Is the Preshow a Good Thing?

[HBK89Bill]

http://www.spreaker.com/user/6736764/mnc-extra-time-wrestlemania-xxx-special

I came across this podcast hyping Wrestlemania. It's worth a listen ,but the first guy brought up a really interesting point.

Why is there a genuine dislike of the preshow? I feel like there is this general opinion that if a title, match, or specific performer is relegated to the preshow that is a bad thing. I don't like watching good talent not be on the official PPV, or a title being defended like it is a Mania, but is there more to that.

Is the preshow match a privilege because you get to lead off the PPV and set the tone for the crowd and the rest of the show and maybe win a title. I mean if title changes are happening on the preshow, the crowd is going to be into the PPV off the bat and it makes the preshow important.

I guess I'm asking if the podcaster has a point? Is the preshow more valuable than we have been giving it credit for?

 

[Franchize1990]

I believe the pre-show is a pretty good thing. If I remember WrestleMania 25 correctly, they had a dark match between The Colons and Miz & Morrison for the unification for the Tag Team Titles. Seemed that the general feeling was that this match should've been open to the people who bought the ppv and some people were vocally upset about not being able to see it.

Enter the pay-per-view pre-show and now that audience has a way to watch the match. If they don't want to take advantage of watching the match, then no harm no foul but, to the people who's favorite wrestler in on the pre-show or something a handful of people are interested in, this is a great opportunity to get that chance.

I would assume that the reason that being on the pre-show in seen in a negative light is because they feel that it deems the match and, to some point, the talent wrestling in the pre-show unworthy to be on the main card that everyone who doesn't have the WWE App/Network gets to see.

 

[boywithbluehanger]

I think that the preshow is probably one of the worst sold "new" ideas from the WWE. They try to make the matches relevant every once in a while by making them mid-card/tag-team title matches but the problem is that the midcarders have not been as popular as they should be in order to accumulate the kind of response that would be beneficial to kicking off a PPV. A good midcard pre-show match should be feud-based featuring 2 guys who get a good crowd response.

For instance, Roman Reigns vs Big E for the IC title would be a good preshow match if they had an ongoing singles feud. So personally, I think they just aren't utilizing the idea effectively enough to make it interesting or urgent.

 

[KitsuneDreamer]

I think the pre-show "idea" is fine, but I feel that you shouldn't have a major title match, or a feud that has been percolating on it.

Why not throw a match out there that no one sees coming but, maybe a week build, and book it to become a classic? Throw a Christian vs a Ziggler out there, and put on a clinic.

Give anyone who still isn't sold on buying the PPV, another reason why.

You have the pre-show on a multitude of social media, give the world a reason to start blowing up the twitter feed with an amazing match, not "oh, this is garbage filler, what else is new."

Save that title match for THE SHOW.

 

[Aquaman6686]

I don't have a problem with the pre-show, but in my opinion there should never be title matches or big stars on it. It doesn't count towards the PPV card so it seems a waste to me to have championship matches or top stars there.

 

[tvcolosi]

What might be an issue is that some people confuse "pre show match" with perhaps "dark match". Just like everyone still calls the non televised entrance the "jobber entrance". WWE has changed the rules and have this App/Network that helps. In a year we won't even notice either.

 

[Noshowers]

I think that the preshow is probably one of the worst sold "new" ideas from the WWE. They try to make the matches relevant every once in a while by making them mid-card/tag-team title matches but the problem is that the midcarders have not been as popular as they should be in order to accumulate the kind of response that would be beneficial to kicking off a PPV. A good midcard pre-show match should be feud-based featuring 2 guys who get a good crowd response.

For instance, Roman Reigns vs Big E for the IC title would be a good preshow match if they had an ongoing singles feud. So personally, I think they just aren't utilizing the idea effectively enough to make it interesting or urgent.

I agree with this. Back when you had meaningful mid card fueds and an IC and Tag Team Division that generated more interest, I think this Pre-Show idea would be more popular. Imagine getting a title match with Edge/Christian vs the Dudleys for the belts on a Pre-Show.

Los Matadores and Rybaxel do not have that same appeal.

 

[Pedigree1]

I like the Pre-show matches most of em are worthy to be brought up to the main card.. At least the WWE is smarting up,that we want to see the pre-show matches as well as the main card.. Everyone has their favorites,so its a win-win for everyone IMO

 

[Softcore Holly]

I can take it or leave it tbh. The pre-show has that "these guys aren't good/important enough to put on the actual PPV" stink to it, and it kinda sucks when title defenses happens there since now the titles have that unimportant stink to it as well.

I get that not everyone on the roster can be on the PPV, but the titles should be on the PPV card whenever possible. Although I guess in the near future any fan that cares enough to watch the preshow will have the network to watch the PPV anyway, so it doesn't make that big of a difference.