The WWE has issues heading into the most important time of the year!

[Navi]

Watching RAW tonight, and over the last few weeks, I've been noticing an ongoing trend. The crowds at these shows are absolutely dead. Not even John Cena got a reaction tonight when he came out at the end of the show. As a matter of fact when the camera panned the crowd, there were a lot of empty seats, and it was obvious that a lot of people had either left early or just not even shown up.

Now usually you can count on fans in Texas and New Orleans to give you a good crowd reaction, but they aren't. We're heading into the most important time of the WWE calendar, the road to Wrestlemania, and it just seems that the crowds just aren't into it.

I don't know, but I get a little bummed out watching on TV and seeing the crowd in the background having no response at all. Tonight when Rusev won his match, they were all looking around hardly any boos, and not even the good old USA chant got much of a response. Lana told them to shut up and they did.

Is it maybe because we don't have a Daniel Bryan "Cinderalla" story like we did last year? Or is it that they fans are just sick and tired of the Authority storyline? Could it be that the matches are becoming so predictable, there are no surprises anymore? Is it a combination of all of the above, or something else? In any case, the WWE has issues. It can't seem to deliver a good show to a live crowd these days, and with Mania just around the corner it doesn't look good.

 

[John McCass]

Yes, WWE is putting atrocious shows week after week. Many old storylines are being continued which has lost its lustre. Smackdown and Main Event serve as a good show because there is good wrestling there. Creatives seriously need a direction ( or Vince McMahon if he is writting the shows ). Fans are tired of same matches and same storyline every week. Only feud started today is Ambrose vs Rusev. This didn't also get a good reaction. Ambrose is a crowd beloved babyface but he is not that patriotic type who punishes heel foreigners. Only patriots available on the roster are John Cena, Jack Swagger and Daniel Bryan. These are involved in other storylines or are faded away. Any midcarder must emerge from the roster to stand for USA. WWE strongly needs a direction.

 

[Just Zay'n]

The crowd is sick of everything that's being thrown at them. Everything has been done to death and is as stale as it could possibly be. The number one thing that has to happen, and this is such an IWC thing to say but it's so, so true - is that Vince must retire and relinquish 100% of his control and decision making. We all know what the guy's accomplished in the past, but that doesn't mean he can rest on his laurels and claim that he has what it takes to entertain a crowd in 2015, because unfortunately that's just not true anymore. The evidence is overwhelming and blatantly obvious. And this needs to happen now, not 3 or 4 or whatever years down the track - unless they want to sink even more in that time.

At first I thought the NXT talent, once called up, will substantially raise the bar and make the show entertaining again, but as it turns out this is not the case, with Vince and other higher-ups calling all the shots. This is because wrestlers aren't allowed to have their own ideas. Hell, they're barely even allowed to talk. When they do they say "Sufferin' Succotash" or "I will be the next _insert_championship_here_ champion!" - because that's what's scripted - and then Vince buries them for having no charisma. It's a vicious cycle, and in the end it comes down to Vince himself.

The quality of tonight's Raw was abysmal. TNA is better. I say that with 110% sincerity, and actually I would say TNA is better overall. NXT still takes the cake for me - but unfortunately, we all know what NXT stars amount to (which is not their fault at all as they're all extremely talented), so it doesn't count.


This may come across as overly cynical or negative but... dammit, we all know that major changes need to happen, and they need to happen now... and they're not happening!

 

[snazzy]

I say wait until the Rumble and after it.

I believe it's one of the most unpredictable Road to WMs in a while and cannot call the a) title outcome and b) even the Rumble winner. There are so many matchups and possibilities, not to mention no news of Undertaker and faint suggestions it may be Bray Wyatt (usually we know for certain who it will be around this time). Also Sting, bla bla the list goes on.

The current Raws are just filler for major swerves come post-Rumble and Mania season.

 

[makeitvab]

I didn't mind tonights show but my habit is, start it 1 hour into it and if my fast forward so much that i'm caught up I wait 30 minutes and try again.

That said, opening 15 min promo I skimmed until it was 2 minutes. Opening match was fun.

Then I think there was throwaway matches for quite a while, tons of "Tmz broke it first but herp derp randy HoF" messages, commercials, promos etc. Someone in comment section on main paige for tonights show posted that combined, in a 3+ hour show of Raw it had 29 minutes of wrestling. less than 1/6th of the show.

That's downright unacceptable. I feel bad for those in attendance, I again relatively enjoyed the show but I condensed it down to hrm...a little over an hour I'd say. End segment was fun. I do know that if it was announced next weeks raw was in my town and I won free tickets I still wouldn't go.

