WWE Shareholders' Meeting: Vince- WWE should be on 5 nights a week

[Ambiguous Turd]

This was something that was touched base on back in May of 2009 during the WWE Annual Shareholders' meeting in which Vince discussed his philosophies of why wrestling should be on not 2, 3, or even 4 nights a week, but rather 5 nights a week.

This came up during the Q & A portion of the meeting, which I advise if you have the time to check it out in its entirety. I'm just upset they don't have the video footage with it any longer, as I remember watching it as it occurred and the facial expressions of Vince as some of the more ridiculous questions were being asked was priceless. And I could tell he was getting irritated.


http://corporate.wwe.com/investors/webcasts.jsp

Click on the May 1, 2009 webcast.

If you want the specific comments where Vince addresses this, it is at the 13 minute mark.


He specifically states that he is NOT concerned about over-exposure of the product, as well. I could not disagree with Vince more.

He states that viewers may be tied down to watching something else on Monday, so therefore other opportunities need to be provided to be able to give viewers the opportunity to watch WWE programming. He says if not Monday, then maybe Thursday, etc.

I agree with that, however Vince already provides more than enough opportunities to catch up on WWE programming if you can't watch the show on Monday night. You can watch the show on Tuesday, Thursday, or even Friday night in which ALL of them provide a Raw recap (which gets rather tedious viewing if you watch more than one of the other shows each week besides Raw).

He does attempt to give a compelling case why wrestling needs to be on Wednesday night, but at the end and after still considering his point of view, I could not disagree with the man more, and feel that not only will ratings go down amongst all of the shows (which he acknowledges as a possibility), but it will result in an even more stale and over-exposed product which will result in decreased interest in the entire WWE brand as a whole.

What are your comments on this philosophy. Please try to see at least the portion of the webcast I referred to (lasts about 3 minutes) before answering, if you can.

 

[modest-genius]

It's all about expansion. With WWE's current team, writers, wrestlers and employees, yes it would be disastrous. But it's not like he would add a number of new shows all at the same time. Each one would need to be slowly built up to Smackdown/RAW level.

I agree though, what we have at the moment is too much, namely, superstars. They should have built up ECW more (or now "NXT" more) until the ratings and the product were equal to RAW and Smackdown, then gave it the second hour. Once it's maintained the quality, then you can move onto a new show.

 

[KKarvox]

Vince actually does have a somewhat valid point. I for one can't watch ECW all the time because of the time slot and conflicts with school, i can't work it into my schedule. But putting the show online remedies this problem, so i don't think that another show is necessary, although I'd watch a Wednesday night show probably, because i don't have anything really to watch on Wednesdays, but that doesn't mean they necessarily SHOULD do it. I don't think the ratings from smackdown and raw will go down, however the ratings for ECW (soon to be NXT), Superstars and whatever the new show would be, would probably suffer because they are lesser programs. If it was used to give other talent a chance to have a showing, like superstars or heat etc., it may not lead to a stale product, but it would be pointless, as they already have ECW and Superstars. It's probably best to not do.

 

[billm75]

I agree, 5 nights a week would be too much, and chances are, the 5th show would be more like Superstars than it would ever be like RAW or Smackdown!.

In my opinion, if they used the on air time they already have in a more efficient manner, they'd be better off all around. Instead of giving us a shot of Cena, HHH, etc EVERY Monday night, why not have a week where we get a show + Cena, and then next week a show + HHH. And I'm talking about wrestling in the ring, not necessarily just on the show. I'm all for bringing in the bigger names in backstage segments to further build storylines and gain some suspense for what program they happen to be in. It'd be more effective in my opinion.

They could be building an all-star roster this way rather than squeezing in a match for Chris Masters here and there, and a match for Swagger here and there. Give the young guys a chance to shine, and leave the established stars in the background a little bit.

 

[T2KFreeker]

To be honest, part of the WWE dilemma right now is "Too much of a Good thing can be a Bad thing". There is just too much out there where WWE is concerned. WWE doesn't need to put another show on, they need to recombine the rosters and unify some of the belts. Too many wrestlers, too much television and way too many titles. It gets irritating, stale, and downright boring right now. WWE needs to get back to basics, not expand on what they have now.

 

[SickJames]

I am so ready for this, the dream is to be able to sit and watch WWE all night long every night. I mean we'll then have Monday Night Raw, NXT Tuesday, Wednesday (whatever), Superstars on Thursday, Friday Night Smackdown and Saturday night/Sunday morning A.M. Raw (so what if it's a recap in one hour)

it's great!

I get what you mean about over exposure but damn, I'd have an orgasm if WWE were on all week!

I crave an all Divas show on Wednesdays more than anything, it's the best thing overall, we can see the Sexy Divas improve better by having them get their very own one hour show weekly and get more mic and ring time for them and them alone, of course I think it should be more like an hour and a half

And they will grow overtime as we are in a time of a new generation of Divas they are still learning, most not all


Anyway to top it all of Sunday is a PPV you've got a full week, and now they just need to bring back Sunday Night Heat so there's something every Sunday night and we're good!

