Have We Been Fooled?

[rge2010]

12 PPVs for $10 a month is worth its weight in gold regardless of the rest. Rumble and Mania cost that alone.

The Network will be a huge success.

 

[Vega]

I'm not arguing that it's no different. It is, the content is expanded ten fold. However, its nature is the same. Online subscription.

And yeah, there is masking. I'm sorry, but these guys were hyping a television network since 2011 and yesterday announced an online subscription. The very reason why they still call it a network (when it no longer isn't) is because for the last three years they were calling it just that, because they thought they'd launch a NETWORK. Not calling it "The WWE Network" would just expose what it is - an updated version of the 24/7 service.

Bells, whistles and nothing less. Still a sweet deal, though. Not arguing that. I'd get it if I could. But it's also not as big of a deal as WWE makes it seem and personally I dislike it when something is WAY overhyped and a bunch of morons hop on board because they got reeled in by basic marketing.

The grandiose nature of it all is what bothers me. There's marketing, there's good PR, and then there's overkill. They're reinventing the wheel and launching a marketing campaign around it when it's no different than anything else on the market.

Some points on why I think it's revolutionary, I'm probably forgetting some:

Most importantly, and unless I skipped something you didn't mention, all "PPVs" (or more general supercards) will be available live. The era of PPVs is fading and this will change the way the program is marketed. A lot of the "internet" people who streamed their content illegally will buy the network, thus, by a change of the paying audience, a shift in demands and consequently content will take place.

WWE doesn't have to split its revenues with cable companies anymore, therefore making 50$ PPVs look as overpriced as they really are and leaving the old model in the wake.

The all-in-one nature leaves a lot of room to hype and shape the product in different ways and there will be niche content. As an example, Regal said on Twitter that they just filmed a documentary about him for the Network, something pretty much unimaginable otherwise. Expect more of that.

On a side note, there will be no (or very little) censorship; so for example, TV-MA content is shown and Benoit is shown again. This is at least a shift for WWE.

 

[ShawnDiscipleSmith]

The era of PPVs is fading and this will change the way the program is marketed. A lot of the "internet" people who streamed their content illegally will buy the network, thus, by a change of the paying audience, a shift in demands and consequently content will take place.

WWE doesn't have to split its revenues with cable companies anymore, therefore making 50$ PPVs look as overpriced as they really are and leaving the old model in the wake.

This. We have to assume that this was the goal. And it'll work, the only PPV I purchase is Mania each year, but that's because the B-PPV's are too pricy.. They will convert a lot of the pirates with this for sure.

 

[shafe_41]

You can't rope me into reading that article because the first thing he stated is a blatant lie. So there's that...

There's enough content to keep me entertained on the WWE for a solid year right off the bat. At least. I already own pretty much every PPV between 2002-2009 so I won't need to watch those on the network. I also own the Mania, Summerslam, and Royal Rumble Anthologies. I'm exicted to go back and watch all those old In Your House PPVs and the monthly PPVs they spun off. All the WCW and ECW PPVs will also be watched. To be able to do this for $120 over a year is an amazing deal. I have been clamoring for the WCW PPVs to be released on DVD for years now. I will finally get these. And as long as I can watch every PPV for $10 a month (even $15 is a good deal) including Mania, it's worth it every single year.

Give it 2 years... you will see UFC do the exact same thing. Big PPV library, currently runs monthly PPVs, and can come up with their own original programming. Charge a few bucks more a month. You wait and see.

 

[BaconBits]

Give it 2 years... you will see UFC do the exact same thing. Big PPV library, currently runs monthly PPVs, and can come up with their own original programming. Charge a few bucks more a month. You wait and see.

They already have. You can watch any fight in the UFC library (including PRIDE and WEC) and all the past and current and foreign TUFs on UFC Fight Pass.

And it went live last month.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

The only people getting fooled are the people who actually read that 'article' and believe any of it.

The WWE's actually got it right with the Network this time. Top to bottom it seems like it's going to be a fantastic service. They've even covered themselves from what would have been an inevitable flood of $10 subscriptions and subsequent cancellations from people who just would have got it for Wrestlemania with the 6 month commitment. Plus, that 6 month commitment gives them time to hook subscribers into continuing their subscriptions afterwards.

The only things to watch out for will be the implementation, and the future price point. Keeping the Network free from technical problems, especially during peak viewing periods (such as during Wrestlemania) will be key. Also keeping the price at a reasonable level will be key here. The comparison will be Netflix. Netflix is able to provide the same service, with a huge level of content for only $8 per month. If the WWE goes too far beyond what Netflix charges, you can bet they're going to turn off the casuals, which is who they'll be hoping to build the Network on.

