WWE House Shows are an absolute Ripoff to the fans

[Ambiguous Turd]

EDITOR'S COMMENTS:


I have a special request. As much as I would like to ban any and all attempts from "WWE Shareholders" coming into this thread and kissing Vince McMahon's ass, as they take up for his company ripping off customers at these events ... I can not.

IF the "WWE Shareholders" feel compelled to post in this thread, can they please drop their "Shareholder gimmick" and please post as they would, seeing things through the eyes of a Casual Fan ... as opposed to looking out for Vince's wallet, first?

Thank you.

When is the last time you recall hearing that something actually noteworthy happened at a WWE House Show? Think about that for the duration of this thread.


Now, my tone towards WWE has softened on a number of fronts, because they have been improving on some categories that I have given them credit for:


1) Investment in the Midcard Division AND the Midcard Titles

2) Attempting to address the completely stale Main Event problem

3) Doing more to invest in the personalities of BOTH wrestlers AND Divas





There is however a lot that still needs to occur, which I am not happy with. Such as:


1) A REAL investment into the Tag Team Division (Croft and Barreta are a start) ... and the wrongful use of the Unified Tag Team Titles

2) Actual storylines to draw the fans into the characters

3) The horrendous commentary and the need to ditch the Play by Play / Analyst concept and return to the Play by Play / Heel Color Commentator concept

4) Elimination of Predictable television

5) The concept of ringside managers being brought back to ADD to the Drama/Entertainment of the show

6) More creative and personalized talent entrances


and .... the topic of my next thread .... House Shows.



Today's WWE House Shows are truly one of the biggest ripoffs to fans I have ever seen.

And they are worse now than ever before. They are so obviously slapped together at the last minute, it should be beyond shameful to WWE. But it isn't.

WWE has several goals for their current House Show structure. Most prominently, they are:

1) To make as absolute much profit as possible (rip the fans off), with spending next to nothing investing in the show

2) To let talent practice for the matches that really count when they do the "real match" on TV

You hear that? In other words, the $25-$60 bucks you spend on this show for matches, "doesn't really count". You are just witnessing a "practice show" for your hard-earned money. And in exchange for that money, you get absolutely ZERO in return. No, actually ... let me take that back. Here is what you get:

1) Predictable match outcomes

2) No titles that EVER change hands

3) No entrance lighting or pyro

4) A black curtain for wrestlers to come out of, no stage, or even a small gate

5) Nothing but match after match, with no interview segments, no angles, no noteworthy people in attendance .... no nothing

6) A show that barely lasts 2 hours, if that in some markets

7) A card that can't even be posted on the Website in advance, and is obviously slapped together on the day of the show

Below is the "card" for the December 18th House Show at American Airlines Arena, that is posted on the website:

WWE presents SmackDown/ECW Live
Date: December 18, 2009
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: American Airlines Arena
City/State: Miami, Fla.

On-Sale Date: On Sale Now

Ticket Information:

Get your tickets at arena box office, Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com/wwe , Starting at $20

Charge by Phone: 1-800-745-3000 (Toll Free)

Prices: $60, $45, $35, $25 and $20 (Does Not Include Facility Fees)

SmackDown/ECW Returns to South Florida!!!

WWE Is The Best Value In Entertainment

Come See Your Favorite SmackDown/ECW Superstars Including:

The Undertaker
CM Punk
Batista
Christian
Rey Mysterio
Chris Jericho
Kane
Matt Hardy
John Morrison
Michelle McCool
Mickie James

And Many More!!!

*Lineup subject to change

That is 8 days away.

Who likes going to a show and forking over that kind of money, knowing full well exactly what is going to happen before you even attend? Do you think anything noteworthy is going to happen at this show? Of course not.

Do you like to spend $60 knowing that NONE of the WWE Titles are going to change hands?

Do you like going to a show in which IF Randy Orton is champion, that you already know Legacy is going to run down to ringside and ... DING DING DING ... cause the Disqualification?

Do you like going to a show where you don't even know what the card is until the Ring Announcer actually announces it once you get into the door ... AFTER you already paid your $60?

Do you like going to a show where you know that you aren't going to get a show that looks ANYTHING in production value that looks like a Raw, Smackdown, or PPV?

And one can say "Oh, well you aren't paying as much money for the House Shows as you pay for TV."

WRONG.

Here are TV ticket prices for some buildings:

Prices: $45, $35, $25 and $15 (Does Not Include Facility Fees)

Prices: $75, $60, $45, $30 and $20

You are basically paying the same or probably LESS to go to TV than to go to a House Show, where you get MORE ... MUCH MORE ... for your money. Superior production values, more talent, a longer show, the glitz and the glamor of TV, and the big names.



