Estimated viewership on a possible Punk return.

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Alright, we get Raw and Smackdown viewership info after every show and lots of discussion over who draws and who doesn't etc.

It seems as if during WM season (Royal Rumble - PPV after WM) viewership tends to go around 4m-5m, depending on what other part-timers come around. Generally, for the rest of the year, it goes around 3m-4m, with the numbers being close to 4m during Summerslam.

Would the viewership explode for a surprise/announced Punk return?

In my opinion, in any case, I believe that viewership would increase by at least 1m. Considering that if he ever comes back, it would probably be during WM season, I believe that it would go to around 5m, even more, which is an outrageous number.

Rocky drew somewhere close to that (4.7 I think). Rocky didn't the kind of hype as Punk does now. A Punk return now is way bigger than possibly any return ever, simply because of the possibilities of what he can say, how will he be handled etc. Maybe Punk will break the 5m barrier, and he is probably the only one who can bring attention and viewership to WWE so much, especially if he makes a good showing at UFC. Just maybe, the only other guy who will attract viewers is Austin, if he is announced for a full-time WM-seasin-only return, and even that I doubt. Punk's real life issue with WWE will draw a lot in my opinion.

 

[TheICChampion]

OK, enough is enough. I'm as big a fan of Punk as anybody, but even I'm getting sick of all this talk about "what if Punk returns?". It's really getting on my nerves. Would I like to see him back? Hell Yeah I would! I just don't see it happening anymore. His first fight isn't supposed to be until nearly the end of 2015, and he'll likely be sticking around for a while depending on his contract. Add in the possibility that he'll do well enough to get his contract renewed and/or he'll like doing it enough to want to stay and we won't be seeing him in WWE for a long time. Plus, if what he said on Colt Cabana's podcast pissed off Vinnie Mac and HHH, good luck on them wanting him back, despite what the fans want. The viewership could drop off to less than 1m, and even if CM Punk not being around was the cause, they still won't bring him back. So, enough of this talk of "What if?", please.

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

OK, enough is enough. I'm as big a fan of Punk as anybody, but even I'm getting sick of all this talk about "what if Punk returns?". It's really getting on my nerves. Would I like to see him back? Hell Yeah I would! I just don't see it happening anymore. His first fight isn't supposed to be until nearly the end of 2015, and he'll likely be sticking around for a while depending on his contract. Add in the possibility that he'll do well enough to get his contract renewed and/or he'll like doing it enough to want to stay and we won't be seeing him in WWE for a long time. Plus, if what he said on Colt Cabana's podcast pissed off Vinnie Mac and HHH, good luck on them wanting him back, despite what the fans want. The viewership could drop off to less than 1m, and even if CM Punk not being around was the cause, they still won't bring him back. So, enough of this talk of "What if?", please.

Well, I'm tired of the Punk threads too, but this isn't the same as the others. It's more of a viewership thing, mixed with some fantasy Punk return. No need to get all ragy about it.

 

[daddyJ_t]

then why start another one if you are tired of them yourself?
anyway, back to topic. just like with Austin, the longer away from the ring, the less impact. So no I dont believe he would spike ratings like the Rock did. As for the arguement on the Rock, he has stayed in the public eye through his movies and such, thats why he was able to generate extra buy rates. Broken skull mountain isnt that main stream so no hard core spike from Austin and Punk is at the bottom of the ladder in the UFC, so until he were to win a title there, no huge spike from that. Besides, if he did return, he would want to wrestle and I highly doubt Dana White would allow that while he was under contract. The only way he would spike anything is if he returned at the rumble in the rumble match itself and that will not happen. Out of site, out of mind, and his time is dwindling.

 

[Navi]

Punk will not come back to the WWE anytime soon. He is under contract now to UFC, and it is a well known fact that Dana White does not like his people doing the crossover act while their contract is in place.

The Rock went on to being a dramatic actor, have a successful movie career and become a big Hollywood star. CM Punk went on to being a drama queen, crybaby and attention ****e. All in the space of one podcast. Not the same thing at all.

There are still thousands of Punk fans out there. Not the idiots who chant his name, they are just that idiots. But the longer he stays away more and more fans will move from him to someone else. In the case of CM Punk, absence does not make the heart grow fonder.

EDIT - sorry I didn't answer your question. My answer comes under the heading of "Who gives a shit". Yes viewership would go up, but then when they see he has nothing more to offer than he did before, they'll tune out again. It's not like the WWE has lost hundreds of thousands of viewers just because Punk left, they are still rolling along.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

This is absurd. A million people? Why? It's not like a million people abandoned the product due to Punk's departure. Why would his return garner a million back? It is not like he has become some type of mainstream icon since his departure. He went to UFC, not quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys. He hasn't even fought yet, he is unlikely to garner the following of someone like Lesnar and I don't think Lesnar even popped ratings as significant as a million.

