WWE Network Yes Yes Yes

[scomvp316]

It looks like WWEN is a reality seeing Classics is being cancelled via all providers as of 01-31-14
Unofficially WWEN will be launched in some capacity as of the night after EC
As a wrestling junkie I am thrilled
I understand many fans won't buy into the network seeing they can see archival footage on YouTube and that will always be a problem for any entertainment company that wants their own network
For it to work I have always said they must have a partnership with a major hollywood studio to help each other with more distribution
I think certain days should have themes and throughout the year certain months also must have special themes
As a wrestling junkie I don't think any wrestling network can survive today if more than 80% of the material is wrestling related
Must be a balance between wrestling and movies something like what HBO is today with a variety of movies and shows and not just one concept
IMO WWE and NBCU will soon announce an agreement of WWE purchasing 90% of the former G4 Channel
I would imagine if this happens the WWEN will be no more than 10.95 a month with alot of first ever exclusives

How many of you fans would want this as an extra to your cable lineup?

 

[The Brain]

I never understood the excitement about the WWE Network. What's going to be so different from Classics On Demand? Classics On Demand has been fantastic and has been a bargain for me at $8 per month for over seven years now. I'm sure WWE Network will benefit WWE but from a fan's point of view I see nothing wrong with Classics On Demand. In fact from a fan's point of view I think Classics On Demand is a lot better since you can watch what you want when you want on your own schedule. I'm very unhappy about Classics On Demand going away and am not confident WWE Network will be as good.

 

[Fabulous Freebirds]

I never understood the excitement about the WWE Network. What's going to be so different from Classics On Demand? Classics On Demand has been fantastic and has been a bargain for me at $8 per month for over seven years now. I'm sure WWE Network will benefit WWE but from a fan's point of view I see nothing wrong with Classics On Demand. In fact from a fan's point of view I think Classics On Demand is a lot better since you can watch what you want when you want on your own schedule. I'm very unhappy about Classics On Demand going away and am not confident WWE Network will be as good.

Agreed. I do not see why WWE needs a network when most fans like watching tv online, dvring or on demand. There way too many channel as is. Bad idea.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

As wrestlings fans I think we all watch too much wrestling as it is. I mean some people don't even bother with Superstars & Main Event. So are we now going to skip supershows like Raw & Smackdown for grainy 80's shit starring Hulk Hogan and Hillbilly Jim? Count me out, dude!

 

[BaconBits]

It's likely to fail, as seemingly all of WWE's "extracuricular" ventures do. The fanbase has shrunk over the years for various reasons, and I don't think that fanbase is fervent/wealthy enough to make a full pay network financially viable. Especially with so much of the content that's going to be provided on said channel is likely to be obtained through other sources for free or significantly less money than the monthly fee will rack up. The McMahon's collective ego gets the best of them sometimes, and this whole channel debacle is just going to be the next instance of it.

The problem I see with such things is how long before they make a mistake big enough to torpedo the whole ship?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

In my opinion, the WWE Network is and always has been an example of Vince McMahon's ambition run amok. The idea of a WWE Network is one that's really interesting. After all, WWE has such a huge wealth of wrestling footage that a channel all its own is something that a lot of fans could potentially be interested in. A good deal of that footage hasn't been seen by fans in many years, decades in fact for some of it, and there's a lot there to offer both in terms of sheer nostalgia and the simple enjoyment of something different.

The problem, however, is that, again in my opinion, Vince has heavily overestimated the popularity of WWE and pro wrestling in general. From what I understand, the original idea for the WWE Network was for it to be a free channel available but they've simply not been able to secure a television distribution deal because nobody seems to really see the value of an entire channel of WWE programming. Raw & SmackDown! are two of the most consistent & biggest draws on cable 52 weeks a year, but there's just no faith in WWE being able to successfully field an entire network of shows. So the next plan was to make it a specialty channel like HBO in which you pay an addition fee each month. With cable & satellite bills sky high as it is, it's just not something that I see a whole lot of people ordering.

WWE also has the stigma of the fact that the rest of the entertainment industry sees it as a wrestling company, which it is. Some people in the media, just as in other walks of life, are always going to look down on WWE because of that. In spite of all the various buzz terms that Vince comes up with like saying "Superstars" instead of wrestlers, "Sports Entertainment" instead of wrestling and "WWE Universe" instead of fans, it's just not fooling anyone and he truly has lost touch if he thinks it is. The fact that WWE is a wrestling company is part of why WWE Films has had to struggle for so long to gain any degree of acceptance or credibility. As a result, I simply don't see this as something that's going to really pay off when it's all said & done.

 

[Slyfox696]

I never understood the excitement about the WWE Network.

For me, it'll be the price vs. free PPVs. If they can deliver their monthly PPVs (minus the Big 4) for $10-$15 a month, it sounds like a hell of a deal, on top of the other programming they'll provide.