Do you know that back in the 90's, House Show cards were ready to go and actually announced at the arenas at the PRIOR SHOW? That's right. The WWE was so organized with their House Shows in the 90's, that if WWE was doing a House Show in Anywhere, USA ... they would announce the card for the next show at intermission and put tickets ON SALE for that show when they went to intermission?

They were that prepared and obviously thought long-term at that point. Now, they are too lazy to even put together a card until the day of the show.




I have a BIG problem with the way House Shows are treated in this day and age. They aren't treated like they actually exist, or are even a part of the WWE Events schedule on television. You already know in advance that not a damn thing is going to happen at ANY of them.

Seriously, if you are a casual fan, why bother wasting your money?



These are some things WWE can do to improve the quality of their House Shows, instead of just ripping people off.


1) Do occasional title changes at House Shows.

That sends a clear message to the audience that ANYTHING can happen at a WWE event.

And for all the people who bitch and whine about not seeing it on TV, TOO FUCKING BAD. Maybe this will encourage you to go to the next House Show when it hits your market, and maybe you will see something new happen, as well. The Unpredictability and feeling that "Anything can Happen at ANYTIME" factor is MORE important to me than you seeing EVERY title change on TV.


Announce the title change on TV and if a camera is there, show some of the footage on Raw, Smackdown, or ECW.



2) Start preparing the cards in advance and make it mandatory to have the cards POSTED on the WWE website, at least 2 months in advance.

Maybe that way, it shows the audience that the WWE actually cares about their House Shows, and aren't treating them like the second-rate events they are today. And if a title changes, then there is always the CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE rule which can be enforced.



3) Even though we know not to expect the full lighting rig and stage/ramp setup brought to TV, at least consistently put up the miniature stage setup used at all the International tours which features a lighted up entranceway.

At least do SOME effects for the audience in exchange for not bringing any pyro or the regular entrance lights. The least you can do is have some lights at the gateway around the entrance.



4) Work actual interview segments onto the shows.

People cutting some promos before their matches are no longer sufficient. Put the Abraham Washington Show on the Smackdown/ECW House Show circuit while sending Josh Matthews to Raw. Have interviewers interview talent AS THEY ARE COMING TO THE RING to hype the match even more.

Instead of getting talent to JUST practice for their matches, here is an opportunity for talent to "practice" their mic skills, as well.



5) Plan for some special entrances for talents

Do a special entrance for a talent at a House Show. Have a group of kids accompany John Cena to the ring. Bring some torches for when The Undertaker comes out. When CM Punk makes his entrance, have a group of addicts come out and pitch their drugs, alcohol, into a trash can he carries to the ring.

And would it really hurt for Mr. McMahon to put in an occasional House Show appearance once in a while? What would it hurt Vince to do an occasional unannounced appearance at a show here and there ... and NOT just the major markets, either? Have him enter the arena with a limo and his limo driver let him out ... at which point "NO Chance" begins to play.



6) Hype the House Show cards on television

Each and every week, Raw should run down their events, and Smackdown should run down their events on TV ... instead of refusing to acknowledge them ... instead of just flashing them up on a screen. What is more effective? Doing that or having an announcer quickly run them down?



It is HIGH TIME that WWE stop worrying about taking people for their money, and offering NOTHING in return ... and start turning House Shows into actual events-- events in which unpredictable THINGS ACTUALLY HAPPEN.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Wow, long opening post.... ok, I read it and now for my response.

I do agree that House Shows are an absolute ripoff. Does anyone even care about House Shows? I can see why the WWE would treat them as "practice" for matches that will be on Raw/Smackdown or PPV's.... but the fans who do attend these shows deserve to see a good show because they spent their money on the show, even though House Shows mean next to nothing these days.

I'd say about once a year something relevant happens at ONE House Show. Usually a fluke title win that gets reversed at the next House Show, or the next Raw/Smackdown episode. That is how Mickie got one of her titles, and how London & Kendrick got one of their tag title wins. Both were quickly reversed. I might have remembered wrong, but Miz & Morrison may have won as well at a House Show then actually kept the belts a little longer. It's been a while though.

Long rants aside, nothing important seems to ever happen at House Shows and I almost feel sorry for people who attend them since they are not important shows anymore. They could start making more things happen at these shows, it's not like they can't show footage from it on Raw/Smackdown later instead of recapping the previous week's highlights so much. It could work, but i don't see WWE doing that because they don't care much about making House Shows good anymore.