The only person who can spike a rating by as much as a million is Stone Cold and he would have to wrestle to do so. There are many AE fans that have dwindled away over the years, it was those fans that probably showed up in full force that gave Raw 1,000 their big number. Maybe Punk can pop a million but it probably will take about ten years for his generation of fan to disappear and then just stop in for a show just to see him. Right now his generation of fans are mostly still around.

 

[Messiah]

The viewership would be about the same.. The ratings might jump a bit the night he returns if it's announced, just out of curiosity to see what he does, but ratings would decline after a few weeks... The ratings definitely wouldn't jump 1 million, where talking about CM Punk here. A million is too much and you know it, where would all these people come from?

 

[BestWrestlingOpinions]

Well, for one, if Punk actually does well in UFC (and just maybe even if he doesn't), UFC fans might tune in to see how he is treated in WWE, so there's that. Also, Punk gained some more attraction from Cabana's podcast, and we don't really know how many people heard Punk's story or are even remotely familiar to him. But you never know what kind of appeal his story might have. It made rounds around the wrestling internet and maybe, just maybe, it extended to some other people who weren't much of a wrestling fan.

For example, I have these 3 friends who were watching back in 2005, stopped at 2007, came back a bit at 2011, but the wrestling "flame" had died in them. When I showed them the podcast, they found legit interest back, so there are 3 guys that would watch again. Just me, I would bring 3 guys back, at least for one night. Imagine what the 4 million WM-season viewership can do.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

Snore. Next topic.

I would hope we've all moved on by now. He ain't comin back. And he's to much of an arrogant prick to even get the Warrior/Bret Hart treatment.

He's gone. For good. And now more deserving people get his spot.

Rejoice and move on.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Rocky drew somewhere close to that (4.7 I think). Rocky didn't the kind of hype as Punk does now.

It's an interesting contrast, in that we wanted to see Rock's return for positive reasons while we'd gather to watch Punk come back for negative ones.

Rock left WWE on good terms, and for a good purpose (to advance his career, changing from pro wrestling to movies) while Punk left in acrimony, thumbing his nose at all the fans who supported him....that is, if he gave any thought to them at all..... and a lot of folks would watch him come back just to observe what would compel him to do so after all the sanctimonious statements from him when he left.

We wrestling fans are a fickle group; we might gather in record numbers to watch him return, if only to heckle the hell out of him, so I suppose it would be fun to speculate how large the viewership would be. It might be even more fascinating to see how he was received after his his first comeback appearance.

Still, I would think the bridges have been well-burned by now....and the chances of seeing him again in a WWE ring are nil.....but then, I thought that about Bret Hart and Bruno Sammartino. So who knows?

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Well, for one, if Punk actually does well in UFC (and just maybe even if he doesn't), UFC fans might tune in to see how he is treated in WWE, so there's that.

If they have not already shown up for Lesnar why would they show up for Punk? Is he really going to take UFC by storm that much? Is UFC even that popular to begin with?

Also, Punk gained some more attraction from Cabana's podcast, and we don't really know how many people heard Punk's story or are even remotely familiar to him. But you never know what kind of appeal his story might have. It made rounds around the wrestling internet and maybe, just maybe, it extended to some other people who weren't much of a wrestling fan.

Do you know how many stories we are bombarded with everyday? Even if we hear a story, it is in one ear and out the other. Lindsay Lohan was everywhere for years and it didn't mean those people were going to watch her movies or give a shit about her reality show. Punk is nothing in the world outside of pro wrestling at this point.

For example, I have these 3 friends who were watching back in 2005, stopped at 2007, came back a bit at 2011, but the wrestling "flame" had died in them. When I showed them the podcast, they found legit interest back, so there are 3 guys that would watch again. Just me, I would bring 3 guys back, at least for one night. Imagine what the 4 million WM-season viewership can do.

Some how your three friends would find something better to do that night. Trust me.

 

[mkw1962]

He is not coming back anytime soon, he is under contract with UFC right now. He is also doing that comic book thing and I believe HHH and some people do not want him back ever, after that interview he had. I do not know how true that interview and what he said was but I hope the Wrestlers are treated well. I was looking forward to his return some day but know I do not care if he ever comes back.

 

[RobertTheBruce]

I think it's more likely to see Bulldog & Owen circa 1997 return and take the tag titles. Or Benoit in the hall of fame. Or Katie Vick come out as a surprise entrant to the rumble.

Hilarious that despite all the facts, I know when the Rumble starts there will be little fanboys holding their dicks and with every beep and new entrant thinking, oh this has gotta be him!