 

[Uncle]

I think that alot of people are assuming that the network will be all wrestling. I think the whole reason behind the network is WWE Studios. Now im not saying they wont have wrestling, It makes sense for them to use the vast log of video footage they own. However With the WWE studio making movies all the time. They have a prime place to show them all before anyone else can. I am also sure they will be making a few new series IE the Divas show. Not to mention they can just make any type a sitcom and have a ton of superstar appearances. Pricing is going to be the biggest problem they will face. cuz i wont pay a nickel for wwe programing as it is right now..

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Sly mentioned the PPVs, which is really the only thing that excites me about the channel. I have watched a lot of PPVs through less than legal ways the last couple years because dropping $50 bucks for a Payback or an Over the Limit isn't ideal. If I could get that for $10-15, I'd do it. I don't mind paying full price for one of the big four, Mania is the only PPV I actually make a point to buy each year, but getting the 7 or 8 as part of a package deal with the network would be okay with me.

 

[CaptainZaltan]

I really don't get the appeal of a WWE network. The WWE already has, what, like 7 or 8 hours of programming a week? Even the five that I (occasionally) watch, Raw and Smackdown, is largely filler. It's filled with recaps of the last show, recaps of media appearances, replays of things that just happened, commercial breaks, in-show commercial breaks for the WWE's own merchandise, yet more commercials for upcoming pay per views or live events, still more commercials for whatever WWE films just released, even more commercials for whatever WWE video game just got released, product placements for sonic burger, tutorials on how to download apps and order pizzas, etc. In between all those commercials and ads, we might occasionally get treated to a dance contest, or a 10 minute promo where everyone takes as long as humanly possible to say what they have to say (which, as it turns out, is usually just to promote the next pay per view). Sometimes there's wrestling.

That's what the WWE does to customers whose money they don't have yet. I can only imagine what they will inflict on customers who subscribe to a 24/7 network. Sure, I suppose they might air old episodes of ECW and WCW and other promotions, but given their track record, I'm more inclined to believe it will be a wrestling themed version of the home shopping channel, where sometimes there's wrestling.

 

[harrythem]

If they can devote certain set times to set products (like, for example, a WCW block on a Tuesday and a ECW block on a Thursday) it'd interest me. I enjoy peaking back at some of the great (and horrible) stuff from wrestlings history and wouldn't mind watching if they were running a "Black Scorpion" WCW storyline month or the like.

As it is though, apart from the older dvd documentaries and the PPV's, I can only see this being a bust. There's too much WWE on tv as it is, the wrestlers they've got don't have enough star status to make sit down "shoot" style interviews with them interesting and....holy cow, they could have the WBF on there! Fuck yeah, I'm all in!

 

[Pedigree1]

I happen to think the WWEN will be a huge success! I never had the pleasure of viewing Classics on Demand because i have DirecTv for over a decade.. I am hoping that the Network will be available to me,as i think the 10-15 price range is reasonable. Plus a shitload of content and PPVs outside of the big 4? Count me in! Thats a pretty solid deal IMO.

I missed NOC and Hell in the Cell because i couldnt afford the 44.95 price tag! But with the network to my understanding if you pay for the 10-15 monthly subscription those PPVs will be Free? YES YES YES

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The differences between the amount of non wrestling and wrestling content doesn't bother me at all. As others have said, I'm kind of burnt out on the amount of wrestling content I watch on a monthly basis as it is. I watch Raw, Impact on Thursdays, Smackdown on Fridays, and on top of that, I do my best to catch every (or the ones I'm interested in the most) WWE pay per view.

Also, I'm someone, who constantly searches Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and MovieStop for the latest or older WWE DVD sets. I can count about three or four DVD sets in my room, still wrapped in plastic with the price tags on each one, because I haven't watched them yet. I mean, WWE goes out of their way to release so many DVD sets and special editions (i.e. the Blu-Ray sets that include matches and segments you won't see on DVD) every year to the point where it's just hard to keep up after a while (no matter what, I always have to buy Mania every year on DVD, so I can see the HOF speeches in their entirety).

So for my taste, WWE has already diluted the value of a network with so much weekly programming, an increase in pay per views, and when it comes to variety, they release more than enough content on DVD and Blu-Ray each year (if my math is correct, Triple H has 4 DVD sets, Rock has two stacked three disc sets, Stone Cold's most recent release was four discs, and you have to factor in the NWA, Legends, WCW, and ECW stuff). So when I factor in all the content, I wouldn't hesitate to pass on a network, because my plate is full as it is.