 

[Big Ol' Buckta AIDS]

pretty good post, i agree with pretty much everything except the title changing part, i mean come on. changing titles during a house show? are you serious? Fans ( me included) would be PISSED. To not have a title change even be televised would be absolute bull.

 

[K_V_W(A_U_A)]

Man, you really made them sound bad.

I can't really reply to this, since I have not been to a house show or any WWE show for a matter a fact. Been living on a small island all my life till this fall. Now I would love to have a WWE experience, but if this is the way they actually treat house shows then I would not want to go to any of the house shows at all.

Now even though I agree with you. But i think I understand one thing though. If they are going to put a card with matches that is not appelable, then most likely fans would not buy the ticket. That would be bad business on wwe part to do something like that right?!

I guess in the end the people that buy the tickets for the house shows now that it won't be as good as the real deal. But most likely it woud have been easier for them to go to the house show then the tv show.

About the londen and kendrick thing. I though that it was decided that they would win the title at a house show? I know that they lost it at the begenning of a series of house shows day after day and lost it on the last day.

 

[AndarielHalo]

Really I feel almost the same way about house shows, mostly because they're basically gimmick-less events---they don't count in storylines. It also disturbs me hearing about "dark main events" at the end of RAW or Smackdown. Like, the same wrestlers who just wrestled a 10 minute main event suddenly start wrestling the guys they're going to wrestle in four days at the next PPV in a "dark main event" FOR THE VERY CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES AT THAT PPV!


But the worst part for me, is that there's no point in bringing an offensive sign, since it will not get on TV

 

[Okay Fabian]

Start preparing the cards in advance and make it mandatory to have the cards POSTED on the WWE website, at least 2 months in advance.

Don't you think 2 months in advance is a bit of a stretch? The WWE doesn't even hype its TV Shows and Pay-Per-Views 2 months in advance. Now, that's not to say that posting cards ahead of time wouldn't increase attendance, I think it would, it's just if they don't do it for their big shows, they certainly won't do it for house shows.

The Golden Age of House Shows is Over. There is simply too much WWE TV on weekly with RAW, ECW, Superstars, SD! and the monthly PPV to dedicate time and energy to House Shows. Now, back when WWF/E wasn't on USA Network, etc. and didn't have Monday Night RAW and monthly PPVs House Shows were a big deal. But it would be insane for WWE to spend the same amount of money to essentially produce 7 TV-quality shows per week.

House Shows are a cash cow. The only way to keep them that way is to maintain the current bare bones production style.

 

[loretta]

totally ridiculous post. There is no way WWE is gonna put that much money, thought, and effort into EVERY house show they do which is a considerable amount. Putting up the card 2 months in advance? Are you nuts? Wouldn't that give away results of the next pay-per view and developing storylines? The fact is that WWE likely only comes to a certain town once or twice a year, people are gonna take any opportunity to be there live. If WWE is already making a lot of money from house shows, why do they need to go and put so much planning and money into making them better when people are already paying to attend? Its a no brainer for them. And for your no title changes ever happen at house shows, did you forget thet Bret Hart beat Ric Flair for the WWF Title at a house show in Saskatoon and that was a change that wasn't reversed>

 

[Toroc102]

I don't know, thats kind of always been the function of house shows hasn't it? I rememeber asking my friend why he bothered going, he told me that it was cheaper and you got to see stuff in matches that you wouldn't get to see on TV.

I guess acording to you its not cheaper, so I don't really see why anyone would go, but it would seem dumb to change titles on house shows consistenly, I mean they barely even change titles on the TV shows.

Seems to me that House Shows are really just set up for money and to attract the hardcore fans, but there's no reason to have major things happen regularly on house shows when it will leave about 99% of the rest of your audience left out on a regular basis.

Imo, they should just do away with them and let their talent get some more rest.

 

[Byks82]

I have to agree whole heartedly with this. I haven't been to (or even wanted to go to) a house show since Smackdown rolled through here in 2003. There were 2 that summer, and I have to say the change in even just 6 years is incredible.

Myself as well as 4,000 lucky fans were treated to a card that featured Brock Lesnar vs Kurt Angle, which was about one month before their Summerslam bout. In-f'ing credible. Same card, Vince McMahon made an appearance to attack Zack Gowan. What a show. And even if they were "practicing", they sure put 100% into that show.

But in the last few years, I haven't even bothered to go. Back then, I knew when I bought the ticket who was wrestling who that night. Our radio stations would announce it at least a few weeks in advance. Don't hear that anymore. They give you a rundown of who will be there (subject to change of course). A few of my friends went to a recent one when I wasn't able to, and said I was wise for not forking over my money for a stale and predictable show. After the next one came by we didn't bother.

