Are fans better off without spoiler sites and forums?

[MikeKillam]

This sounds like a stupid question, but I've been thinking about my interest in WWE's product, and since I joined this site a few years ago, my level of excitement week after week has been slowly declining.
I'm not suggesting AT ALL that these types of sites shouldn't exist, because we all have a lot of fun talking about wrestling and all that goes with it.
But, at least for me, I've become WAY too critical of WWE. I analyze every little thing, and I complain about it "not being the way it used to be."
My question is, was it ever "how it used to be." A guy on justin.tv just had a marathon of all the Attitude Era episodes...I watched them, and they were pretty good. I've seen them all before, but it just seems, in retrospect, that they aren't as fantastic as everybody claims them to be.

So, maybe this is just a rant about wrestling fans never being happy, but whatever... what do you guys think? Do wrestling sites like this make people overly critical? Do the spoilers make things less fun, and dull our engagement in the product?

 

[AndarielHalo]

You over-saturate your spoily-spuu and your foruming. I find spoiler sites fun. It may sound horrifyingly in bad taste, but I get thrills about coming on and finding the latest "BREAKING NEWS!: TRIPLE H FOUND DEAD IN HOME" or less severe and more humane, "BREAKING NEWS!: CARLITO CAUGHT BUYING COCAINE AND STEROIDS", "BREAKING NEWS!: STING RELEASED FROM TNA"

Those sort of things. Not suggesting Triple H should die, just that it excites me when some wrestler of renown gets fired or caught up in a sticky situation that makes news.

Oh wait, isn't that how everyone in the real news is like? Well it happens more often in wrestling.

 

[DeadMan5000]

Sometimes I do think it is a bad thing. I mean, it really does take a lot of fun out of watching wrestling. It could be good for some things like finding out if a wrestler died or someone fired or released, but other then that, I don't really think they are neccesary.

 

[Nev]

I would say so.

I knew WWF Wrestling was "fake" back in the day, but in 2003 I really realized the extent of how fake it really was. the blood capsules, staged fighting, whispers in the ring, politics backstage.

But it's inevitable bro. With the internet you can't escape the truth, really.

 

[AJAnder]

Sometimes I do think it is a bad thing. I mean, it really does take a lot of fun out of watching wrestling. It could be good for some things like finding out if a wrestler died or someone fired or released, but other then that, I don't really think they are neccesary.

I am not a fan in sites giving out spoilers. I think you guys here at WZ & all the others out there should stop posting spoilers and just so everyone knows I don't read them nor will I ever just because I perfer seeing on TV or not at all. Also I believe the spoilers that are posted on WZ and all the others hurts WWE or any wrestling organizations product because simply people are allowed to see what the show features and my feeling is it could do some damage to the weekly ratings. I love the breaking news and stuff on this site but if you get into the spoilers and stuff it hurts watching wrestling I think.

I like the days where oh no somebody got taken out and next day or that evening you didn't see "Macho Man ask for time off" or "Hogan needs time off to create movie" stuff like that to there is no more surprises in wrestling anymore because internet sites ruin the outcome sometimes.

Now when you watch wrestling and you see somebody get attacked in the backstage or while wrestling you always think "Oh, he must be going on vacation" the wrestling business is way flooded with rumors, spoilers, etc., I think. There are times that I just get so fed up that I don't even visit these sites at months at a time because it simply ruins wrestling for me sometimes.

 

[Nate DaMac]

Ugh. Honestly I was growing tired of wrestling until I started coming here. I come and voice my opinion, debate some intelligent people, and get a cheap laugh out of some poster's ridiculous thoughts and horrid grammar. If anything, this forum has made me more of a wrestling fan than before. This is also the only forum I go to. I read spoilers, because quite frankly, I have a life. If I know I'll be home I won't read them. I don't think the forums or spoilers hurt the fan as much as their own ignorance to take an opinion they got off of the internet to heart.

 

[AJAnder]

Ugh. Honestly I was growing tired of wrestling until I started coming here. I come and voice my opinion, debate some intelligent people, and get a cheap laugh out of some poster's ridiculous thoughts and horrid grammar. If anything, this forum has made me more of a wrestling fan than before. This is also the only forum I go to. I read spoilers, because quite frankly, I have a life. If I know I'll be home I won't read them. I don't think the forums or spoilers hurt the fan as much as their own ignorance to take an opinion they got off of the internet to heart.

