RAW goes off the air: will you miss it?

[mrfantastic111]

I remember reading an article a few years ago about RAW getting record-low numbers and Vince being worried about losing their Monday night television spot. A few years down the track and RAW's ratings are lower than ever. I'm not saying that RAW will go off the air anytime soon, but hypothetically if RAW got cancelled in the near future, would you miss it?

What I want to know is from modern RAW what would you miss? Which stars, which feuds, which segments, anything really. To some it's arguable that RAW is so watered down these days that it might not be as missed as you'd think.

Your thoughts?

 

[VinnieSunshine]

RAW yes. It gives me entertainment on Monday nights. Reading the results online give me something to do at work when I miss it.

Now if Smackdown were to get cancelled...

 

[GameOver]

absolutely, it's like an addiction i can't kick, Smackdown i wouldn't miss, that has been C grade at best for years.

RAW will never lose it's TV Spot anytime soon. Vince was obviously just voicing concerns about the dropping ratings that have declined since coincidentally? Cena was made the face of the company but the ratings are still alot higher then many other shows and they continue to be in the top 5 of all cable on that night thats hardly a dismal rating. not to mention the advertising revenue

RAW is safe

Now even if by some freak chance the network pulled RAW which would be suicide for them, they would just move to another and no doubt get the same timeslot, RAW is a monday night institution like your NFL football. They could also just invest in the network and screw using anyone else to televise there product. Which no doubt at some point they'd aim too.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't see how it couldn't be missed. WWE Raw is an institution on cable television that's delivered many of the most memorable moments in pro wrestling history. Even the most vehement WWE hater would have to acknowledge that Raw going off the air would be a massive blow to all of pro wrestling.

However, as GameOver pointed out, Raw is still extremely safe. Even though it's numbers haven't been stellar as of late, it's still the top drawing show for USA and still ranks among the top drawing shows on cable television. A key reason why WWE continues to be safe on the NBC Universal networks is because WWE programming brings in consistently significant numbers to USA and Syfy 52 weeks a year. To my knowledge, aside from WWE Raw, no show on cable airs a new episode each week and, on average, draws anywhere 4 to 5 million viewers each week. If you simply go by the numbers, TNA should be more worried about Impact Wrestling losing its spot rather than WWE worrying about Raw.

 

[bko]

Definitely, WWE RAW has been part of consistent routine I've followed for the last 20 years or so regardless of its lower moments.... So if something I've been doing for 20 or so years just disappears out of my life its gonna leave a noticeable hole in my life. But at the end of the day life goes on, but I would still miss it regardless.

 

[Dagger Dias]

I would miss everything.

If Raw went off the air then a significant part of my Monday evenings for the past 20 years would be gone. I would have to find something else to get me through work when I have a case of the Monday blues after a relaxing weekend. I'd also miss the segments, promos, matches, and historic moments that made WWE Raw what it is today. I'd even go as far as to say I'd miss the cheesy segments and bad matches. I literally would miss everything about it. I've watched Raw's entire run. The last time a monday went by when Raw was not something I had to look forward to, I was only 7! Now as an adult I would have a tough time replacing it. At least there would still be Smackdown on Fridays to make up for the large gap that Raw going off the air would leave. Wait....

Is this thread's scenario under the stipulation that WWE Smackdown would still be on the air? If so, the blue brand is suddenly the flagship brand. All of the big stars and build for PPV would be taking place there at that point. My Friday evenings or Saturday mornings would suddenly become much more of a weekly highlight than they already are. Or is Smackdown going off the air too? If both go I'd be even more bummed and likely would suddenly turn into a huge mark for TNA. I haven't watched them for like 3 months now ever since around Lockdown and decided to boycott until Brooke Hogan is no longer involved with the federation. That boycott would have to be lifted regardless of her status if I lost both of WWE's two main brands on television.

 

[mral82]

Heck yeah we'd all miss it. Ratings don't mean jackcrap as they are done by Neisel w/ only a fraction of the actual raatings as not all are recorded but only if your a Niesel Family or house or whatevs. They don't count in this day and age that people have TiVo's, DVR's, Hopper's or whatever else they still do them the ol' fashion way w/ the Niesel boxes n Chips and you've got to be selected to be 1. So when they think it's only a 3.0 or however the currently fig out w/ the ol' methods times it by 1.5/2 and that's your actual number. But the original ? "IF" WWE RAW's contract w/ NBC Universal ended for some reason they would more than not already have another net already lined up as they would either go to maybe FOX Sports, NBC Sports Channel, ESPN or somewhere and stay on the air as fans would petion to keep it on the air.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. If you're a fan of pro wrestling, you might think you wouldn't miss Raw....but you would.