I also like the idea of the OCCASIONAL title change at a house show. It used to happen once in a while, which, like you said, creates the attitude that "hey, belts have switched hands at house shows. Tonight could be one of those nights." For Christ's sakes, Diesel won the World Title at a house show (albeit MSG...maybe that's a bad example), and no less than 3 months earlier, he and Shawn Michaels won the tag titles from the Head Shrinkers at a house show THE NIGHT BEFORE Summerslam. Have a camera in the building and show it on the next Raw/Smackdown. If there's a chance something big will happen, gates will go up.

It would be nice to have better production values at these things as well, but I'm not sure how possible that is when they're running one of these every night of the week.

 

[pessimism101]

Hmmm... I don't know if house shows are THAT much of a rip off. In Ontario, most house shows take place outside of Toronto in smaller venues, saving people from that hideous drive into downtown Toronto on a Monday night (or Tuesday). Aside from that, the benefits of house shows are:

1) No commercial breaks
2) No (or very few) signs blocking your view
3) No hideously large staging area blocking your view
4) The possibility of watching an edgier product since the TV-PG rating would not apply

 

[XgringolocoX]

I agree with LS. I was at a house show in Sept. in Saint John, NB Canada while visiting friends. The tickets were 60 bucks!!! The card was as follows
1)Santino vs. Chavo Santino Wins(Hornswoggle interferes)
2)Swagger vs. Primo Swagger wins
3)Miz (with US title) vs. Kofi (actual us champ) Kofi wins to retain....Miz leaves with title
4)Henry/Bourne vs. Legacy Legacy wins
5) diva match....who cares, it sucked
6)Masters vs. local jobber you figure it out...
7)Cena vs. Orton Cena retains...wooo

Short matches. Almost NO fan interaction. It was totally get in, get the money, get the fuck out. I was so unimpressed. I was under the asumption that they could do a little more crowd play cause they aren't under the tv time limits...nope.
I don't think i'll ever fork out the cash to see it live for a long while. It just wasn't worth it sadly.

The limited production doesn't bother me. I'm glad the huge stage wasn't there, it made it something else than the TV show that I can see everyday. I don't need lights or pyro, the music does it just fine for house shows. However, having a bit of talk and story to make the evening flow would be nice.

I think some gorilla-type filming at house shows could be a great tool. You can further story lines by showing them on .com and as quick vingettes on the tv shows. In case of a title switch, you got it. they could even do this from the crowd to make it seem bootleg. This would allow the weekly house shows to have some substance and also be a reason for folks to check out the web site (someone tell Styles).

While a title switch not on a ppv or tv would allow some realism it should be done only sparingly. Title switches can make a wrestler that wwe is investing in and you want to make sure the majority of your audience sees the mofo happen.

I'm sure I gots more ideas but this will just turn into the longest post known to mankind...and i'm to fucking tired

 

[Andres_cena]

You think THATS a rip off? Try mexico for example? The house show tickets are worth between 20 to 100 dollars and its the same stuff as in the usa house shows, with the exception of a few pyro and the main eventers entrances and a few mic time, but its a total rip off price wise and wwe should really pay off the sold outs they make in mexico by bringing us a televised show or a PPV.

 

[Okay Fabian]

We seem to be stuck here. Are we thinking ideally or realistically?

Ideally, anytime I attend a WWE event, I would like to see all the big stars, with the glitz, the glamour, the entrances, the interviews, the promos, etc.

Realistically, the WWE could not stand to produce that caliber of an event each and every time. Hell, many people feel ripped off by TV tapings and PPVs. It's not just the House Shows.

So, ultimately, what are some ways WWE can improve House Shows (i.e. Give Us Our Money's Worth) without spending too much on their end...? Since WWE isn't in the business of giving things out for free.

- Longer house show matches w/ unique, experimental spots?
- More crowd interaction? Interviews? Promos?
- More matches?

When considering the topic, I guess we have to ask "Why does WWE do House Shows in the first place?" To make a quick buck, to experiment with storylines, and to get some up and comers some experience, are just a few.

