The WWE Is Killing The Competition In Mexico

[Jack-Hammer]

I was just surfing the net a little while ago and came across a little mention about the tv ratings for WWE programs in Mexico this past week. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the ratings look like this:

Smackdown - 10.5 rating

Raw - 9.1

CMLL - 2.8 (which aired at Sunday instead of Saturday)

AAA - 5.3

Now, before anyone gets too excited, a 9.1 and a 10.5 rating in Mexico isn't the same as it would be here in the United States. The United States has more total tv viewers than Mexico as Mexico only has roughly a third of the U.S. population. However, I was surprised to see that both Raw and Smackdown outdrew AAA and CMLL by such a large margin. I was particularly surprised about CMLL. Aside from being the oldest promotion in the world, CMLL has literally been a staple of Mexico since 1933.

Is the WWE just an overall superior product? Do the Mexican fans enjoy the WWE as it's so different from the Lucha Libre style? Is it simply the name brand of the WWE itself that's drawing so many viewers?

 

[Uncle Sam]

I've always wondered about how big wrestling actually is in Mexico. I mean, I don't have time to check it out myself. I'm a busy man.

However, you always get that sort of people - I affectionately refer to them as "massive *****" - that, even though they only speak English, refuse to watch any wrestling where, well, anyone speaks English. Watch is as a supplement, sure, but don't brag about how you only watch Dragon Gate or AAA because you're so above American wrestling. I'll only think you're a penis.

Nice to know there are people in Mexico like that, too. I bet there's a Sam in Spain talking about how people who don't watch Spanish-speaking wrestling shows are "el massivo cuntos". We wouldn't get along, me and this other Sam.

 

[Hombre Malo]

American Culture & Entertainment is a big international seller regardless of how its packaged. Wrestling is no different. The WWE is smart to have the spanish telecast. A good example is how the MLB is more popular in japan than their homegrown league.

 

[The Con Volt]

American Culture & Entertainment is a big international seller regardless of how its packaged. Wrestling is no different. The WWE is smart to have the spanish telecast. A good example is how the MLB is more popular in japan than their homegrown league.

That really makes a huge difference. The other reason why Mexican wrestling isn't even as popular IN MEXICO is because lucha libre is LAME. Don't get me wrong, they're fine wrestlers. But eventually people get sick of seeing every single wrestler wearing a mask. Rey Mysterio is probably more popular than all other lucha libre wrestlers combined.

 

[Gerald Brisco]

Much Better Product,

Dont kid yourselves, the WWE have the best wrestlers gathered and are the only wrestling company on a world stage.

You have Name Brand of WWE, the biggest mexican star in the world, course you will capture more of an audience

 

[maar130]

The other reason why Mexican wrestling isn't even as popular IN MEXICO is because lucha libre is LAME. Don't get me wrong, they're fine wrestlers. But eventually people get sick of seeing every single wrestler wearing a mask. Rey Mysterio is probably more popular than all other lucha libre wrestlers combined.

Well man I am from Mexico and I am fan of the 3 products.

Each is different in its own right, the WWE production is something that none can actually compete with and also has a different aproach of the whole situation based on the storylines it develops and are on going and they keep them on the next show, the use house shows just as an extension of what is going to happen on TV, never actually messing it up on them. The product in general is superior and that goes from the way they execute promos, to the way they sell everything related to it (the wrestling technique is not better but it is more adaptable to the situation at hand), what can I say? the WWE is a complete different monster, would like to say that at least one of the companys is near tem, but that would be ignorant, Nevertheless, Here is where more of the stars used to (and some times they still do) get there how to like Jericho, Benoit, Guerrero (RIP), and some others.

With the mexican product is way different approach, while AAA is trying to catch up with the WWE and TNA style of doing business (way more with TNA and TNA copied the Ring they used that was the six-sided ring) CMLL is truth to their nature of not having apretty much any stryline but bitter rivalries and that matches are telecasted from Arena Mexico every week and from their tours every week.

So having something that is ongoing and not just random at points and some times advances in stges that none ca follow because not everything happens on TV is kind of refreshing and well you have also to notice that also that people for some reason seems to reject sometimes their own products.

Can't say Lucha libre is lame only because everyone wears a mask, because every wrestler is different because of that same thing, also it gives also a meaning to the matches when they bet their maskes in a very bitter and long rivalry, I am tlking about years on a rivalry, like when Sean Morley (Val venis) lost his maks as Steel againts Rayo de Jalisco Jr. those matches are awesome.

On Rey being more popular than other Mexican wrestlers, well that is true, but is also because his moves are different than other guys in the US, in Mexico his moves even though they would have stand out a little are more common than not and is also why American wrestling is more likeable, every wrestler has a finisher that is a trademark, does not matter if it is lame or not, here most guys have a special move, but that does not mean they use it every time to win since they usually use similar moves to end the matches.

Also on the point of CMLL not being the most watched product, even though they are the oldest promotion, AAA has the back up of the most powerfull broadcaster in Mexico, which is Televisa, they also promote PPVs and has take away a lot of stars from CMLL.

Mystico cannot go anywhere because the Name is owned by CMLL, but guys like Dr. Wagner Jr., Hijo del Santo, Blue Demon Jr and the Mesias (Judas Messias) are all independent contractors at times and can go any where, since AAA has better finacial Back up is easier to see them there than in CMLL, also the CMLL big Heavyweight star was Dos Caras Jr. and he is now in WWE.

Besides Those kind of ratings are the ratings CMLL and AAA always gets so is not like they are taking the audience away.