If WWE had to cut down on programming, what I would do is keep Raw, cut it back to two hours.....and get rid of everything else. Yes, that's the way it was in the old days, except that Raw was only a one-hour show. That was enough, ratings were fine and people were probably clamoring for more.

But, hey! The question on the table is whether we'd miss Raw if it went off the air....and I say, definitely yes. It's been a staple of wrestling fans too long to not be missed. It made Monday the main day for wrestling.

When WCW wanted to take down WWE, where did they put their main show?......Monday night.

When TNA decided they wanted to take over as the #1 wrestling company, where did they foolishly place their main show?.....you guessed it.

Damn right Raw would be missed. It belongs.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Sure, I haven't had cable for about a month and I miss it already. It's mindless fun. I like the big personalities and the athleticism. The stories sometimes work and they can even surprise me now and again. The fans on top of the action makes things unlike anything else you see on serialistic (not sure if an actual word) TV. But most importantly I'd miss hearing what the IWC has to say about it.

 

[aliasv2]

The fact I don't have Sky Sports at my new place at the moment is a complete pain in the arse, even if I do stay up till 4am to watch it and am totally shattered the next day I don't care. I love watching RAW and have been missing it for the past month. It is part of all of our Monday nights and if it was unsafe it wouldn't of been running for well over 1000 episodes now.

 

[M]

As long as NXT is still on I'd be perfectly fine. Actually... If it meant there were no raw recaps during NXT it might allow for some more NXT goodness... Maybe the hypothetical's not such a bad situation after all..

In all honesty though I don't really watch raw anymore. I keep up with what's going on mainly through opinion articles and kb's wrestling reviews, because most of the time it's more interesting Reading those than watching 2.5hrs of crap followed by 30mins of watchable material. So in reference to the op question, I'm going to look at it from different angles. If raw goes off the air it means a lot of the traffic on this site goes down, which means less active members on the forum and less hilarous posts to read in my leisure time (in bed right now actually ) so that would suck. No raw means no more raw reviews and no more editorials about it, that also sucks. No raw means that all the wrestlers have to find other places to wrestle, which means that a lot of them might end up in NXT (if NXT is still running) which would take the spotlight off the best part about the show, ironically how raw and barebones it is, and turn it into a raw clone, which is exactly what shouldn't happen to NXT. that would REALLY suck.

In summary; I wouldn't miss the show itself, but the consequences of it going off the air would make me miss it.

 

[The Butcher]

I don't think I'd miss it as much as I think I would. Especially if WWE was still in business, just without Raw. When I miss an episode of Raw these days, rarely do I feel as if I've really missed anything. So long as there were ample wrestling shows (one or two) throughout the week, I'd get my wrestling fix. Besides, if Raw was off the air, they could bring back Prime Time Wrestling. I doubt that they would, and it wouldn't be the same without Gorilla and The Brain, but a guy can dream.

 

[HeenanGorilla]

No, I wouldn't miss it. It is all that is wrong with pro wrestling these days, in my opinion. Granted, it is better than Smackdown, but that isn't saying much. Wrestling is way too accessible for its own good. Storylines are rushed and unfinished and dropped because they have to force and stuff hours and hours of "entertainment" into each week's programs. The wrestling fans are impatient and/or clueless. The product is a shell of what it once was. Why would turning off a currently poor show make you miss the days of old? Those days are gone whether this show is still on the air or not. Don't answer....a) it was rhetorical and b) you people don't know what you want anyway. I have fond memories of when wrestling was solid and entertaining. It is nothing nowadays...much like it's fanbase.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

I look at it as if The Simpsons got cancelled. It may not be as good as it used to be but I don't think there was ever a show that gave me more hours of entertainment than Monday Night Raw and that's legit.

I would definitely miss it, just like I miss watching Saturday Nights Main Event and Clash of the Champions. RAW I would miss even more because since late '95 (which is around the time I got RAW for the first time) I've watched pretty religiously, taking breaks from time to time but it was always reassuring that it was there every week, same bat time, same bat channel. If that ever went away I would undeniably miss it, even if a few years went by where I didn't watch it. At the end of the day RAW is the show I watched the most, the show I most enjoyed and even in the worst of times it was always a good way to forget about life for a few hours and just enjoy watching watching what I love.

 

[scottyshowman82]

Most definately. It's pretty much engrained in every wrestling fan's brain that Monday Night is wrestling night. We'd all go through some serious withdrawals if Raw went off the air lol but I don't see that happening. They made to 1000 episodes and are still chugging through some very stormy waters. WWE will always have a world wide following and as much as some a lot of us debate and argue about the direction, we do it because we love it.