 

[RatedRPiedmont]

i could not have agreed with you more

here is a situation i was in:

i was going of to college last summer for the first time and me and my friends are huge WWE fans so we got tickets to see smackdown ecw at the westchester county center in white plains, ny..first it was advertised as RAW then changed to smackdown after we bought the tix

the county center, where this was held, is not big, it is one tier and the prices were advertised the same as in the opening post, i got the farthest up seat, it was 50 dollars, i asked why and they said this arena is so small you must pay extra so they can make enough money to come. im going off to college, i need that money and you are charging me extra??

the card was unbelievably predictable..all major fueds were covered, and the face won every match..the WWE champ at the time HHH wasnt even there. tag champs werent there..tommy dreamer was in a match since he is from the area..guess who won that match

the arena looked as if it were a high school talent show put on by the juniors..they didnt take time to tarp anything off..no screen for videos, no promos, and i could barely hear entrance songs

i will never go to another house show..

however, i looked and smackdown will be in the area soon and they are advertising lower ticket price for smackdown AND ECW Tv tapings..

I will say this..I DO respect the wrestlers for coming...Tommy Dreamer stayed outside for hours signing autographs for literally everybody who walked up to him..i just think the company could organize it better for what they get in return from the fans

 

[TheLittleOne]

no its not a rip off. when do you see 9 matches with one ten min... 15 min.... 20, 25, 35.... not sure if u've been to one.. but it is much different than raw or smackdown.. so if u know that u wouldnt enjoy it.. dont spend money on the tix... but its much more old school.. guys gotta tell a physical story with a longer match.. very little mic owrk.. no huge stage with amazing lighting.. i personally would rather see a house show live.. but Yea i agree with u here.. i know not to expect ro see a return! or title change (these days) but they even do start heel turns or face turns here (practice) BUT the sell is MUCH LONGER MATCHES 8-10matches MORE FAN interaction ACTUALLY.. more hand slapping, walking around the barriers... dude its FUN

 

[jc6615059]

Absolutely not true. House shows are definitely worth going to. You can’t really argue that the bare bones production takes away from the in-ring product. Back in the 80’s and early 90’s, wrestlers walked through a black certain down a boring entry way and unless you were Hogan or Savage, you didn’t even have music. The very first house show I went to, all of these little kids were expecting a titan tron and were excited to see The Rock (You might know of him, John Cena trys to rip of his shtick every week). Needless to say, no titan tron or video screen, no Rock.

Title changes do take place. Here are the changes from 1990 through today-
Intercontinental title- 7 times
World Tag Team titles- 12 times
Hardcore title- 119 times!!!!!!!
Cruiserweight title- 4 times (WCW) 1 time (WWE)
Women’s title- 2 times
U.S. title- 5 times (WCW)
WWE title- 3 times

I’d say that’s a lot of title changes for one to proclaim that titles never EVER change hands. Many of these title changes didn’t have lasting significance, others did. Bret Hart won his first WWE world title at a house show. Vince started his attempt to make Dieselmania when he had Diesel win the title in seconds at a house show. As far as house shows today, the ability to post cards in advance will not happen. That can be attributed to the brand extension. Depleted talent pools make this impossible. One thing that does piss me off about house show ads is the false advertisement of matches on a radio spot. Don’t promise a main event and then NOT feature either two of the wrestlers who were supposed to be there!

House show cards are good going in to major PPV’s. The week or two before Summerslam or Wrestlemania, you are going to get to see many of those same match ups. That's pretty cool if you ask me. Promos DO HAPPEN. This years Road To Wrestlemania tour, I saw a promo/altercation with Chris Jericho and Ricky Steamboat. Since I had never had the chance to see the Dragon before, it was worth the admission alone.

 

[mral82]

One memorable thing did happen at the WWE event I went to was that MVP's heel run ended when he lost against Kizarny and said he quit. So that 1 thing that happened. I don't think it's a ripoff for us fans as they use the house shows to test the waters with their talent and she how well some superstars chemistry 2gether is for future feuds.

 

[And I'm Awesome]

Wowza. OK, I wanna look back at a House Show I recently attended and see how it stacks up in comparison to some comments I've read up to this point...

I live in Altoona, PA, about 35 minutes southwest of State College. Recently, there was a "WWE Supershow" at the Bryce Jordan Center featuring talent for all three brands (this was the night prior to Bragging Rights, if my memory serves). Here's the card that was presented (sourced from impactwrestling.com because as a teacher I do have more important things to remember than a two month old WWE House Show card):

Evan Bourne vs. Chavo Guerrero
Yoshi Tatsu & Tyler Reks vs. Zach Ryder & Paul Burchill
Jamie Noble vs. Matt Hardy
Drew McIntyre vs. R-Truth
Christian vs. William Regal (ECW Title Match)
Rosa Mendes & Katie Lea vs. The Bella Twins
Miz vs. Morrison
Legacy vs. John Cena & The World's Strongest Tag Team

This is the NIGHT before Bragging Rights. How many matches did we get here that were repeated? One. How many people appearing on the PPV were on this card? 7. Just seven individuals worked both cards. Remember, this was a "Supershow" with talent from all three brands. Kind of shoots the practice match theory to hell, doesn't it?

