Dark Main Events- Are They Really Worth it?

[The Insano Shiekh]

I didn't see any thread on this, so I decided I'd post.

Anyways, on a lot of events that are televised on TV, there are dark main events...my question is, are they really worth it to you? The reason why this is because usually the wrestlers in the match have just had a segment or wrestled, and it's likely that they're tired and can't perform up to their full ability, and it can't keep you interested long enough...what are the community's thoughts?

 

[The Crock]

Well a lot of the time they will basically just have an extension to the main event. Let's say John Cena is taking on Sheamus and Edge interferes that could easily turn into the dark match main event, they can throw in Randy Orton and just like that you have a tag match, Cena and Orton vs Edge and Sheamus. So you see it doesn't have to be guys who haven't wrestled. It also makes the event more enjoyable for the live crowd, I was lucky enough to witness Stone Cold and the Rock brawl once and the Stone Cold then insulted the fans and that was basically the dark match, and it made my night a hell of a lot more enjoyable because I was a kid and I loved those two.

 

[(s)AINT]

I just think its a way to ensure the fans go home happy. I mean, let's say RAW ends with Sheamus getting the one up on Cena...they can have a dark main event where Cena gets to end the night on a much happier note. I know it doesn't make everyone happy, but you know. Plus, it gives people the allusion that they are getting something "exclusive" so it might make people want to return to see what little after show surprise they get next time. =)

 

[16mikeytot]

Well dark matches are usually kept short. But sometimes they show good things not included on television. The first raw I went to was on halloween at the staples center about 6 or 7 years ago it was Shawn Michaels vs John Cena in the main event Cena was about to deliver the F-U to Michaels when Kurt Angle interfered and gave Cena the Angle Slam that ended raw but after we were treated to Cena vs Angle in about a 5 to 10 minute match in which Cena of course won but after he won he got on the mic and carried a little girl into the ring it turned out that the little had just survived cancer and it was a great moment because the girls whole family was crying and everybody in the arena was cheering for her that was a great moment not seen on tv.

 

[Hawkeye]

Dark Match Main Events are totally worth it.If they didn't have those 'exclusive' matches,then paying viewers would basically be getting the same thing you and I at home got,except with more noise.They usually address the crowd in dark promos,which are probably funnier than what we see on tv.and most live events the superstars do more gimmick like stuff,like in mexico city when CM Punk wore a mexican flag and other stuff like that.Kinda like easter eggs in real life.

 

[Wolfdemon]

I've never experienced a Dark main event but I do have to agree with the above poster about how it is awesome to experience something that the people don't see on TV. I went to the Jan 4th show where Bret Hart made his return and after RAW went off the air he got back up and spent atleast 20 minutes just talking and interacting with the fans and it was a great experience. So I do think that the feeling that you get an exclusive feeling to something at a live show adds the interest to go see it live.

 

[Digging4Plunder]

Yeah, they're worth it. As guys above said, it's a way to send the fans home happy. A Thank You for them for spending their money. Two way street though, as the WWE push these "After show matches" to garner more ticket sales. I see countless commercials advertising the WWE coming today with a "SPECIAL MAIN EVENT!".. and that match ends up being post show.

 

[mayankeagle]

They are worth it because they are meant only for the fans who attended the event live. Unless you attended the event, you can't speak whether they are worth it or not. If I am a die hard Undertaker fan who has seen him on TV for 2 decades , and I attend the event where I see that he lost the main-event to Edge or someone else by a cheap-shot or due to interference, I feel like all my money was lost and that my fan-following was not respected. While it contributes to the story they are creating on TV, they need to do something to get me out of that foul mood. After all, I'm a customer for them and I gave them the money for the tickets, so they'll show me a nice short match where I see Edge getting tombstoned and cheer for it. The match need not be long or technically good. Its just about fan-following and giving them what they want to see.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

Anyways, on a lot of events that are televised on TV, there are dark main events...my question is, are they really worth it to you?

Yes, I think it is worth it to put an extra match or extended segment/brawl at the end of the show, it's kind of a "thank you" to the paying customers and is usually the most entertaining segment/match of the night, to ensure the fans their moneys worth. And don't forget the fact that these guys wrestle whole non televised shows, so an extra match at the end of the night is nothing.

The reason why this is because usually the wrestlers in the match have just had a segment or wrestled, and it's likely that they're tired and can't perform up to their full ability,

This usually isn't the case, even if a wrestler has a match during a televised program, they usually won't last longer than 8-10 minutes and if they are gassed, the main event won't last long, but will still find a way to entertain you, and keep in mind these guys are highly trained athletes so wrestling two 8 minute matches in one night shouldn't be to difficult of a task.

and it can't keep you interested long enough...

I beg to differ, the dark match main events are quite entertaining, and as someone who has been to a live show and experienced one first hand, I will tell you that they are the best part of the night. The one I saw was Batista vs. Undertaker in a no DQ match and even though I'm not a big Batista fan, the energy of this match, combined with all the run ins and wild spots made it a fun enviornment and suceeded in sending me home happy, so yea dark match main events are in this company for a good reason and thankfully they won't be going anywhere soon.