 

[HBsam31]

I have been a fan since the early 80's and while this isn't my favorite time to be a wrestling fan, I would of course miss Raw. The problem I think is too much wrestling. I could live without Smackdown, but Raw has been a staple in my house since it first went on the air. It is a big part of my life, and I would miss it a lot.

 

[Monroe]

I have to be honest and say that speaking for myself; No I wouldn't miss it. I only tune into Raw because of certain people. I change the channel or turn off the TV completely when those people have come and gone. I have no interest in 90% of the roster and see it as nothing more than a time waste until the people I do have interest in return. Wrestling was once called a cyclical business but I think we know that to be a half-truth at best. It isn't cyclical and most likely isn't going anywhere. Another poster pointed out the consistent ratings and as long as Raw continues to be that, and it will with no doubt in my mind, it will never disappear.

 

[Pepper Lewis]

I wouldnt miss the current WWE at all! No Big SuperStar I follow anymore! The Talent all looks the same, wrestling is boring! The Guys today, have no NATURAL Charisma, just a real low point in WWE! This ERA with CM PUNK, being considered a "GOOD WRESTLER" is just out of touch, with what GREAT WRESLING REALLY IS! CM PUNK is not good at all! VERY SLOPPY, BORING ON MIC! Great Wrestling, is guys like RIC Flair, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Rick Rude, Curt Hennig, Rick Martel! The Ring Physicology has gone! The Biggest thing in Wrestling, the BIG SURPRISE ASPECT has gone! Thats what made people watch wrestling! I havent been entertained in over 10 years! I was entertained when JERICHO Debuted!

 

[AnthonyM4]

I wouldn't miss it. It will never be what it once was. I do miss the way it was between 93-2000, you know when it was compelling and had good wrestling. It still has good wrestling sometimes, but the storylines aren't compelling anymore with the creatvie team consisting of like 20 sitcom writers who don't know wrestling and the owner of the company not caring for wrestling anymore. It's never going to change for the better I don't.

 

[Ovaltine]

sadly no I won't. For me the promotion died around 2002. I have had a real hard time watching it since then. Yeah I was a WCW guy, but I still watched RAW and some of it was awesome. However, it hasn't been watchable (for me) for over ten years.

 

[JoeyJoeJoe]

I wouldn't miss the show overmuch. To be perfectly honest, I fall asleep while watching it 75% of the time. The week in, week out show is very predictable, and the announcing can be stultifyingly bad. The biggest problem I would have is that it would be a clear signal that the WWE is in financial trouble, and I don't think I'd like to see the fallout from that.

 

[GameOver]

Think of this if you were a die hard fan. There was 1 full year in Australia around the time NWA/TNA was in it's second year then WWF programming was pulled from cable here due to not being able to come to terms on a contract between our PayTV provider and the people that were transmitting WWE content.

1 Full Year the only way we got any news was the internet and the PPV's were released on VCD/DVD a month out of date.

That was murder. the only saving grace was TNA was at it's best back then IMO and was a good alternative but i can't recall if there was a TV show here at the time, definately the PPV's were on, now it's not even close to the "Impact" it was back then. Pun intended.

 

[Jessie Lynn DivaGirl]

I would miss RAW if it were to go off the air but only in my heart. RAW has dumbed down since that fateful night when I tuned in just to see Johnny Damon host. Something to take from that particular episode, the backstage gags were good and funny. It was like looking inside the weirder adventure of a celeberties encounter with overly-attached fans. Since then it's all storyline-storyline-storyline. It has it's moments of laughter, but they're trying too hard. Long past are the days of Ron Simmons standing around backstage to watch some idiot heel do something stupid and go "DAMN."

Would I miss RAW? Of course I would. It created a window of oppertunity for me with my writing style. But I would not weep over it. I'd just stare at USA network and sigh sadly.

 

[info62]

I wouldn't miss the show overmuch. To be perfectly honest, I fall asleep while watching it 75% of the time. The week in, week out show is very predictable, and the announcing can be stultifyingly bad. The biggest problem I would have is that it would be a clear signal that the WWE is in financial trouble, and I don't think I'd like to see the fallout from that.

I agree with this. I just started trying to watch RAW again in November or December 2012 and I already want to quit watching again. Most Monday nights I watch the first hour and then switch then channel. It's boring and it has no heart. It's more like a three hour long advertisement for a phone app and some stupid movies.

I will not miss RAW as it is now. I will only miss the time period of RAW that I enjoyed, but I already do miss that and accept that it is not coming back. So if RAW goes off air I won't be happy or anything but I really doubt I would be very upset.