Lack of wrestling, 3 hours and barely anything progresses, boring characters and stale feuds. The main story always gets around 1/3 the show and the rest of the feuds are paper thin w details, why should viewers get invested when writers can't even be bothered to?

WWE for me has almost gone from "can't miss" to "can't watch" tv. It's affecting my wrestling fandom elsewhere, I'm usually first one of friends to pick up yearly wrestling game, but the show has me so apathetic towards wrestling I've yet to get it.

Them merging the belts just to put on Brock and get focus of show to HHH/Steph has me bored and annoyed. Maybe it's some way to get me to want Cena as champ just so we'd have the champ on tv */tinfoil hat thought*

Ambose, Ziggler,hell even Ryback. Anyone but Taker, Reigns, or Dbry (fan of dbry too) to win rumble or I'm checking out.

 

[MERPER]

I agree with you, OP. Cena got no pop, Triple H asking about if they wanted the 3 fired guys back got nothing, he had to do it twice.

Daniel Bryan got some pop as did Ambrose/Rusev. But even Lesnar got very little.

This has been an ongoing theme as well. Heck, Smackdown crowds have been dead silent for weeks now.

 

[Navi]

I agree with you, OP. Cena got no pop, Triple H asking about if they wanted the 3 fired guys back got nothing, he had to do it twice.

Daniel Bryan got some pop as did Ambrose/Rusev. But even Lesnar got very little.

This has been an ongoing theme as well. Heck, Smackdown crowds have been dead silent for weeks now.

I was wondering about Smackdown. Usually that show gets missed because of work, and I don't get to see it that often, but figured that if RAW was dead that would be as well.

What the WWE is thinking is beyond me. Surely they can see the non crowd responses, and yes some cities are notorious for being dead, anything in Mid West really. But in cities where you know you'll get the fans into the show, and all of a sudden they aren't, then that has to tell you that something is missing.

Usually when Cena comes out, he gets a pop and during his matches we get the Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks chant, don't remember even hearing it last night. It's like the fans have given up. I know we're seeing the same matches over and over again, and maybe feuds have to be tied up a lot quicker or in some cases not even started at all. Reigns/Show is a good example of that. And injuries where being blamed a lot, but those guys are back.

Sincerely hope that what another poster said is true and we are in for a few surprises and swerves around Rumble time.

 

[FightOwensFight]

I have wondering about this for a while. I just don't get it. You spend your hard-earned money and go there and act like it is a funeral. I get that fans can act how they want, but you would think if you are spending the money that you would be there to have a good time. It is fine that you may be unhappy with the product, but it seems to me a better way to express that would be to not go and have WWE see empty seats all over the place.

 

[WhiplashUnited]

Surely that Ambrose v Rusev match wasn't supposed to start a feud especially as Lana and Rusev ran down Ryback in the promo. Surely it's just filler until Royal Rumble?

The name Dolph Ziggler got a pop the first time it was mentioned but after that it got worse.

They built Rollins to be a legit part of the triple threat match tonight which was a positive.

For what RAW put on tonight, what was there worth cheering apart from Savage announced in 2015 HoF?

 

[goalieman31]

I think alot of the problem with the stale storylines is WWE spreading themselves too thin by having too many hours of tv a week. The other big problem is other quality wrestling alternatives are starting to show up and they are far superior

 

[Jack-Hammer]

There's not yet a ton of excitement going on yet because Vince has made some pretty questionable creative decisions over the course of the last 4 months or so. There's a lot of potential for a lot of good things to go own for WM season, it's just that I don't have a lot of confidence in Vince's decisions these days. Hopefully, that'll change in the coming weeks and after the Rumble.

In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, I think some changes need to be made within the next month:

Cut back on the Sports Entertainment matches, segments and general filler - It's WrestleMania season, or rather it will be officially after the Rumble, and all the Sports Entertainment and filler bullshit's not gonna cut it.

Beef up the mid-card title picture - I think this one has a more realistic chance of happening because Vince loves his Sports Entertainment too damn much. Stop jobbing out Barrett, bring Ziggler back into the picture, get something going with Ryback and Rusev and put some energy into it.

Get the tag team division organized - There's a lot of potential in the tag team picture. A few tweaks here & there an things will be pretty smooth. I'd put Harper & Rowan back together as a tag team, I'd put The Wyatt Family back together again as far as that goes, New Day can be a viable three man faction with a few changes, The Usos are a strong babyface tag team, Cesaro & Kidd have a lot of potential as do The Ascension. Personally, and this is just a personal preference, I'd put Reigns & Ambrose together as a team. There's a LOT to work with.