SNME or another special coming on will pack in it more

Also remember WWE wants to have its own network and they do have A LOT of wrestling & wrestling history, segments etc they can air and keep the WWE Network fresh and 5 shows a night w/ A.M. Raw, Specials & PPV would only make it better


I hope we get the WWE Network in two years time, it'd be great to have the WWE with their own channel on television and with their BIG BIG library of wrestling history & other stuff etc they can do it, they'll do it in moderation though and maybe replay some things, it wouldnt take away from DVDs

this Wednesday thing is a good idea, hopefully it goes to the Divas

 

[Miko]

Couldnt watch the webcast, but thats because my computer is lame. Anyway, I can see both sides of the argument on this one, on the one hand, someone misses one show, they've got 4 others to watch instead. On the other hand, I sure as fuck aint watching wrestling 5 nights a week.

RAW sort of used to be a special thing, it was the one time I could see my favourite wrestlers, along came Smackdown, but that was The Rock's show, so that was also awesome. The whole special moment of Raw is dying away now though, the feel of it is going, the more wrestling is on TV the more overexposed it is becoming, and it's nowhere near as special. That will probably be the result for most of WWE's target audience, Vince is might lose the kids before he even gains them as it were.

Then again, people might lap it up and it'll be the best thing they've ever done. I dont think I'd enjoy it though, I'll just go back to being a sadact and watching the attitude era/Hogan era on Youtube.

 

[marklouis]

I'm wondering when the WWE creates the "WWE Network", much like the NFL, NBA, or MLB networks. They have more than enough programming to fill the time-think about all the classic matches from various organizations they could show. They could alwo show the developmental guys, have original programming about wrestler's lives outside the ring, maybe even bring back that reality show they used to have on MTV. I know they have the "on demand" thing, but that's not the same as a full time network. I'm really surprised they haven't done this already, and I fell it's only a matter of time before they do.

 

[matman8540]

I would absolutely LOVE a 5th night. In my opinion, Wednesday would be a perfect night for showing FCW. Even though it would a show similar to ECW/NXT, this will show the wrestlers in their infancy. Imagine what it would have been like to see the current crop of WWE Superstars when they were just starting out, wrestling in OVW. Such as, John Cena (The Prototype), Bastista (The Leviathan), Randy Orton (as a perfect babyface); among others.

 

[billm75]

I'd definitely sign up for the WWE network, as long as they mixed some original (read: NEW) programming in with all the classic footage they have.

The reason I dont see that happening is that they'd lose out on the DVD sales they're enjoying currently. If I can get that footage on my TV, why buy a special package of it?

Anyhow, more programming isn't the answer, better quality programming is where they need to be. Superstars should really be a recap show anyways. Bring all 3 "brands" together and catch people up on storylines and fueds. Make it "sportscenter"-like and I'd definitely tune in, especially if they added some interviews and such they could definitely build up some storylines this way. Keep the 3 brands they way they are and treat it like a "real" sports group. Compare it to the NFL, if you will. The NFC (RAW) vs. the AFC (Smackdown!) and then NXT/ECW could be the Arena League. That would make it incredible in my opinion. Let the two brands intermingle now and again, and give the NXT/ECW guys a chance to face the biggest names in the industry without having to switch brands....I can see it now....the TRUE WWE Wrestling League. I'd definitely buy into that if they were fueding with each other and between brands...how cool would that make the storylines?

 

[Okay Fabian]

If WWE were to expand to 5 nights a week they would definitely have to do some maneuvering. First, they would need to re-assess their current cable TV partners and possibly attempt to find a network that would be willing to run WWE TV on their channel 5 nights a week. Also, that network should be available to a majority of the population unlike SyFy and WGN America for some. Ideally you’d like to see something like “WWE on USA, 8PM Weeknights” That would build a consistency to the WWE programming. It would start at the same time, on the same channel every night. Right now, we have start times of 9, 10, 8, and 8 on USA, SyFy, WGNAmerica, and MyNetworkTV. Inconsistent. And also, if WWE were to air on USA at 8PM, USA would also have the opportunity to air their original dramas and sitcoms a la Burn Notice, Psych, and White Collar with the ever-popular WWE as the lead-in.

Also, I wouldn’t mind seeing WWE going to 5 hours of TV a week (1 hour per weeknight show). Instead of the expected 7 hours for 5 days, or current 6 hours for 4 days. Again, this gives a consistency to WWE’s programming. It is at the same time each night, same channel, and has the same runtime. That way the WWE fan can build their viewing routine. And also, you’d have a broader reach by being on 5 days a week, but wouldn’t be overexposed. As it is now, it is difficult to watch the 6 hours of WWE TV a week. If you tweaked the format, one hour of WWE TV a night would be more than enough to feature the wrestling and the storylines.

Also, WWE would have to consider the continuity of their programming. Would storylines spill over from one evening to another? They would also need to consider how they tape their shows? Would all the shows be live or would they just film a Super Show on the weekend and divide it up into the 5 hours (or 3 2/3 hours w/o commercials) of weekly TV?

