You Got What You Wanted, Where Did You Go?

[The Brain]

It seems that the activity on this site has gone down over the past couple months. The Raw LD used to regularly contain a few hundred posts. Lately they’ve been almost nonexistent. A lot of people seem to think WWE is in a major slump right now. I’m not going to preach to you about how great everything is and how you have to like what you’re seeing right now, but I find it interesting the timing of this sudden decrease in discussion around here.

Haven’t you gotten exactly what you wanted since SummerSlam? John Cena has been gone. Daniel Bryan has been pushed as the top guy. CM Punk is still getting a good amount of tv time. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns are consistent main eventers. All the new young talent that you’ve been waiting for are getting their chance to shine. Are they not shining as brightly as you hoped? Do you miss a certain superstar now that you can’t see him? I would have thought everyone would be thrilled to come on and discuss how great their favorite guys are doing in the main event.

Just some wrestlezone stats for you guys. The Raw LD from August 19 had 353 posts. That was the last time John Cena was on Raw. Since then the most posts in a Raw LD was 161 the very next week. It dropped steadily every week before plummeting two weeks ago. The last two weeks have drawn 47 posts combined. What’s happening? I’m not going to try to tell you that one forum’s live discussion section is an indicator of how poor things are in WWE. I’m talking specifically about the members of this site. I’ve sat in LDs for years and read complaints about the same old stuff and how people wanted new blood at the top. Now you’ve got it and you’ve disappeared. Who knows, maybe you’re so into Raw with these new guys at the top that it has your undivided attention and you can’t focus on the LD. Somehow I doubt that’s the case. I admit I’m not always heavily active in the LD but the sudden drop in participation is noticeable.

If you used to be a regular in the LD but have been absent lately tell us what drove you away. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about or if you’re reading this and are not a member take a minute to sign up and follow this link to discuss Raw live as it’s happening every Monday Night

http://forums.wrestlezone.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68

 

[Spidey Revivey]

Personally, I share a room with a guy that flips through channels. Sometimes I'll get to see RAW, sometimes I don't. Can't bitch at him because it is his tv. What little I see, I share in conversation with you guys.

There's got to be some kind of psychological situation at play here. When you think you REALLLLLY want something, like Cena gone, and you get it just to find out you wanted him there all along and didn't realize it. Like a child who asks for candy, gets the candy, and then spits it out. People here are very much just like that.

Don't give a superstar a program, they aren't being pushed enough/they dropped the ball/Why WWE Why?/etc. Give them a program, we've seen this/terrible/shoved down our throats.

People, man. Thank god I'm a sociopath.

 

[DarksideEric]

It seems that the activity on this site has gone down over the past couple months. The Raw LD used to regularly contain a few hundred posts. Lately they’ve been almost nonexistent. A lot of people seem to think WWE is in a major slump right now. I’m not going to preach to you about how great everything is and how you have to like what you’re seeing right now, but I find it interesting the timing of this sudden decrease in discussion around here.

Haven’t you gotten exactly what you wanted since SummerSlam? John Cena has been gone. Daniel Bryan has been pushed as the top guy. CM Punk is still getting a good amount of tv time. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns are consistent main eventers. All the new young talent that you’ve been waiting for are getting their chance to shine. Are they not shining as brightly as you hoped? Do you miss a certain superstar now that you can’t see him? I would have thought everyone would be thrilled to come on and discuss how great their favorite guys are doing in the main event.

Just some wrestlezone stats for you guys. The Raw LD from August 19 had 353 posts. That was the last time John Cena was on Raw. Since then the most posts in a Raw LD was 161 the very next week. It dropped steadily every week before plummeting two weeks ago. The last two weeks have drawn 47 posts combined. What’s happening? I’m not going to try to tell you that one forum’s live discussion section is an indicator of how poor things are in WWE. I’m talking specifically about the members of this site. I’ve sat in LDs for years and read complaints about the same old stuff and how people wanted new blood at the top. Now you’ve got it and you’ve disappeared. Who knows, maybe you’re so into Raw with these new guys at the top that it has your undivided attention and you can’t focus on the LD. Somehow I doubt that’s the case. I admit I’m not always heavily active in the LD but the sudden drop in participation is noticeable.

