on Friday and I have better things to do on a Friday night.

I never watch TNA because the line up on FX shits all over it. I might watch this week though since I got the DVR shit now, but I doubt it.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

I watch RAW and Impact from start to finish, even if I have work the next morning(GMT time over here.) I record Smackdown and watch it later on a Friday night, cause I usually go out for awhile, you know, considering it's Friday. Plus Pay-Per-Views and Ring of Honor, which is only an hour, I'll just read results from any other show I'm interested in or if I stumble on them, may view them, but they're not apart of my typical line up.

 

[ヒュー　G.　レックション]

Hey man good thread.

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

Don't watch raw and smackdown anymore. I watch Impact though, but I skip through the women's matches/segments because the matches/feuds just don't interest me. I'll usually have it recorded but on occasion I watch it "live", Impact airs Sunday over in the UK and I'll read a book during commercials.

Also I watch Xplosion which is TNA's Heat pretty much, I know they don't show it in the US. It has a segment called the Spin Cycle which I really enjoy. So all in all total watching time a week about 2 hours 10 minutes.

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

Sure, since I can watch PPV's all the way through. If it's a raw though maybe not since I hear they've been awful lately and if you tag on an extra hour to that ugh.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

Well as a Brit my rating doesn't mean shit lol but as far as I'm aware when it comes to Brit ratings, only a certain number of houses are actually monitored, so they just multiply that to get the rating. I don't know how it even works in America to be honest, but I've been told it's a similar thing.

 

[Dagger Dias]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

I work full time and am married, which means I no longer watch any wrestling shows live. My wife and job come first. We often watch her shows first, she's more likely to want to watch a Raw or a Smackdown with me afterwards although she hates TNA lol.... Haven't watched a wrestling show without a DVR in over 2 years.... Thank goodness for the DVR!!!!

Even though I record it, I end up watching just about all of the content. Raw I'll watch everything unless there is a really stupid match/segment that I find to be either boring or a waste of time (A Cole VS King match would fit that criteria) then I skip that. I watch every promo and nearly every match. Only the commercials get skipped on a good night. Smackdown I do the same, but find myself less interesed sometimes and might skip a couple of the matches if I don't like either competitor. TNA Impact I'll skip more of the matches than either of WWE's shows. I tend to only watch their title matches or the matches featuring someone I like, I have yet to watch a full edition of Impact in the past 2 years and find myself skipping one or two matches each week plus all of the commercials. I do not know off the top of my head how much time the commercials take up, so going by a percent scale for what I watch of each show I'd sat on a typical night it's somewhere around 98% of Raw, 95% of Smackdown, and at the very least 80% of Impact. I still watch a good portion of the time not taken up by commercials on all three shows.

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

Yes. If there was a segment I refused to watch, I would simply use that time to get up to the fridge to grab a snack or check my email. This is what I do during PPV events and what I used to do before I had a DVR, so it's a method that works.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

It has made fans more lazy and more likely to complain about it being boring. I guarantee you there are people (some of which might even be among our posters) who end up fast forwarding through most matches or promo without giving them a full chance, then complaining about it sucking. If more people were to watch the recording and try to fast forward as little as possible, they might enjoy it more.

 

[IT Factor]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

I've never actually counted the actual minutes I watch per week or day. I record RAW, Smackdown, and TNA Impact and it's on DVR. I watch it the following day most of the time and fast forward through all the crap[horrible segments, most women's matches, etc]. I only watch the stuff that is worthy of being watched. Which cuts out alot of each show. Though I really find myself watching more of TNA than WWE. WWE kind of overkills their shows with alot of unneccessary crap.

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

God Bless the makers of the DVR!!! I don't think I'd have the patience to sit through and watch an entire episode of RAW or Smackdown with all the filler stuff they have. TNA does this a little, though it's not to the extent of WWE's programming. So, my answer here would be no.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

I think it has both positive & negatives. The positives are skipping through the unbearable parts of the show to get to the few good things worth watching. The obvious negative is that these comedy acts[Santino, Hornswoggle, etc] and other bland boring stars will not be watched and forwarded through. Pretty much making them irrelevant to the show and unwatched by the biggest portion of the tv viewers that have DVR.