 

[The Champ]

They serve two main purposes. To give the live audience a little something extra, and to send them home happy, since the faces almost always come out on top on these matches. They don't have to be five star matches to satisfy the crowd after getting a great show, usually they go a few minutes before the face does his finisher on the heel and poses either by himself or with another face. It's just a simple little way to ensure that the fans leave with smiles on their faces. If you don't want to see it because you don't think the guys will perform well enough to satisfy you, then just leave after the regular main event.

 

[Viola Moonlight]

The whole purpose of a dark main event is to send the fans home that co-operated throughout the nights proceedings happy. Whether it be a live event of RAW or taped shows like SmackDown!, the fans need to be on their best behaviour and keep within certain limits as an audience... things like not screaming out profanities on a PG-rated show. Their reward usually comes in the form of a match or segment that happens after the show where they can do whatever they want. It's a pretty good trade off I reckon to get some extra time that is aimed to please you.

I've never been to a dark main event, but it's a tactic that doesn't need to be experienced in order to understand. It's smart business that ensures their customers in that region come back for their next event, house show or live event. Simple really.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

Like everyone else stated, it's to send the audience happy.

Though it always bothered me how they would have a title match for the dark main event. I mean, there were Batista vs Cena matches for the title, and yet there was a match originally announced FOR the pay-per-piew. There was even a Big Show vs Swagger vs Mysterio title match and, though I wasn't present, I already knew Rey would retain. You'd pretty much know the outcome of the dark main event as soon as you hear it is a title bout. I'm only complaining as a fan at home though.

 

[TheAnimal]

Its just a bit of fun for the live crowd. I dont really take it seriously as a match that i'm expecting to see of PPV quality. Sometimes though for WWE it can be used to test the water for PPV matches or potential matches. It is to send the fans home happy too. And i do get into them at live events. They are fun. I like seeing them.

 

[Jallen8877]

They are a good thing to have, The first event ive ever seen was the Raw the night after wrestlmania 14. It was worth it I got to see Stone Cold, Triple H and The Undertaker(who wasnt on the tv part of the show) take on Kane, The Rock and another Nation member. It didnt last long but it was great!

 

[justice]

Absolutey they are worth it. If you are paying money to go to Raw or Smackdown, you obvisiouly love wrestling. So why not have as much wrestling as possible. One of the best things I've ever seen in the 25 years I've been watching wrestling was after a dark match between Cena and Orton, Dx comes out. Hbk hits orton with Sweet Chin Music, he then stumbled into the Game and gets hit with a pedigree, bounces up all dazed and is then hit with the F-U. Afterwards, Cena did all of Dx's sayings with them, then all three did the crotch chops with the pyro behind them. One of those you had to be there types of things, but it was, as the Miz would say, AWWWWWWWWWWSOME!!!!

 

[Mighty NorCal]

Er? What?

My favorite match I have ever seen live was a Dark Match ME. A lot of times, the guys in the DMME arent even on the show, or just had a small segment earlier in the night. I have seen nothing but special attractions, and damn good preformances in DMME, they are always loads of fun. Yes they are worth it, to say otherwise is stupid.

 

[Dave]

Yes, they are. Absolutely!

I have seen one live event in my life and it was the recent UK tour of Smackdown. The dark match main event was CM Punk versus Rey Mysterio and it was probably one of the most entertaining efforts of the entire show. CM Punk and Rey both tried things that perhaps didn’t come off but at the next PPV, they were doing it in the ring in front of all the fans for real. That is a great thing about the dark matches, they allow the superstars to go out and see what works and what doesn’t in front of a crowd that will be more than willing to let you know

Similarly, at the end of the Smackdown tapings, it was a great little but of fun to see CM Punk work the mic in a more colloquial style. He talked about the UK fans and how he hated us and then just walked off. Although he was still a heel at the time, people loved it and lapped it up. At the end of the day, we were at the Smackdown tapings for around 4 hours and the dark match was the last thing we saw. To me, it was great to see both guys just having a laugh and made me go home with a smile on my face.

They are absolutely worth it and whilst they may not get the same exposure as the rest of the card, they definitely do their jobs.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

A lot of people feel that there isn't near enough real action in an episode. You have to assume that in every show there's going to be a comic match using some sort of combination of William Regal, Koslov, Santino, Mark Henry, or the guest host. Then there's usually a lackluster divas match. So what we're really left with on any given episode of Raw is three, maybe four decent matches. From time to time, one of them will be a great match. So for the live crowd who actually spends a ton of money to be in those seats, the WWE like to do something special. They should be getting more than us, the viewers at home, and they usually do. It's usually a PPV style match with the title being defended, or a tag team match featuring the main event feuds at the time. IF they performed earlier on in the night, there's a possibility that they won't be up to full speed, but they can still pull off a good match. If guys could last through King of the Ring and still put on a good main event match, they can put on a dark match. I see no reason to get rid of them, because even if they're mediocre at best, it isn't effecting the fans at home, and the live crowd is at least getting more for their money.