Also...2 Diva's matches? Really? I was glad I got my ticket free from a friend, as I'd have been pissed if I paid for this. Wanna know who cut promos? Jamie Noble and Drew McIntyre in the who gives a shit category; Regal in the "I know what a microphone is and how to use it" Category, with Christian working a suck up comment about his peeps chanting "WE ARE...PENN STATE!" in before their match. So, who (that matters) got to work the mic that night, get in some valuable practice? Yeah, McIntyre, and he sucked if my memory is right.

You would think that there may have been a few more practice matches..although I do have to give it up to Cena and Orton for working the night before an Iron Man match...even if they didn't do much in the ring themselves. It's been a few months. I do remember Cena hit the Attitude Adjustment on Cody for the win, but I honestly can't remember if Orton even got legally involved at any point. However, he showed up instead of chilling in a hotel room in Pittsburgh, so I'll give him props for that.

Ultimately, I guess I'm looking at this and questioning just what all the people defending house shows are smoking. I know it's not gonna be a huge deal because of production values and whatnot, but still... I didn't pay my own way, but I overheard some folks talking about paying 60 or so bucks for tickets (must've been damn near front row, I'd wager). 60 bucks for that card is a rip. 30? OK, I could dig that. And work down in $5 increments. I mean, seriously, when TV comes to the BJC, the prices are at worst the same (may even have been a wee bit cheaper last time they were here for TV, but do not hold me to that).

Are WWE's House Shows overpriced? Yep. Underbooked? Oh hell yes. Used improperly as far as training new talent? Yes sir.

Hell, ECW (the real one) had a better house show in the tiny ass Jaffa Mosque in Altoona. Maybe Vince should call up Paul Heyman and get him back on the payroll just to work on making house shows better. Yeah, won't happen, but it's nice to dream...

 

[Paradox100]

Great post dude, and I agree with you 100% House shows usually have the same cards too. Same thing, different shows. I've been to a Raw and a smackdown house show. I was a lot younger, so i enjoyed them. But looking back, there was really only two matches out of both shows that i actually enjoyed, and one was because ricky steamboat was special guest referee. But it's true, they do next to nothing for these shows, and have raised ticket prices dramatically for them, they used to be like 35 bucks for the first few rows. Now it's an outrage, Great post Lord, keep up the good work.

 

[mrc050562]

Here's my take on house shows:

I last went to one in 2000 when a friend paid for my ticket. Same venue in my area where live RAWs and taped Smackdowns are held (Giant Center in Hershey, PA). Zero production values, missed spots, and the main event was held 20 minutes into the show (it was snowing in Hershey that night and HHH wanted to get out of town quickly). Last match of the night was what would normally be the curtain-jerker.

They charged the same price as they would for a Raw, a Smackdown, or a PPV.

I'll never go again; not good value for my dollar. Since Giant Center opened in 2002, I've only missed one RAW or PPV (the most recent one with Guest Host Jesse Ventura, unfortunately). I was there for Edge and Lita's "Live Sex," and I was there for Shane's forty-foot drop onto the Big Show. Those were "Holy S#&t" moments and well worth the money spent!

One troublesome aspect of the WWE's promotion: You have to really pay attention to decipher if it's a house show, a live televised event, or a tv taping. I'm sure a lot of fans in Hershey attend house shows thinking it's a tv taping and are disappointed by what they see.

I guess my bottom-line is this: I can tell a house show from a televised event, and I'm not going to fork over my money for an inferior show. If others want to, that's their prerogative. I can tell you, though, that attendance is very poor in Hershey for house shows, almost always a sellout for RAW and PPVs.

 

[JJ "the Devil's Advocate"]

i'd have to disagree i just went to one a few weeks ago and it was FUN not necessarily good (no taker, and he's my guy but he's the undertaker so who's gonna argue with him oh no i'm rambling please help me ahhhh) but FUN the guy where more interactvice with the crowd (i was in the third row) hart dynasty show that they had some charisma, they would tie-up and act like they won lol, and Drew Mcintyre yell at me which was awesome, it might be different cause they don't come around here to often (i think the said it was the first time in 5 yeasr or something like that)but i'd would go back to a house show *snaps fingers* like that!