 

[HBsam31]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

I watch all of Raw and Impact, but admittedly I skip though a portion of Smackdown. I often read the spoilers, and just watch the parts I think will be interesting. I still watch over half of Smackdown though, but I work late Friday nights and sometimes am to tired to watch it all.

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

I could sit through a whole program, and I do a lot of the time. I watch a few ppvs a year to so I do my share of watching whole shows.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

DVR is a Godsend for me as I have a long hour job, a wife, and a 7 month old girl. It would be impossible for me to watch wrestling without it. I think it has made fans more impatient though and more likely to skip through the parts they think won't be interesting. I would suggest all fans take the time to watch a whole show here and there. Give it a chance and you might get into it, and forget all about fast forwarding.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

I watch Raw and Smackdown but not live. I'll record it and run through it in about 20-40 minutes. I'll watch all the promos to get the story and will watch the last 2 minutes of most matches and if the match intruiges me enough I will watch more of it.

 

[Skinsley]

WWE:
RAW - Without fail, I watch this every week. If I can't stay up that night I tape it on Sky +, and if that fails I will Torrent it.

Smackdown - Almost the same as RAW, only if the Taping fails (I have bad signal when taping for some reason) sometimes I will just read the WZ coverage and see if it was a show worth watching or not.

NEW NXT - Without fail, if I miss it I watch it on youtube or wherever else I can.

Superstars - If i've got nothing better to do....

PPV's - Without Fail, free on Sky or Torrent them.

TNA:

Impact - Tape it, or watch it if nothing better is on Tv. If taping fails.....fuck it next weeks probably gonna be the same as last weeks anyway.

PPV - I will watch them if there has been a good build up, or nothing is better on Tv at the time, + they are always Free on Tv anyway in the UK.

ROH - I used to watch it online alot but I got bored after the big stars left....started to not be worth my time pissing around with my laptop.

Any other wrestling I watch through youtube and old Video's I converted to DVD a few years ago.

With the DVR abilities I tend to skip through plenty of Smackdown, and occasionally some of Raw. TNA gets the shit forwarded out of it...a little less than usual lately though. Without it TNA is unwatchable and over the last few years Smackdown more often than not is also almost unwatchable.
NXT is the only thing so far that does not get touched....but that is only because its new and im sure it will dwindle eventually once it starts repeating itself. (please no)

 

[Danger Burger]

I watch the shows each week on desirulez, no DVR here, but same results i guess.

I dont regularly watch wrestling on my own, few guys get together each week to watch RAW, Smackdown, NXT and Impact and we watch the whole of RAW (excluding the BA Stard ads). So thats close to 1hr 20m or so? (two hour show minus ad breaks). Smackdown is the same, with the added bonus of skipping the RAW rebound, or whatever. Can often cut that down to an hour, or close. NXT is short enough as it is, but i can sit through the whole thing as with Impact.

Thats when i'm with others though. Alone, i find myself either skipping ALOT (and often the entire closing segment, or facebooking/whatever and not really minding. I can et most the shows down to around 40 minutes of actually paying attetion.

I dont have the choice of live watching, outside of PPVs, but if there are others there i can easily sit through the whole thing. The good parts get yelled at, and the bad ridiculed, and it eaves me a hell of alot more satisfied with the product!!

 

[DirtyD79]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

Usually I watch maybe 40 minutes of RAW and maybe 20 minutes of Smackdown. Same with ROH. TNA I just about never watch. It's just gotten to the point where I've lost a lof of interest and missing a wrestling show just isn't a big deal to me anymore. I figure oh well I'll just watch it next week. If the show is getting too stupid I do change the channel.


If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?
I actually don't have one. To me the show has to be entertaining enough to sit through a whole episode. Somtimes it is, sometimes it isn't.