Think of this as a fan of wrestling wouldn't you want to watch lets say the Royal Rumble and be surprised to see who wins? instead of hearing rumors on who might win or who will win for sure. I think wrestlezone and all those should be wrestling news and less rumors and spoilers.

 

[gregfj2]

Love the spoilers, and people who can travel & report from backstage. With ECW now at 11pm in Utah (Bresnan), I would never stay up unless I knew what I was missing. If it weren't for spoiler sites then I would never know about other promotions or quality stars outside the WWE stable. Plus spoiler site news & forum get me more interested in PPV's then most of the tv spots - especially with wrestlers hired & fired or injured almost faster than tv storylines will adjust to. Can't live w/o my spoilers!

 

[Hulkamania]

Absolutely!!! Although I enjoy them, I'd tune in to watch more wrestling if not for spoilers. I'd definitely tune in for Smackdown more often, cuz it's really worth watching now. I watched the whole episode of Smackdown last week without changing the channel for the first time in a long time. I think that's why Raw gets more ratings, cuz no spoilers.

 

[THE Madcap]

I'm in two minds really.

On the one hand, I like to hear news stories, for when say a wrestler violates the wellness policy or is injured and all of a sudden is inexplicably off TV, so I'm not sat there thinking "ZOMG where has Kennedy been for the last few weeks". Spoilers are of some use to me too, because for me, I watch Raw on a Thursday night, Smackdown on a Friday and TNA on a Saturday and if I can read what the shows are like in advance, it makes planning out my weekend social calendar a lot easier.

On the other hand... some of the news stories posted, I have no interest in...wrestlers getting married, having kids, being pictured out partying etc etc. Also, spoilers do ruin my enjoyment of WWE shows, recently, I've started ignoring Smackdown results so I can watch it "live" and PPV results as well, so I can catch the repeat the next day. I was mortified when I had stayed a whole day not finding out the rumble result, came on here to check something in the bar room and noticed that "Orton wins the rumble" is plastered everywhere.

I guess it's just a side affect of the internet *sigh*

 

[AJAnder]

I'm in two minds really.

On the one hand, I like to hear news stories, for when say a wrestler violates the wellness policy or is injured and all of a sudden is inexplicably off TV, so I'm not sat there thinking "ZOMG where has Kennedy been for the last few weeks". Spoilers are of some use to me too, because for me, I watch Raw on a Thursday night, Smackdown on a Friday and TNA on a Saturday and if I can read what the shows are like in advance, it makes planning out my weekend social calendar a lot easier.

On the other hand... some of the news stories posted, I have no interest in...wrestlers getting married, having kids, being pictured out partying etc etc. Also, spoilers do ruin my enjoyment of WWE shows, recently, I've started ignoring Smackdown results so I can watch it "live" and PPV results as well, so I can catch the repeat the next day. I was mortified when I had stayed a whole day not finding out the rumble result, came on here to check something in the bar room and noticed that "Orton wins the rumble" is plastered everywhere.

I guess it's just a side affect of the internet *sigh*

Wrestlezone should focus more on news and stuff. I vote for wrestling zone to stop the spoilers I'm sure the wrestling business would enjoy that as for some wrestling fans would too.

 

[ThaRaph]

in some ways, spoiler pages ruin the anticipation of watching the shows. Why rush home on a Thursday or Friday night to see TNA or Smackdown, when you can read minute-by-minute spoilers from both shows by Wednesday?

plus its begining to annoy me when IWF'ers start latching on to wild & far-fetched rumors that someone blogged about, and start to speculate that every little thing that happens on tv is a build-up to making that rumor come true.


but at the same time, it helps when you have situations like the Kennedy & Umaga releases come unexpectedly

 

[scabooshmoo1]

i love this website for 3 reasons
Backstage news its so good to hear about what goes on behind the scenes and who is getting relesed and who is having disputes backstage
Spoilers these are good to have for the reason that if you know your going to miss watching a show due to work or whatever it may be you can look at the rusults on the website and it realy helps me out when i know im gonna miss raw. it is also good because i can keep up with TNA i dont watch it saturday nights at 10.30 coz im always out but its good the website lets us see the rusults
Forums wrestling is my hobbie.. its the only thing which can take my mind of my life and brings some entertainment and happiness to my life and i love discussing veiws and topics.