Acknowledge that Roman Reigns isn't ready - I don't care what management sees right now, Roman Reigns isn't remotely ready for the main event, most assuredly not at WrestleMania XXXI. Bryan's the obvious choice, so let Reigns develop with more, much needed time and see if he's ready next year.

 

[Navi]

I have wondering about this for a while. I just don't get it. You spend your hard-earned money and go there and act like it is a funeral. I get that fans can act how they want, but you would think if you are spending the money that you would be there to have a good time. It is fine that you may be unhappy with the product, but it seems to me a better way to express that would be to not go and have WWE see empty seats all over the place.

Well that's what got me. When RAW comes here tickets for a good seat at the Air Canada Centre are upwards of $200.00 a pop. Why spend that kind of money just to go and not make some noise. The fans these days don't even look like they're enjoying the show at all. Total waste of time and money, but it's not really their fault. Isn't much to cheer or get excited about.

Beef up the mid-card title picture - I think this one has a more realistic chance of happening because Vince loves his Sports Entertainment too damn much. Stop jobbing out Barrett, bring Ziggler back into the picture, get something going with Ryback and Rusev and put some energy into it.

This was another thing I didn't get. Yes I knew when the Authority came back there would be punishments handed out to those who opposed them. But to fire three of the guys you give TV time to each week, two are having a push, made no sense.

To me it was lazy writing. It's like let's fire them, get them off TV, we'll bring them back later and everything will be okay. No thought process at all. It would have been better and much more entertaining to see these guys get punished. It could have started feuds between Ziggle and Barrett. Rowan and Harper and continued the feud between Rusev and Ryback. It would also have got the fans behind Ziggler, Ryback and Rowan.

It just doesn't make sense to take them off TV two weeks before the Rumble. This is the time when this PPV should be built up heading into Mania. I'm not excited about the product at all right now.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

The biggest issue isn't even apathy from live crowds... they just legitimately don't trust WWE to give them what they want right now and are getting tired of being told "you want what we give you or you wouldn't be here"...

There is a real "end of WCW" vibe around at the moment, not 2001 but 2000, when Russo/Hogan blew up... it's worrying WWE isn't seeing it cos they've delighted in showing it on the Monday Night Wars show... fans of all ages in the crowd looking pissed off they wasted their time and money showing up.

It's not there yet, but if they try a repeat of last year then it will be quickly. There are 2 guys right now picking up stupid losses and 3 off TV altogether... I am guessing these 5 will be the real "stars" of the Rumble and WWE is trying something different.

Barrett - Loses to Sin Cara, perhaps batters him this week on SD or even loses the IC title right before the Rumble... comes in and stuns people.

Rowan - Not gonna win the Rumble, but someone who could very easily get the most eliminations and build a push this way.

Ziggler - Final 4 from number 1... I am calling it now.

Ryback - He'll get to eliminate Rusev after than inevitable one minute staredown/mini match they always have when a monster eliminates everyone...

Ambrose... the shock winner of the Rumble... all the time since he joined, he was the one they have been most interested in getting over... when the Shield were a unit, it was Ambrose who seemed destined for it... I'm really thinking that never actually changed, they are just talking up Reigns to lower expectations on the others so they can stagger their pushes to one night in March/April... when all 3 headline Mania as equals... Ambrose is on a bit of a losing streak? Doesn't matter, he can come in at 28 and win it or come in at 2 and outthink everyone... even eliminate his buddy Reigns at the end either by a mistake on RR's part or out and out, "All's fair" double cross... it sets up the triple threat beautifully.

There is potential in what WWE has done this year compared to last, where it was clear Bryan didn't stand a chance and it was gonna be a guy being forced down the fans throats in Batista.

That doesn't mean WWE were wrong last year, they had the foresight to know Guardians was gonna be the juggernaut it became, had they held off till Summerslam for Dave's return it'd have been as big as the Rock's... but the fans didn't get it, they wanted who they wanted and it was Bryan... Even with him back this year, and Reigns in that Batista role, they want Ambrose... Bryan is over but he hasn't wrestled a serious match in nearly a year, if it's too soon for Reigns it's also too soon for him... he has to do it all again...

Will WWE dare mess with the fans 2 Rumbles in a row? I doubt it.