What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

If you mean directly I'd say about the same as the VCR did before it. As for individual fans it's great because it lets them skip past a lot of the crap and pointless filler to get to the good stuff.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I don't have television, and instead use a more elaborate computer set-up, with multiple monitors and all that. For live wrestling shows I use a fairly exclusive website that streams every show in high quality - they don't get shut down because they remain really small. I'll pay for major PPV's, or make WZ do it on rare occasions where I can get away with it. I'm also really busy on Sundays, so I generally will torrent a show at about midnight (central time) when they become available.

I torrent everything WWE and TNA does, and have a large archive of the last 4-5 years of both products. It's quite handy, actually. No, I don't feel guilty because I go to every live show in my area and support both companies through merch, and I buy everything WWE releases on Blu-ray. They're more than compensated for my not watching the show on a television set, that wouldn't even be monitored by the ratings companies anyways.

When it comes to how much I watch, usually the whole thing. I'll space out and play a game during most of Raw (dual monitors for the win!), but it's always on. It's pretty difficult to do any sort of review on a product you're only half-watching. I usually end up watching every PPV about 1 and 1/2 times. The first time so I take it all in, and the second time I'll skip through it while writing a review.

It's worth noting that I also don't watch Impact every week, because it's such a small part of my job. Instead, I'll watch 4 episodes the day before each TNA PPV, and I find that quite enjoyable.

 

[Unsold Bacon]

I never fast forward or skip a segment, I honestly don't see why I should. Sure some segments turn out to be awful but I sit through them to see what will happen. I haven't come into a segment I have regretted watching before but maybe it will come someday, I really don't know. But I am happy watching the show from end to end.

Oh ya, but I skip the Raw Recaps on Smackdown since I watched the whole thing.

 

[mikekinkade]

How many minutes of the various wrestling programs do you actually watch? Do you skip through the recorded DVR or do you just change the channel?

I have no DVR.

RAW: 45 min on average. I usually channel surf when a boring segment or match is going on. With the three hour RAW, I will be watching even LESS then 45 min on average. This is because I don't want to channel surf for 3 hours on a Monday night, and it's near impossible to sit through a full RAW. I may just give up early some nights.

SD: I check the spoilers before to see when the good segments/matches are on then tune in accordingly. 30-40 min on average.

TNA: Almost the entire show. I just find it more entertaining being less of a tweeners product compared to WWE.

If you didn't have a DVR device, could you still sit through a whole wrestling program?

No chance.

What kind of effect has the advent of DVR had on televised pro wrestling?

The difference is the DVR makes it more convenient, and you don't have to channel surf if a match/segment is boring. More of the content might actually get viewed when using a DVR since it's less frustrating then trying to sit through a full show.

 

[The_Main_Event]

I watching RAW every week sometimes I am able to stay up for it here in the UK (2-4AM) But if not I Sky+ it and I skip parts such as Brodus Clay which do not interest me one bit.

I always watch PPVs, if I've bought it (some are free in the UK) I'll always stay up for it but if it's free it's the same situation as RAW.

I watch iMpact usually on Sunday evenings as I have nothing else to do, but now and then I'll find it on YouTube at some point on a Friday, as that way there is less chance of me picking up any spoilers. I mainly record TNA PPV's and watch them on the Thursday. only the odd time when I'm eager I'll watch it somehow on the Monday after it's been aired in the USA

As far as SmackDown and NXT go if it's on and I'm not doing much I'll flick it on, I do tend to enjoy NXT quite a lot but I haven't yet got into the routine of watching it weekly.

 

[MCMG]

I'm from the UK and I'm very similar in the fact that I record Raw/Smackdown/TNA and ppv's when they are on free on Sky Sports. I also fast forward the majority of the show. With Raw i forward less whereas with TNA it is basically the whole show. I just watch what I'm interested in and matches that I think will be good.

Recording shows is a lot easier as it saves time and it allows me to forward the crap/adverts that is on each show.

I stayed up to watch Raw 1000 for this exact reason. I knew if i recorded it than I would fast forward a lot and miss some surprises and or would have to rewind and its now the same.