 

[RATED R CHAMPION]

Really, It Should Exist Because It Helps Us Find News, Wwe Or Tna Sites Will Never Expose, And Is Great To Have Posts And Threads And Talk About Wrestling, But The Spoilers I Really Dont Like Them Too Much, If You Want To Enjoy Smackdown (which Is The Best Brand, Best Matches) You Should Stop Searching Spoilers And Watch The Show Without Knowing The Results. That's My Humble Opinion

 

[Hayles]

Im going to say, for me at least, it doesnt matter.

I enjoy reading backstage news and other peoples opinions on the current WWE product that they are seeing. At times, I think people can be overly critical, but generally, I think they are voicing the common opinions of their age group/generation.Other than that, I saw it doesnt matter for me because there has only been two moment in the last 3 years where Ive felt that I have to watch the next episode of a WWE show. For me, there arent many stoylines, in WWE's product, that I find interesting. The angles, for the most part, are extremely basic, and that really hurts my interest in watching a match. I'm the type of fan who loves over the top angles. When WWE fails to deliver such angles, I get turned off of the product, as what has happened now. Im becoming more of a backstage fan rather than a in ring fan. If it wasnt for the sites like this, I wouldnt even be a wrestling fan, much less a WWE fan.

 

[kingdirrtysouth1]

I'm not really concerned with spoiler sites! When I see something marked spoiler when it concerns & televised event that is taped ahead of time. Case in point Smackdown. Remember when Maven defeated the Undertaker to become Hardcore champ on Smackdown! That was the only time I ever gave in & read Smackdown spoilers & I never will again. That would truly have been a shocking moment for me, but I had already found out. So if people want read spoilers, they can have them!

 

[RVDgurl]

Spoilers are the antichrist of wrestling for me. I never, under any circumstances, read spoilers. I don't mind seeing a list of matches before a show, but I don't want to know who wins, who turns heel, or who turns babyface. I try to keep wrestling as exciting as possible and spoilers take all the fun out of it for me.

As far as wrestling forums are concerned, I don't think discussing your opinions and views are a bad thing. I have been a member of this particular forum for over 2 1/2 years and I don't think I've become any more critical. I'm generally a positive person so I like to try and focus my imputs on positive things.

 

[Razor]

This sounds like a stupid question, but I've been thinking about my interest in WWE's product, and since I joined this site a few years ago, my level of excitement week after week has been slowly declining.

Well, that sucks. Maybe you're burnt out. Take a few months off, then come back. I'd likely promise that when you come back you can just jump right back in. And when I say "Take a few months off" i don't mean "still read spoilers and stuff." A complete break, I'd say. Come here and post General Wrestling, but don't venture into the WWE forum. Watch TNA only if you can decipher that garbage.

I'm not suggesting AT ALL that these types of sites shouldn't exist, because we all have a lot of fun talking about wrestling and all that goes with it.

I dunno...INTERNET IS SERIOUS BUSINESS

But, at least for me, I've become WAY too critical of WWE. I analyze every little thing, and I complain about it "not being the way it used to be."

That's just a feeling of nostalgia. Like when old guys say "When I was a a young kid we didn't have condoms! We used weasels, and we liked it!" (Old School SNL for the win.) You'll be loads happier if you don't think everything should be how it was. Change is good. Once you realize that, you can embrace the good that is the current product.

My question is, was it ever "how it used to be." A guy on justin.tv just had a marathon of all the Attitude Era episodes...I watched them, and they were pretty good. I've seen them all before, but it just seems, in retrospect, that they aren't as fantastic as everybody claims them to be.

I've never seen the Attitude Era as the end all be all. It was interesting, I'm not gonna lie. But the Attitude Era was shock tv with wrestling sprinkled in. It wasn't the epic wrestling that people love to espouse.

So, maybe this is just a rant about wrestling fans never being happy, but whatever... what do you guys think? Do wrestling sites like this make people overly critical? Do the spoilers make things less fun, and dull our engagement in the product?

Spoilers are horrible. Especially when people read them, then whine when things don't surprise them. Fucking pisses me right off. And if you know what happens, you're not going to get fully engaged with the product. Because you can't suspend that all important belief. This is a play after all. You have to believe it, or you aren't going to enjoy it.

 

[Nate DaMac]

So who is the person holding a gun to your head and making you read wrestling sites and spoilers? Just don't fuckin read them! Some people are just impatient and can't wait for the program to air. If there were spoilers were Raw, I wouldn't even watch! I would already know what the stupid shit they were going to air was. If anything the spoilers would help. If they would write a better show people would actually watch after they read the spoilers.