If you used to be a regular in the LD but have been absent lately tell us what drove you away. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about or if you’re reading this and are not a member take a minute to sign up and follow this link to discuss Raw live as it’s happening every Monday Night

http://forums.wrestlezone.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68

I believe Triple H/Vince summed it up fairly nicely, at least a few times:

People hardly ever know what they actually want.

And when they get what they wanted... it's never good enough.

Wrestling is just one of the *many* forms of entertainment where the fans oftentimes *abuse* this mentality.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

But remember like you said those live discussions are full of people complaining. If those people don't have as much to complain about anymore they don't have reason to participate.

OK that was kind of a lame theory but combined with MNF, DVRs getting more popular, and the new fall season of TV just starting it is reasonable for things to continue their trend down. Keeping up with WWE is hard work. The period between SummerSlam and The new year's is really hard work.

But yeah, for a lot of people it's not the kill, it's the thrill of the chase.

 

[Slash-LN]

I've noticed a big drop off in the LD too.
Matter of fact I have started a couple that I believe I started after the show was already running which is really weird because people usually start them before the show even comes on.
Not only is the RAW LD pretty much dead there are only 1 or 2 posts a night in the Smackdown LD not counting KB's post that his review is up.

For me personally I keep track of Raw and I tune into Smackdown if I think about it but Monday Night Football and hockey are more of a priority at this point than wrestling so if the Blackhawks play on a Monday plus there is the NFL game then wrestling automatically gets bumped to the third spot. It doesn't matter who is active or how good the story lines are. WWE could let me put together my own roster, position workers where I want them to be, have 100% control over story lines and pick all the champs and WWE would still take a backseat to the NFL and the Blackhawks.

I have noticed some other people are the same way. They tune in if there is nothing better on.

I was actually thinking about this tonight. We come to a wrestling site to talk about wrestling but some people seem to rarely come to the wrestling topics. I myself am guilty of spending more time in other sections than the wrestling sections some days. We all love wrestling but we have things that have taken priority over it.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

To be fair, I think this is less of a WWE thing and more of a forum issue.

I'm on other forums, their busy, some are busier than usual. Wreddit (r/SquaredCircle on Reddit.com) has less than a quarter of the members this place has yet is much more active, and that could be where people are going. I doubt it's anyone's fault, people may just be sick of this place, I know that if I bring up a certain topic of discussion on these forums it won't even get off the ground, do it on certain others and it gets a ton.

WWE's viewership hasn't increased, but as some have made sure to point out this is the time of the year a ton of fans don't watch and It'll only increase heading into Christmas which isn't good either.

 

[zomigosh]

Though I'm not a regular poster here, my interest in the WWE hasn't decreased at all. I may have underestimated how much I'd miss Cena, but I'm definitely just as invested with the product as I've always been. I'm sure this is the same for multiple other posters as well.

With saying that, though, I do find it hard to make posts on wrestling currently on the boards I do browse. Not because I'm uninterested, but because I really don't have much to complain about. You can only post so much about how much you like something. I'd be posting much more if I didn't like the product. Bitching = activity, plain and simple.

 

[Duderino]

Ahh the old golden rule of the IWC: "If the internet wrestling community doesn't have anything disparaging to say, they don't say anything at all."

I suggest we all appreciate the quiet contentment of the normally bickery and contentious internet fans (myself included) before it's too late.

Anyway, the recent drop in live discussion coincides with the arrival of football season. I've only watched an entire RAW once since Monday night football started, even though I find the storylines and in-ring product to be on par with, if not superior to, what was going on during the summer.

Add on top of that the MLB playoffs (GO SOX!) and a large portion of the sports/sports entertainment community is just elsewhere, but they'll come crawling back. We always do.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Some interesting figures for you. I'll list both dates for all the live discussions, first for last year, then for this year. Both starting immediately after SummerSlam 2012 and 2013.

Raw LDs 2012/13

August 20/19: 279/353
August 27/26: 254/161
Sept. 3/2: 312/151
Sept. 10/9: 359/150
Sept. 17/16: 251/103
Sept. 24/23: 220/76
Oct. 1/30: 147/108
Oct. 8/7:371/101
Oct. 15/14: 166/20
Oct 22/21: 52/27

So most of those numbers don't matter. But what's interesting is that for the last two weeks, in both years, the numbers plummeted. Obviously a bit more this year than last, but there's also less fans watching this year than last. The ratings show that.