They already know they can charge hardcore fans double what they are planning right now, and they'll eat it up. But what would they rather have? A million hardcore fans paying $20/month, or 4 million casual fans paying $10/month?

The model they've set up is perfect, and it could even be revolutionary. The key now will be the follow thru.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

One possible downside (or possibly upside depending how you look at it) is what is the incentive for WWE to continue to run so many PPV's when they already have your $10 in their pocket?

I would imagine that most of the 135,000 die hard fans that buy Battleground won't be buying Battleground anymore leaving the WWE to only make money off the gate and merchandise sales from the event. I don't know if that even covers the cost of putting on a big show on a Sunday night.

Could this be the start of the end of 13 PPV's a year? Personally I would be fine with that since I only watch about three per year. It means storyline would hopefully not have to be so rushed.

So there, if the blogest wants to find something to speculate and complain about, there is something else for him to verbal diarrhea over.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

One possible downside (or possibly upside depending how you look at it) is what is the incentive for WWE to continue to run so many PPV's when they already have your $10 in their pocket?

I would imagine that most of the 135,000 die hard fans that buy Battleground won't be buying Battleground anymore leaving the WWE to only make money off the gate and merchandise sales from the event. I don't know if that even covers the cost of putting on a big show on a Sunday night.

Could this be the start of the end of 13 PPV's a year? Personally I would be fine with that since I only watch about three per year. It means storyline would hopefully not have to be so rushed.

So there, if the blogest wants to find something to speculate and complain about, there is something else for him to verbal diarrhea over.

That's actually a huge upside. Less PPV's does mean more time to tell a story and make matches more meaningful. It's especially good for the mid card, because that gives them time to build up those stories, which in the end can help elevate guys.

 

[Zeven_Zion]

That's actually a huge upside. Less PPV's does mean more time to tell a story and make matches more meaningful. It's especially good for the mid card, because that gives them time to build up those stories, which in the end can help elevate guys.

You're assuming WWE would automatically do this. We saw how it worked out with TNA, man. Less PPVs and none of this happened. I don't see a difference, do you? TNA is more keen on developing stories than the WWE is, and they showed how indifference can fuck this model up. And indifference is WWE's new motto. They don't give a flying fuck about storylines anymore.

It doesn't "mean" anything, it opens up potential for it to mean something. In my opinion, you can tell good stories with a PPV every month, you just have to think harder. And we have to stop thinking that PPVs are supposed to top off a storyline. They can advance it OR end it. But it has to be cool and it has to be something I wouldn't get on a regular show. Neither company right now is delivering that, except for the WWE with the Rumble and Mania.

PPVs in general are so out-dated but at the same time still bring in enough dough to be kept around. Streaming them live on the Network is a huge win for us, but I'm not sure how the actual cable provider would react to it since it might isolate the revenue flow and they won't get a ton of that money.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

You're assuming WWE would automatically do this. We saw how it worked out with TNA, man. Less PPVs and none of this happened. I don't see a difference, do you? TNA is more keen on developing stories than the WWE is, and they showed how indifference can fuck this model up. And indifference is WWE's new motto. They don't give a flying fuck about storylines anymore.

It doesn't "mean" anything, it opens up potential for it to mean something. In my opinion, you can tell good stories with a PPV every month, you just have to think harder. And we have to stop thinking that PPVs are supposed to top off a storyline. They can advance it OR end it. But it has to be cool and it has to be something I wouldn't get on a regular show. Neither company right now is delivering that, except for the WWE with the Rumble and Mania.

PPVs in general are so out-dated but at the same time still bring in enough dough to be kept around. Streaming them live on the Network is a huge win for us, but I'm not sure how the actual cable provider would react to it since it might isolate the revenue flow and they won't get a ton of that money.

Of course I'm assuming that's what happens if they did go to less PPV's. I really don't know any better than you or anyone else if that actually happens. You're also simply assuming that it wouldn't happen in that hypothetical.

In my opinion, allowing more time to fully tell a story, instead of rushing it, gives them the potential for better stories overall, and fresher matchups. Whether that happens or doesn't happen, if they actually were to go to less PPV's (which of course they've never claimed they will do), is entirely up to them. Traditionally, going back to before monthly PPV events existed, that's exactly what happened in the business. Of course a lot has changed since that time, but there's no reason things couldn't return to that as long as they wanted to do so.