For this to work, I’d like to see an end to the brand-split in earnest, but more diversification upon the shows. WWE fans have a lot of diverse interests: Divas wrestling, Tag team wrestling, Cruiserweights, Heavyweights, Hardcore, etc. WWE could pick a night of the week to feature each of these different divisions/styles.

I think that’s about enough for now, suffice it to say I would not be opposed to WWE going Monday-Friday.

 

[mral82]

WWE Programmin is on 5 nights a week already.

Monday Night Raw (USA9pm et/8pm Ct), WWE NXT Tuesdays (SyFy 10pm et/9pm ct), WWE Superstars On Thursday (WGNAmerica 1st showing 8pm et/ 7pm ct, Encore 1: Thurs 12 am et/11pm ct, Encore 2: Sundays @ 12pm et/ 11am ct), WWE Friday Night Smackdown (MynetworkTV 8pm et/ 7pm ct or check ur local listings), On Saturdays 2 Replays Of Raw and ECW/NXT on Universal HD (Where Available) Starting @ 8pm et/7pm ct, And AM Raw (USA) @ 2am et/1am ct.

So Sid Technically is on everyday of the week but wednesdays. I wish they coulda brought back Tuesday Night Titans Cause Abraham Washington would host it from WWE Studios that would be cool.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

If this happens, Vince may as well put a gun to the head of the WWE. Overexposure is the killer of all things good. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is a great example of that. Show went from once a week, to every day on broadcast TV. It lost ratings and was eventually dumped. What you do in making the show available all the time is exposing too much to an audience that's not there. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing for all involved.

That being said, the only feasable option Vince would have to justify this move is to create an all WWE Network. Wouldn't be too farfetched and he has enough in the archives to keep all satisfied for years to come. But to use all the money to buy time on television to have his product on all the time would be a terrible move on his part. Then again, Vince only makes good moves and it's the fans fault his stuff isn't successful.

 

[Zeedeevel]

If done right it would not be overexposure at all. When you think about it the only show that nearly every viewer has access to is Raw. I have no problem watching ecw but there are many people that cannot because they do not get syfy. This is also the problem with superstars. Smackdown is not availible in all areas and also it is on a friday night where most people like to either go out or are busy.

The best way to do the programs would be to have Raw, Smackdown, NXT, a secondary Raw show, and a secondary SD show. Have the secondary shows on different networks so that they reach everyone.

 

[Schizophrenic]

I can undestand why Vince would like to see that happen, but Im not sure. Im a huge wrestling fan but I dont know if I could watch all five of their shows and TNA's show in the week and not feel just overcrowded and blown up with wrestling. Too much of a good thing quickly becomes bad and the fans would probably continue to watch RAW and SmackDown and maybe catch the other shows every so often and it wouldn't be a good investment for WWE.

 

[theHeadliner]

I'd like more TV if they lowered the number of PPVs(I know this has been brought up plenty of times before). If they could do like a weekly talk/re-cap show similar to Prime Time or something along those lines, and maybe show a match or 2 that was never aired to build something up. If they lowered the PPVs then TV would be more important to the storylines, matches, and characters. It probably would end up being a Superstars type show that they would develop. They have the 2 main shows, the developing brand(NXT/ECW), and Superstars already so what else could they do besides a show like NFL Live where they analyze, show clips, interviews, and talk about scenarios. Most of the time when you watch the shows they show re-caps constantly so you would know what happened if you missed the show.

 

[Dirtnik]

This would be a horrible idea considering the current state of the product. When things aren't going good in business it's better to take a step back. Scale down just a little. Over-Saturation will kill.

I would absolutely LOVE a 5th night. In my opinion, Wednesday would be a perfect night for showing FCW. Even though it would a show similar to ECW/NXT, this will show the wrestlers in their infancy. Imagine what it would have been like to see the current crop of WWE Superstars when they were just starting out, wrestling in OVW. Such as, John Cena (The Prototype), Batista (The Leviathan), Randy Orton (as a perfect babyface); among others.

This statement above totally goes "against the grain" of what wrestling is supposed to be. Watching wrestling is supposed to be a time when a person "suspends belief" ...be it for an hour or three hours at a time. We all know it's not real. So I don't see why there would be any interest in watching the wrestlers in their "infancy". Do I think it's cool getting a peek backstage to see the real deal.. yes. But focusing a show on these people before they are ready for TV would be absolutely threatening to any character they hope to create in the future of their career.

 

[AndyUK]

I think five shows is too much really. They really don't have that many guys on their roster for four different shows a week, nevermind five.

I mean, it probably wouldn't affect me considering I only watch RAW and Smackdown anyway. I'll probably watch NXT for the first couple of weeks but I've never had any interest on ECW and Superstars because they've just been like Heat and Velocity for me, except one has a championship.

 

[Tastycles]

If they used the current roster then it would be complete oversaturation to put the product on everyday. However, if they expanded a little, they could perhaps put a niche show in the vain of heat on television. I don't really think there is any scope to have a serious crack of the whip for weekly TV though, as wrestling is pretty much already being pushed to maginalised channels. I just don't think the audience is there for a 5th show, unless they do a classics show that has Smackdown and Raw recaps in it.