Not sure what the reasoning is, but I'd bet my first born it was either pre-season NHL, post-season MLB, big NFL games, debuting TV seasons, or a combination of all of the above. Possibly homecoming week events for high schools and colleges, if they're real late. I don't know, it's just a really busy season for pretty much everything.

 

[zomigosh]

Ahh the old golden rule of the IWC: "If the internet wrestling community doesn't have anything disparaging to say, they don't say anything at all."

I don't know if this was an attack at what I said or not, but negativity brings out the most discussion out of all communities, not just wrestling.

I'm sure Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" music video will be talked about for years to come because of the controversy and negativity towards her its caused, whilst a critically acclaimed one will get a nice comment every once in awhile after its initial release is over.

 

[jameswalsh292]

I dont post too often on the page, but I do visit the site about 4 times a week and spend a good time reading the forums.

Why dont I post often? Anything that Im interested in is usually already being talked about and by the time ive read it someone else has made the same point I would have made, so I dont see the point in adding to it.

I only really post if I feel that my opinion is unique and different to others. I dont see the need to repeat the same info. I will start a thread if im looking for wrestling related answers that have not already been discussed.

As for the current product that WWE are showing, Im enjoying it. I watch Raw every week, but I dont watch any other WWE show like Smackdown.
I am happy with how things are going with WWE, I love Bryan v Corporation, Rhodes v Corporation. Although im not interested in Punk v Heyman, although im a big fan of Punk.

So my point is that I wont post just for the sake of it. Although I do enjoy reading the banter and arguments that most of you have between each other.

 

[Gavschenko]

in a football team if you have the greatest players in the world but they play shit it mainly aint there fault its management, raw since cena has left has been the same for months now triple h comes out at the start, etc bryan fights a shield member or is in a tag match against them. Then smackdown same thing happens again. I've barely noticed cena was gone tbh.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I continue to believe the reason less people are watching the shows on TV than years ago (ratings) and the subsequent decrease of activity on this forum is due to market saturation. WWE has simply too much of their product flooding the airwaves and some folks have lost interest because they've gotten their fill of it.

You can get into arguments about TV ratings, plus or minus, but it's self-defeating to do so. You could create discussion about how so many fans are "bored" by John Cena, who has been the lifeblood of WWE for many years; a guy so above everyone else in pro wrestling influence that it's downright amusing to read people writing they wish he was gone.("CN PUNK is much moor poppular then Sena! I know this 4 a absaloot fact! And so do evybody elsse!!!")

As to Cena jeers, I'm not talking about the people in the arena. The vast majority of them are booing because they hear others booing. But this rather curious reaction to Cena (along with the oversaturation already mentioned) probably has a lot to do with explaining why there's less activity on this forum and in pro wrestling as a whole.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

It seems that the activity on this site has gone down over the past couple months. The Raw LD used to regularly contain a few hundred posts. Lately they’ve been almost nonexistent. A lot of people seem to think WWE is in a major slump right now. I’m not going to preach to you about how great everything is and how you have to like what you’re seeing right now, but I find it interesting the timing of this sudden decrease in discussion around here.

Haven’t you gotten exactly what you wanted since SummerSlam? John Cena has been gone. Daniel Bryan has been pushed as the top guy. CM Punk is still getting a good amount of tv time. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns are consistent main eventers. All the new young talent that you’ve been waiting for are getting their chance to shine. Are they not shining as brightly as you hoped? Do you miss a certain superstar now that you can’t see him? I would have thought everyone would be thrilled to come on and discuss how great their favorite guys are doing in the main event.

Just some wrestlezone stats for you guys. The Raw LD from August 19 had 353 posts. That was the last time John Cena was on Raw. Since then the most posts in a Raw LD was 161 the very next week. It dropped steadily every week before plummeting two weeks ago. The last two weeks have drawn 47 posts combined. What’s happening? I’m not going to try to tell you that one forum’s live discussion section is an indicator of how poor things are in WWE. I’m talking specifically about the members of this site. I’ve sat in LDs for years and read complaints about the same old stuff and how people wanted new blood at the top. Now you’ve got it and you’ve disappeared. Who knows, maybe you’re so into Raw with these new guys at the top that it has your undivided attention and you can’t focus on the LD. Somehow I doubt that’s the case. I admit I’m not always heavily active in the LD but the sudden drop in participation is noticeable.