Whether they retain the current PPV model in addition to the Network, or transition away from the current PPV model is going to be interesting to see. Buyrates are obviously going to plummet, as anyone who would normally purchase a WWE PPV and also has the ability to get the WWE Network, is going to subscribe to the WWE Network instead. The current PPV model will last a while, but only because they aren't releasing the WWE Network everywhere yet. As time goes on, they'll get to the point where you won't be able to purchase a traditional PPV event on the PPV platform anywhere, and at that point, I would suspect the possibility of decreasing the traditional PPV cards will come into play... or simply coming up with a new system that none of us has thought of yet.

 

[bioshock]

The only appealing thing about the "Network", is that you pretty much get all the wrestling of the last 20+ years for 10 bucks a month. All PPVs, all shows from WCW and WWE/F. That's a deal.

Problem is, I don't think many people will stick with this long term. Sure, we'll watch and rewatch footage but ... then what? Who watches wrestling THAT much? Nobody.

And do they have programming on there that will maintain people's 10 dollars a month? Not right now. They'll hook you in for a few months or a year if you're an idiot but that's really it.

And it is indeed a glorified YouTube channel that you have to pay for.

- You can watch videos just like on YouTube
- You can play and replay them from the start just like on YouTube
- They can upload other custom content and maybe stream live stuff just like on YouTube
- You can't leave comments on videos because they love their fans' opinions just like on YouTube
- It is NOT a TV CHANNEL just like YouTube

Ya'll realize that the only difference between THIS and their YouTube channel is the platform, right?

Come to think of it, this is pretty damn weird. It's basically TNA On Demand but on all devices. In fact, how the fuck is this different than ANY OTHER subscription service they've had before?

So you pay money to get exclusive online content, and lots of it. Nothing groundbreaking, they had this before. Aside from that, the only difference is that now you can watch it on any device and the biggest difference is all the PR Hoopla around it.

So yeah, you HAVE been fooled. These corporate motherfuckers are raising a fuss FOR AN ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION! They introduce a new logo, they call it a "Network" to mask the fact that it's AN ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION and add all this other noise to keep you from realizing they've had this for YEARS, only they expanded the content a little bit.


Soooo revolutionary. My God, they just stuck their marketing dick up everyone's ass. Shows you what some good PR and an a "groundbreaking annaouncement" will do huh?

Don't forget about all the wrestling fans who haven't seen the past events, or the ones who haven't seen all the ECW events, or seen all the WCW events... Or those who haven't seen WCW events in HQ since when it originally aired. Not to mention all the weekly programs they can put out that most of us haven't seen since it originally aired, like HQ episodes of Superstars and Primetime Wrestling, I mean those of us who didn't get WWE on Demand.

Plus all the original programs they can release and maybe even new shows altogether limited to the Network only, something like a NXT or Superstars type weekly program.

Oh and besides that all the new PPV's people can watch live for $10 a month is a deal all in its self that all wrestling fans have been wanting FOREVER. Remember all the past threads about fans saying they would buy all the PPV's if they were in that $10 range instead of $50 range. So even that is a done deal. But I'm sure WWE has plans for a lot of original new stuff that you can only see on WWE Network, things that normally would only be released on DVD, like a "Rise and Fall of WCW" kind of DVD set but only for the Network.

 

[Slyfox696]

The only appealing thing about the "Network", is that you pretty much get all the wrestling of the last 20+ years for 10 bucks a month. All PPVs, all shows from WCW and WWE/F. That's a deal.

Problem is, I don't think many people will stick with this long term. Sure, we'll watch and rewatch footage but ... then what? Who watches wrestling THAT much? Nobody.

And do they have programming on there that will maintain people's 10 dollars a month? Not right now. They'll hook you in for a few months or a year if you're an idiot but that's really it.

And it is indeed a glorified YouTube channel that you have to pay for.

- You can watch videos just like on YouTube
- You can play and replay them from the start just like on YouTube
- They can upload other custom content and maybe stream live stuff just like on YouTube
- You can't leave comments on videos because they love their fans' opinions just like on YouTube
- It is NOT a TV CHANNEL just like YouTube

Ya'll realize that the only difference between THIS and their YouTube channel is the platform, right?

Come to think of it, this is pretty damn weird. It's basically TNA On Demand but on all devices. In fact, how the fuck is this different than ANY OTHER subscription service they've had before?

So you pay money to get exclusive online content, and lots of it. Nothing groundbreaking, they had this before. Aside from that, the only difference is that now you can watch it on any device and the biggest difference is all the PR Hoopla around it.

So yeah, you HAVE been fooled. These corporate motherfuckers are raising a fuss FOR AN ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION! They introduce a new logo, they call it a "Network" to mask the fact that it's AN ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION and add all this other noise to keep you from realizing they've had this for YEARS, only they expanded the content a little bit.