 

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why not, they're for the live crowd, to send them home Happy!!

Sure they tired and they might have worked a match, but most dark matches last like a few mins..they always quick from what I hear...If say Sheamus(hated man) defeats Cena and maybe puts him through a table, the attending fans are going to be like wtf..u sending us home seeing our champ a fallen wrestler..so they might have HHH come out and have Sheamus a dark match, it keeps some people in their seats..its kinda like a lil extra, whilst the people are waiting to get out, they can keep their eyes on the ring..and also the dark main events always have the faces winning..in short matches...

 

[LigerBomb]

I didn't see any thread on this, so I decided I'd post.

Maybe there's a reason there wasn't one...

Anyway, so OP, "worth it to you" in what sense?

"You" as in the TV viewer? Well they don't see them so that's not really relevant nor what you're probably speaking about. So I don't they give a fuck either way.
"You" as in a live event ticket buyer? It gives me something extra that I can't see on TV (even if I troll the interwebs) so it's added incentive to purchase tickets to a TV taping. Even if the performers were indeed tired like you say I could just leave. It's not as if I was forced to watch it. So really it's all an added bonus no matter how you look at it.

 

[RiVaLGaMeR]

To make the fans go home happier, yes. To keep your Staff healthy? NO. I agree with the idea i got to see DX make fun of CENA at the Dark Promo of RAW. It was FN Hilarious. They were doing that whole bend the knees and do the mic promo and HHH said "Geeze Cena whats with the stance, you look angry, like you got to take a poop. Calm down man its just a promo" It was FN hilarious. It was a 3v3 tag i forget who they faced. Post Dark anything is good for fans, it shows that WWE cares more then they appear when it comes to your happiness. Like dark matches before the show are to hype the crowd, but what about after the show. So if no one says that WWE doesnt put on a show, your wrong. I dont agree with brutal matches that arent televised though.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

Well dark matches are usually kept short. But sometimes they show good things not included on television. The first raw I went to was on halloween at the staples center about 6 or 7 years ago it was Shawn Michaels vs John Cena in the main event Cena was about to deliver the F-U to Michaels when Kurt Angle interfered and gave Cena the Angle Slam that ended raw but after we were treated to Cena vs Angle in about a 5 to 10 minute match in which Cena of course won but after he won he got on the mic and carried a little girl into the ring it turned out that the little had just survived cancer and it was a great moment because the girls whole family was crying and everybody in the arena was cheering for her that was a great moment not seen on tv.

It was actually October 2005 on Halloween from Anaheim not Los Angeles that had the Cena/HBK Main Event when Kurt Angle intefered. I love Dark Matches and stuff that happens after the Cameras stop rolling. Ive seen numerous ones here in Atlanta after a RAW or Smackdown has finished up. Some of the Post-Show stuff ive seen:

Stone Cold Celebrating with The Rock & Mick Foley after Rock Returned and Reunited with Foley going into Wrestlemania against Evolution. Plus they had some fun with Lillian Garcia. RAW,March 2004

Jake The Snake Roberts coming out during the Dark Tag Match and putting his Snake on Triple H. RAW,March 2005

John Cena/Edge Match with Mick Foley as Guest Referee. RAW,February 2006

Undertaker/Randy Orton Match,September 2005 (after the 1st Friday Night Smackdown Taping)

Chris Jericho/HBK/Batista Match,RAW November 2008

The Smackdown Taping here in Atlanta this week the Dark Main Event is a
7 on 7 Tag Match with John Cena,Randy Orton,Sheamus,Edge,Y2J,John Morrison,and R-Truth vs Nexus. So they are definetly worh it.

 

[SpoodBeest]

I once attended a live RAW in Detroit back during the spring of 2008, and we had a dark match happen after the show. That match was 6 man tag team cage match. It was John Cena, and DX against Randy Orton, JBL, and Umaga. And I must say the crowd ate up the entire match. It was electrifying.

Also when you know that there is an extra match going on just because you bought a ticket thats also a plus and would probably get most people to buy another. It's a nice little extra they give you for attending their taping and to be honest it's a lot of fun.

 

[Midcard Fame]

I think so, I was at the RAW show for June 7th, 2010; you know the one that started the whole "Nexus" thing; the angle that everyone thinks is so great. Yeah, that one. And I was pretty disappointed that we didn't get a dark main event. We got an interfered main event, and before the show, we got rained on really hard to and I had to buy a shirt I didn't want due to being drenched. Also, one of the worst RAWs in recent memory...so, a nice little dark main event would have been nice. I think I would have been sent home happy. I tried seeing the superstars after, while it was raining and none of them acknowledged us, that was a pretty big let down too, expect Tiffany, she was really nice. And that was the highlight of the evening, so if I would have seen a dark main event, it would have made the night a wee bit better.