 

[evadavid787]

I think the WWE has nothing to worry about right now. This is the calm before the storm. I think at the rumble youll hear some raucous reactions. Honestly...the wwe is in a great place in terms of product. You have bryan and reigns as the cena orton or rock austin of this generation. You have seth rollins as this generations HHH and dean ambrose as the mick foley type. Bray wyatt as an undertaker type with a good supporting cast with barrett, ryback, ziggler, maybe cesaro (though I think that ship has sailed), and cena, orton and sheamus should be good for a few more years, not to mention a real star in the waiting in nxt, so I think they have enough talent to pull them through until wrestlemania and get the crowds going....and for years to come...just a few months of bad booking but they can fix that quick.

 

[MERPER]

I have wondering about this for a while. I just don't get it. You spend your hard-earned money and go there and act like it is a funeral. I get that fans can act how they want, but you would think if you are spending the money that you would be there to have a good time. It is fine that you may be unhappy with the product, but it seems to me a better way to express that would be to not go and have WWE see empty seats all over the place.

People go to see the live event as a novelty or because they are pushed by their children who are into it.

But once there, they need something to cheer for or against and to any smart, rational fan who sees the complete awfulness lately, there isn't anything to get worked up about one way or the other.

 

[Navi]

Ambrose... the shock winner of the Rumble... all the time since he joined, he was the one they have been most interested in getting over... when the Shield were a unit, it was Ambrose who seemed destined for it... I'm really thinking that never actually changed, they are just talking up Reigns to lower expectations on the others so they can stagger their pushes to one night in March/April... when all 3 headline Mania as equals... Ambrose is on a bit of a losing streak? Doesn't matter, he can come in at 28 and win it or come in at 2 and outthink everyone... even eliminate his buddy Reigns at the end either by a mistake on RR's part or out and out, "All's fair" double cross... it sets up the triple threat beautifully.

That's what I had in mind and that's why I wasn't worried about his losses. I think he'll come out, slowly make his way through the crowd that always gathers. Let other's eliminate each other and when the fans see it's a real possibility that he might win the Rumble get behind him. At least that's what I'm hoping happens. Of course he could come out get eliminated right away, and i'll be totally bummed out. But fingers crossed.

If he does win though, I'll be excited for Mania for the first time this year.

 

[kadroan]

Watching RAW tonight, and over the last few weeks, I've been noticing an ongoing trend. The crowds at these shows are absolutely dead. Not even John Cena got a reaction tonight when he came out at the end of the show. As a matter of fact when the camera panned the crowd, there were a lot of empty seats, and it was obvious that a lot of people had either left early or just not even shown up.

Now usually you can count on fans in Texas and New Orleans to give you a good crowd reaction, but they aren't. We're heading into the most important time of the WWE calendar, the road to Wrestlemania, and it just seems that the crowds just aren't into it.

I don't know, but I get a little bummed out watching on TV and seeing the crowd in the background having no response at all. Tonight when Rusev won his match, they were all looking around hardly any boos, and not even the good old USA chant got much of a response. Lana told them to shut up and they did.

Is it maybe because we don't have a Daniel Bryan "Cinderalla" story like we did last year? Or is it that they fans are just sick and tired of the Authority storyline? Could it be that the matches are becoming so predictable, there are no surprises anymore? Is it a combination of all of the above, or something else? In any case, the WWE has issues. It can't seem to deliver a good show to a live crowd these days, and with Mania just around the corner it doesn't look good.

RAW wasn't the best booked show. I guess it didn't help that they were competing against the Ohio State/Oregon game and New Orleans not being that far from the game, in Texas.

 

[Navi]

RAW wasn't the best booked show. I guess it didn't help that they were competing against the Ohio State/Oregon game and New Orleans not being that far from the game, in Texas.

No this is true, the game probably took at lot of viewers away, but that still doesn't or shouldn't affect the live crowd.

It's not just this RAW it's been going on since before Christmas, and the last PPV was just horrible crowd reaction wise. We're used to the CM Punk chants and the Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks chants, but even when they stop I would be worried about it.

The fans are literally sitting on their hands, no reaction at all to what's going on. I'm wondering what the wrestler's themselves think when they're out there working their butts off and getting nothing back.

 

[MERPER]

No this is true, the game probably took at lot of viewers away, but that still doesn't or shouldn't affect the live crowd.

It's not just this RAW it's been going on since before Christmas, and the last PPV was just horrible crowd reaction wise. We're used to the CM Punk chants and the Let's Go Cena/Cena Sucks chants, but even when they stop I would be worried about it.

The fans are literally sitting on their hands, no reaction at all to what's going on. I'm wondering what the wrestler's themselves think when they're out there working their butts off and getting nothing back.