Soooo revolutionary. My God, they just stuck their marketing dick up everyone's ass. Shows you what some good PR and an a "groundbreaking annaouncement" will do huh?

Saying the WWE Network is like YouTube is akin to saying Netflix is a glorified movie rental store. Sure we can look at the threads of similarity, but we can only make the argument work if we ignore the glaring differences.

 

[bioshock]

It's been stated a few times...getting the first 6 months is worth it 100% to get WMXXX + all of the other content for 6 months.

However, I can see some issue with what happens after 8/24/2014...SummerSlam is 8/17/2014...which means that for $60 initial cost, I'll get WMXXX, all of the library content for 6 months, some mid-card PPVs, and then SummerSlam.

On the other hand, within the next 6 months AFTER the first 6 month cost, is Survivor Series and then Royal Rumble, and a few more mid-card PPVs.

To me, it's worth $120 a year to catch the big 4 PPVs. Then I'll just watch the price.

Yeah but.. Lets say your watching it within that first 6 months and you get hooked on a weekly program or watching some PPV's from the start, like lets say your Starrcade 1995 and up next to watch is either WCW Nitro from Jan 1996, or Superbrawl from 1996, and all of a sudden your 6 months is up, not to mention the next WWE PPV is up, I'm thinking you might be interested in watching the next WCW event and watching the next WWE PPV.

And who knows casual fans who only order 2 PPV's a month might become renewed wrestling fans by watching the live PPV's each month.

- You can watch videos just like on YouTube
- You can play and replay them from the start just like on YouTube
- They can upload other custom content and maybe stream live stuff just like on YouTube
- You can't leave comments on videos because they love their fans' opinions just like on YouTube
- It is NOT a TV CHANNEL just like YouTube

I wanted to add another comment to this. Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu they are all one in the same like Youtube, its called streaming.

You might find what you want on Youtube, but go watch some 1994 episode of Raw, or some 1992 WCW PPV, you know they might be there, but usually the quality SUCKS. The content some user uploads from a VHS rip of WCW Starrcade 1990 isn't going to match the Starrcade 1990 in HQ that WWE Network will offer. Difference between one being free and another being paid for.

 

[mr_dna]

Thats just seems like typical trolling comments in the artical.

I think it was a Genius move it saves WWE money not actually having its own TV channel.

Look at it like this we live in the era of internet is god smartphones, tablets, computers, smart TVs , Smart boxes , Games Consoles . Companies like Netflix and Amazon are even making their own TV shows Alpha House & House of cards and are massive hits , Online TV is the future and with such a range of devices the WWE network can go on how is it not a good move .

By doing it online and i would bet multi device they get a bigger audience

 

[beckyh]

Any network launch is risky. Even Oprah who has had over a decade of success on tv, a very involved fanbase and very well connected in the entertainment business had major problems. And there are lessons to be learned from it. Which is why streaming works so well in this situation.

Someone on this thread wondered what would happen once we got our fill of the old programming. The crux of the matter is to create new and engaging programming that the viewers will find ONLY on their network. It keeps the old fans coming back and reels in new fans who will discover the old programming.

One concern would be that the WWE would need to keep their site (if ala HULU.com) from crashing due to usage, especially during a PPV. I would expect a huge turnout at the beginning because they own the largest video library of wrestling material right from the beginning. It would be something I would get for myself but if I paid for it and found it to all Obamacare.gov, I would be pissed. And I am only meaning a very casual comparison, not a nationwide crisis.

There are a few differences between what the WWE is doing and Netflix, Hulu, etc. They have more fingers in the pie. At $10 per subscriber, they will need advertisers. Especially if they have to pay Talent for PPV bonuses from it. If they opt to not pay PPV bonuses at all or to cut them severely, then it will be interesting to see what the Talent has to say. Of course with the announcement that they have 140(?) people on the roster, could they really be worried?

Just my thought on the matter. Speaking for myself, I plan on getting the service.

 

[Best in the World 79]

I love Jim Cornette but he had to have wrote that horse shit. Can't watch it on TV's? Haha. For ten bucks a month I can watch ANY wwe, wcw, or ECW ppv. And it's gonna fail in a year? People will eat this shit up. Everybody with the Internet will do it. P.S. if you couldn't actually really get it on the TV and we're on an internet wrestling site chatting and you couldn't run a HDMI to get it on your TV to suit a fancy you're probably in middle school

 

[Cody Trail]

I
The biggest statement of all was the last one in the article:

"Do not be fooled. By Feb. 24, 2015, the WWE Network will take its rightful place next to the WBF, the XFL and The Marine 3 as spectacular failures."

Marine 3 was actually the biggest money maker for WWE Studios last year. It sold really well for a direct-to-DVD film.