 

[scomvp316]

I have TWC so I never got to experience COD
I do think if WWE doesn't try to purchase movies to air on this network and just show WWE Studio movies it will fail miserably
I also think any more than 80% of the time slots have wrestling that will fail too
I think the best number of wrestling material for this network is 60%
WWE has so much footage not only can the air first ever episodes or full length PPV's from the archives but they can re-package the re-runs much like what they do with their DVD's
WWE must air their archives in the fans interest and not to suffice certain management's ego and if the latter happen it will be a struggle to try and bring back the fans they have lost since 2002
Those lost fans won't watch weekly WWE Programming but will watch archival footage from JCP and the MNW footage
Archival PPV's should be aired in their original entirety
One idea I thought of is every July 4th have PPV's from GAB
Month of March air past tourneys from WWE & JCP/WCW

 

[HeenanGorilla]

I am an old school fan who loves that COD gives me the ability to watch MSG shows from the 80s and other things that I like to enjoy from childhood. But, in general, I have had it with the viewing options of wrestling.

I am not a current fan--I tune into Raw if I'm bored and watch the Rumble and WrestleMania each year, and read about the current product online--but I am not a "fan". I love the idea of sitting down with my remote and being able to watch old PPVs, TV shows and house shows. But, the way these things are made available to me is so damn frustrating.

Two-sided DVDs, COD PPV's with part 1 and 2, only certain items on each month. I realize my hope is impossible...but give me all WWE footage EVER on demand. (haha, trust me I know it isn't possible)

I just hate having to flip the DVD disc halfway through or "be sure to catch part 2 available on demand now" Just play the damn video and let me enjoy it!

I would play the shit out these things. Wrestling Challenge, Meadowlands house show from 1987, WrestleMania VI, the first Survivor Series, allll the way up to the end of the Monday Night Wars.

I am the clear minority...but even current fans must want a more widely available "on demand" product.

Damn it, it's hopeless...haha

 

[H33LTurn]

The amount of risk involved in a business venture of this nature has some fans worried. As I recall, a report came out during the inception of the WWE Network concept that a project of this caliber has the realistic capacity to bankrupt the company. With WWE doing sub par in the ratings department I have to wonder how successful a channel can be. On one hand, it can generate extra revenue for the company and avoid any scares when it comes to fans watching ppvs online or not watching them at all. On the other hand, it can cause the excess of wrestling related content that we have today. When your fans aren't watching 2 out of the three shows you have on TV maybe its time to tackle the quality of the content instead of the amount. Its a tough economy and with WWE's target audience being children, I honestly don't have an optimistic attitude about the turnout of this project. The difference between this and the plethora of other failed WWE ventures is that this has to potential to kill the company. Fans should be vocal in regards to how they truly feel about a WWE Network before they even begin work on the project.

 

[Rocky84]

I never understood the excitement about the WWE Network. What's going to be so different from Classics On Demand? Classics On Demand has been fantastic and has been a bargain for me at $8 per month for over seven years now. I'm sure WWE Network will benefit WWE but from a fan's point of view I see nothing wrong with Classics On Demand. In fact from a fan's point of view I think Classics On Demand is a lot better since you can watch what you want when you want on your own schedule. I'm very unhappy about Classics On Demand going away and am not confident WWE Network will be as good.

Me too. This is kinda depressing to be honest WWE Classics >>>>>>>> WWE Network. I just don't understand how they can't see that. For all the reasons mentioned...I LOVE watching old Nitro's at it's best, and Raw of the attitude era. 1/31/13 is gunna be a sad sad day.

 

[shalliin]

There is a lot of potential for both positive and negative results from the upcoming Network. Some have said why bother with all the dvd's they put out, but I say, why bother with the dvd's if there's a full network available?
In my opinion, as another poster suggested, they would need to posibly have theme days. Mondays they can replay old Raw's until the new show, Tues can be Nitro, Wed can be shows from the various Territories and talk show style segments, thursday can be ECW, Friday Smackdown/heat/velocity, Sat can be the 80's ppvs and Coliseum home Video replays with kid based programming (Rock N Wrestling back on the air!). Sunday can be PPV's from WWE/WCW/ECW and such.
Perhaps have a Month Of Mania, where Every Day for a Month you get all Mania's 1 per day starting with WM1 on the 1st up to WM 29 on the 29th. Could almost do the same now with the big 4.
Rumble, SS, WM, SSlam. Throw in King of the Ring as the 5th big ppv.
The occasional wrestler focused Day, usually around their Bday or some big anniversary in their career, throw in the wwe produced Documentary that they might have done for that person (ala Jake, Taker, HHH, HBK, Stone Cold, etc...) and some of their best matches and moments from their careers.
Weave these all together wit hteh occassional interviews and backstage stories from both the wrestlers and the crew. Could even have a show or two dedicated to showing the work that goes into putting together and episode or character. Focus on the sound/pyro/costume crew and give their stories and experiences.
So there's a lot of good that can come from it if they are careful and don't just go flat out crazy with some of the stuff.