 

[JJ "the Devil's Advocate"]

i'd have to disagree i just went to one a few weeks ago and it was FUN not necessarily good (no taker, and he's my guy but he's the undertaker so who's gonna argue with him oh no i'm rambling please help me ahhhh) but FUN (and thats whats important right?, i think smarks/anybody in the world right now might have forgot to have fun) the guy where more interactvice with the crowd (i was in the third row) hart dynasty show that they had some charisma, they would tie-up and act like they won lol, and Drew Mcintyre yell at me which was awesome, it might be different cause they don't come around here to often (i think the said it was the first time in 5 yeasr or something like that)but i'd would go back to a house show *snaps fingers* like that!

 

[rekon59]

Hmm, alot to take in here. While I agree house shows are certainly not what they used to be, I'm not keen on all your ideas...

1) Do occasional title changes at House Shows.

I do like this. I don't mind not seeing every title change hands, especially since most happen at PPV's, and I hardly get them anymore. One thing that has hurt this more has been that titles get passed around like candy, and are more a means to have a PPV feud. Hell, I remember once that the IC title was won and lost back to the original champion in a week before the next TV (I think it was Jarrett and someone else). I mean, them hyping a current feud by showing them touring the country trading the title back and forth would certainly make the rivalry more compelling during TV time. But again, this is a dying practice, and I wouldn't ever see it happening more than twice a year, and never with a world title (pending injuries, of course).

2) Start preparing the cards in advance and make it mandatory to have the cards POSTED on the WWE website, at least 2 months in advance.

I've read other people's arguments against this, and I tend to agree. In this day, there is no way to post a card two months in advance when they don't even do it for PPV's. Really, all I need is a main event and sub-main event announced a week or two before hand. A majority of WWE's fans anymore don't even care about the match, they just care to see the wrestler, which would be fine if they didn't drop the ball so frequently on character development.

3) Even though we know not to expect the full lighting rig and stage/ramp setup brought to TV, at least consistently put up the miniature stage setup used at all the International tours which features a lighted up entranceway.

This I could see, but in reality, I don't care. I don't need guys coming down a ramp, or a lighting stage. Hell, I don't need it for TV. I imagine the costs or taking that much more of the crew around hardly makes it worth it. I mean, who gets enticed to go to a house show because of the entranceway their using?

4) Work actual interview segments onto the shows.

This is one I can't agree with more. They should be working on the stick at these shows like they work on their performance. This used to be the one fun thing about house shows, and that was that with no cameras, the wrestlers acted a bit more like themselves, and had fun with the crowd, and even fun with each other. It's getting a better chance to hear them other than the occassional 30 second written lines we get from damn near everyone that might even attract me to house shows now, but they just don't do it much anymore.

5) Plan for some special entrances for talents

This one could be fun, but only if they got fans to help out, otherwise, I find it as pointless as the entrace ramp.

6) Hype the House Show cards on television

Now that I think of it, they don't even plug what towns their in next anymore, do they? But other than that, I say no. Alot of the time, the cards for a week or two are the exact same, with the exact same finish, so why promote them? 'We'll be in Albany, with Cena vs. Orton! Then in Harrisburg with Cena vs. Orton! Then Akron with Cena vs. Orton!' And if I'm watching TV in California, why the hell do I give two shits about what house shows are going on on the East coast? You promote them locally, as you always do, because those are the people who care about the show.


My overall opinion is that house shows aren't treated as special because....they aren't. In all honesty, I'd like them to do less of them. They need to do them to test out guys with each other and even test out new guys in front of live crowds, but I'd prefer it if they kept guys fresher for TV and PPV, and maybe keep their injured list down a tad. Hell, even in the mid 90s I was never expecting a house show to be some major thing, just a chance to see my favorites up close and personal. I understand WWE's stance on that they want to sell the big stuff to the national audience, but in doing so they have turned their back on what is fun about going to a non-televised event.

I haven't paid to go to a show in a while. I think the last two house shows I went to were because a friend won tickets off the radio, so I don't know much about the cost of them. It doesn't shock me that they charge as much for a house show as they do for TV, because Vince is all about getting as much as he can for as little work. The only thing that's going to change house shows is the same that would change TV ratings and PPV buy rates, and that's us as fans turning away from it. The money's not as good as Vince used to make on any of them, but he's still making enough not to make any significant changes on any front. It's only when the wallet really gets hurt that any real differences will occur.