If you used to be a regular in the LD but have been absent lately tell us what drove you away. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about or if you’re reading this and are not a member take a minute to sign up and follow this link to discuss Raw live as it’s happening every Monday Night

http://forums.wrestlezone.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68

Except that's not really true... Cena is gone but Triple H and Big Show have taken the main push with the Rhodes in 2nd place... Bryan is not being pushed "as the fans wanted" as he isn't the guy and the show isn't focused on him. It's funny people desert the moment Triple H starts to hog the show...

As for the LD, I'm in the UK so would rarely be up to watch live. If it's far from compelling TV you might be finding more people DVRing it an thus not participating.

 

[jholcomb22]

When I first read the post, I assumed immediately less traffic was due to football. After seeing Killam's figures comparing this year to last year, that's not it. I think some people who have threatened to stop watching if....finally have. Also, as someone who used to post in the forums and doesn't anymore, I have found it increasingly difficult to watch an entire episode of raw in real time, I usually play catch up all night.

I have no problem with Cena. The break from him has been nice. But one month straight of the same beat down Daniel Bryan to end raw followed by one month straight of Big Show interfere/distract and Bryan looks strong to end raw makes me lose interest.

 

[The Eighties]

I've never been part of the live discussion here but I do post on another forum while Raw is on and discuss the show, activity there has not really changed much but I do find myself putting the keyboard down a bit more often for the main event matches and some of the promos than in recent times.

I actually stopped watching completely at this point last year, I took a few months off as I was so bored and didn't want to spend my time coming to sites like this and moaning about something I can't change.

I guess the theme here is that Bryan and Punk aren't really what we wanted and there's more interest when Cena is around? Personally I don't dislike Cena, I'm mostly ambivalent towards him, but I have noticed that any topic on a forum such as this gets more posts when people want to piss and moan, so maybe that explains the downturn in your LD?

I also don't think anyone wanted to see Bryan twist in the wind in this current circular angle or for Punk to be wrestling guys like Axel and Ryback, and most importantly I know quite a few people that aren't enamored with the mass amount of Triple H that is featured on the show these days and were turned off by the shenanigans post NOC. So there's a few possibilities.

 

[justinsayne]

I stopped doing LDs awhile ago because the endless bitching & complaining about every stupid little thing was ruining any enjoyment I was getting from watching the show, so instead of dealing with that I'd rather post whatever thoughts pop into my head during RAW on twitter instead.

 

[Poop Master Flex]

The thing is I don't think we've gotten what we wanted at all. What you say is true but only in the most technical sense. Take me for example, I wanted D. Bry to beat Cena, he did, I wanted him in a main event program without Cena, I also wanted D. Bry to become the focus and to be honest it never happened. Its not the Daniel Bryan vs. Orton show its the Triple H show, anyone could tell you that. The storyline is similar to Austin vs. McMahon except for 3 things:

1) Bryan ain't Austin
2) HHH ain't McMahon
3) unlike Austin vs. McMahon the boss is the primary focus, not the wrestler.

The 1st 2 I can live with and its unfair and realistic to expect these 2 to be as big as Austin or McMahon but the last point is the sole big reason why I don't only go to LD (which was never my thing really) and why I simply don't bother watching Raw at this point. I do not watch wrestling to watch a mid 40 man, whose day in the sun has come and gone, who isn't even that interesting as a character take center stage over everybody. If Triple H thinks he's the star people want to see I will let him, but I won't watch the show, Triple H does nothing for me. If it was truly a Orton vs. Bryan role with Trips taking a supporting role I would be fine with that but its the other way around. I've seen the other way around, I enjoyed it in 2000 when Triple H was full time and perfect for the role but its 2013 and that has changed.

When you hear all the hate over the years about Triple H what he's doing now in my opinion is what the most deserving of all that hate. He's never been a true draw but he still acts as if he was. I'm sorry but I can't support that. I love wrestling, if program changes to new guys getting legit shots I will watch again. I don't even care if those new guys flop but at least it shows they are trying something new, not something that hasn't worked at all since 2001 when Triple H tore his quad for the first time.

 

[Borck Lesnar]

Your really smart brain, you're exactly what wwe universe need's someone who likes something they've wanted. i love what the wwe is doing, i won't complain a bit, until wwe screw's up again.