You're spot on. It's something that has been very noticeable for a while now. I almost feel bad for the wrestlers at times.

Heck, it has gotten so bad that the Bella Twins are one of the larger pops of the show as Nikki and Brie get a loud cheer from all the girls in attendance who admire them.

I mean, even the reaction for Edge & Christian wasn't strong. Their jokes barely got anything going.

 

[Mustang Sally]

It can't seem to deliver a good show to a live crowd these days, and with Mania just around the corner it doesn't look good.

Or, maybe it does. A "sport" like pro wrestling is performer-driven and WWE has been missing some of it's top people. In the space of a few months, CM Punk left, while Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns and even Wade Barrett spent a considerable amount of time out of the line-up. Add to that the absence of Ryback, who had been MIA for awhile.

Now, except for Punk, they're all back. It takes a while for storylines to be generated and, in the case of Daniel Bryan, all we're getting from him so far is the "Yes!" chant, which gets the audience all excited for a minute but fails to generate anything beyond that.

But it's all coming. The rise of Seth Rollins and continuing presence of the always reliable John Cena has kept things on an even keel while waiting for the new blood to get back in the mix. Even better, it all coincides with the build-up to Wrestlemania season.

It's all good, just stick around and see.

 

[TDFG]

Raw really dies a death being 3 hrs, that isn't going to change anytime soon with the advertising $$$ it brings in.

I think WWE are unsure where to go in regards to the RR winner & WM main-event, I think they got there fingers burned last year with Batista and they don't want that to happen again, once they start putting the jigsaw together the interest will reignite.

 

[makeitvab]

It's all good, just stick around and see.

Ugh... Can usually at least see your side of a discussion because you articulate well, but to tell people who are genuinely bored to "Stick around" is almost a company spokesman who can't admit it's bad so just says some vague sentiment about it leading to something.

The big names (lack of) are not a problem. It's the writing and perhaps the fact we have the SAME big names, reset button hit after the authority got a nice winter vacation and it all leads to something very meh to a good portion of viewers.

Back in the day I'd watch the whole show and regardless of name value I'd usually be entertained 90-95% of show. Even Simon Dean, Vito and other low/mid card guys I'd watch.

I love how anyone says authority is tired, their 15-25 min promos opening a RAW w Cena is boring gets met w "the fans boo! that means its working".... didja ever think they're booing not due to angry at "Them being meanies" but bc "oh CHRIST this shit AGAIN? why'd I pay and show up?".

Raw has gotten to the point where I KNOW I can skip first 20 min and it won't matter bc 1) takes them 20 min to say 3 min worth of content 2) will be reshown/reiterated 3-4x throughout Raw.

That Guy made a thread about how after 27 years he's tuning out, rather focus on more important things etc. I'm very much the same, but I've only watched since 2002. I'm not on here every Tuesday going "mer! I'm done!" I usually saw the positives in a show, but something clicked when I realized I'm watching a 3 hour 15 min show in 45 minutes every week, why bother?

I think the last straw was I had a passive thought "ugh wish they'd be in a car wreck" while FFing past HHH and Steph being ...themselves again that I needed to quit watching. I hate them and their tired act SO much I had a fleeting thought of ill will on them..... yeah I'd rather do something else w my time than have those kind of immature thoughts @ 28

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Triple H asking about if they wanted the 3 fired guys back got nothing, he had to do it twice.

No doubt they will see that as Ryback and Ziggler not being over, but it has nothing to do with it. The crowd is dead for the stupid storyline because this isn't 1985. Everybody knows that these guys aren't fired. They need to stop with the ridiculous firing storylines once-and-for-all. The crowd just doesn't react to them anymore.

 

[MERPER]

No doubt they will see that as Ryback and Ziggler not being over, but it has nothing to do with it. The crowd is dead for the stupid storyline because this isn't 1985. Everybody knows that these guys aren't fired. They need to stop with the ridiculous firing storylines once-and-for-all. The crowd just doesn't react to them anymore.

Of course. No argument from me. The crowd is dead cause the product is miserable. That includes the firing angle.

 

[makeitvab]

The firing is just...it's bad. I was more legit shocked at notion of 30,60,90 day suspension because that was seemingly legit. To announce they're fired was like "hey guys go rest up, maybe get a hummer and try to feel bad when you watch us on Raw getting "Boring" chants or silence for 9/10s of the show"

I swear to HHH that if they make the R.R triple threat match have some convoluted obvious outcome like "If Cena wins the 3 are also rehired!" I'm out guys, can't do it anymore, carry on my legacy (before Cena buries it at this years W.M).