 

[XgringolocoX]

In response to those saying the house shows ARE not a rip off. What I gave was a cut n dry, but accurate account of the house show i attended. It WAS just match after match, period. No story telling, no promo's. The matches were short, nothing went beyong 15 or 20 minutes. For the 60 bucks I paid in a SMALL arena in a SMALL city I really expected more. I don't expect the moon and the stars mind you, but more than march to ring, roll around, go home. There was just about ZERO fan interaction aside from when they slaped a few hands coming down the isle. This was my true experience, and it sucked. I can't say that for every house show. Obviously if you attend one the night before a PPV you'll see a decent show, one person even said Vinny Mac was there. No offense, but it's kinda like DUH!

If you pay good hard earned money to go to a show, it shouldn't matter that it's not TV. Give a bit of story to carry the evening, interact with the fans a bit...something. All the bells and whistles aren't needed, those make the TV something more and justly so. The big stage isn't needed and wouldn't fit in most house show arenas. Pyro isn't needed either. Mic time is, fan interaction is. Mic time can be done on the walk to the ring, save time. A few simple things to make shilling out 60 bucks a head worth it. It's not a complaint, it's just a fact.

 

[rekon59]

Hmm, alot to take in here. While I agree house shows are certainly not what they used to be, I'm not keen on all your ideas...

1) Do occasional title changes at House Shows.

I do like this. I don't mind not seeing every title change hands, especially since most happen at PPV's, and I hardly get them anymore. One thing that has hurt this more has been that titles get passed around like candy, and are more a means to have a PPV feud. Hell, I remember once that the IC title was won and lost back to the original champion in a week before the next TV (I think it was Jarrett and someone else). I mean, them hyping a current feud by showing them touring the country trading the title back and forth would certainly make the rivalry more compelling during TV time. But again, this is a dying practice, and I wouldn't ever see it happening more than twice a year, and never with a world title (pending injuries, of course).

2) Start preparing the cards in advance and make it mandatory to have the cards POSTED on the WWE website, at least 2 months in advance.

I've read other people's arguments against this, and I tend to agree. In this day, there is no way to post a card two months in advance when they don't even do it for PPV's. Really, all I need is a main event and sub-main event announced a week or two before hand. A majority of WWE's fans anymore don't even care about the match, they just care to see the wrestler, which would be fine if they didn't drop the ball so frequently on character development.

3) Even though we know not to expect the full lighting rig and stage/ramp setup brought to TV, at least consistently put up the miniature stage setup used at all the International tours which features a lighted up entranceway.

This I could see, but in reality, I don't care. I don't need guys coming down a ramp, or a lighting stage. Hell, I don't need it for TV. I imagine the costs or taking that much more of the crew around hardly makes it worth it. I mean, who gets enticed to go to a house show because of the entranceway their using?

4) Work actual interview segments onto the shows.

This is one I can't agree with more. They should be working on the stick at these shows like they work on their performance. This used to be the one fun thing about house shows, and that was that with no cameras, the wrestlers acted a bit more like themselves, and had fun with the crowd, and even fun with each other. It's getting a better chance to hear them other than the occassional 30 second written lines we get from damn near everyone that might even attract me to house shows now, but they just don't do it much anymore.

5) Plan for some special entrances for talents

This one could be fun, but only if they got fans to help out, otherwise, I find it as pointless as the entrace ramp.

6) Hype the House Show cards on television

Now that I think of it, they don't even plug what towns their in next anymore, do they? But other than that, I say no. Alot of the time, the cards for a week or two are the exact same, with the exact same finish, so why promote them? 'We'll be in Albany, with Cena vs. Orton! Then in Harrisburg with Cena vs. Orton! Then Akron with Cena vs. Orton!' And if I'm watching TV in California, why the hell do I give two shits about what house shows are going on on the East coast? You promote them locally, as you always do, because those are the people who care about the show.


My overall opinion is that house shows aren't treated as special because....they aren't. In all honesty, I'd like them to do less of them. They need to do them to test out guys with each other and even test out new guys in front of live crowds, but I'd prefer it if they kept guys fresher for TV and PPV, and maybe keep their injured list down a tad. Hell, even in the mid 90s I was never expecting a house show to be some major thing, just a chance to see my favorites up close and personal. I understand WWE's stance on that they want to sell the big stuff to the national audience, but in doing so they have turned their back on what is fun about going to a non-televised event.

I haven't paid to go to a show in a while. I think the last two house shows I went to were because a friend won tickets off the radio, so I don't know much about the cost of them. It doesn't shock me that they charge as much for a house show as they do for TV, because Vince is all about getting as much as he can for as little work. The only thing that's going to change house shows is the same that would change TV ratings and PPV buy rates, and that's us as fans turning away from it. The money's not as good as Vince used to make on any of them, but he's still making enough not to make any significant changes on any front. It's only when the wallet really gets hurt that any real differences will occur.