Now that the entire point of the WWE product is to sell the Network, shouldn't Main Event be the main weekly show for WWE? Shouldn't WWE be promoting it as a 1-hour weekly PPV? What difference would it make if they had Orton v. Kane v. Cena v. Reigns for the WWE Title on Main Event rather than at Battleground?
Honestly, man, it's the Wild West with the Network and even they don't really know what their business model is at this point. PPV is dying and they're actively trying to kill it off even further, but Main Event remains a throwaway show where nothing of consequence occurs. My guess would be that USA would sue them into the Stone Age if they started putting all the emphasis on their in-house show after signing the big fat deal for RAW. I really hope they figure out what they are soon, either way.
"Now that the entire point of the WWE product is to sell the Network"
ReplyDeleteI thought the point was to "tell stories"?!
Yeah, that would be a huge risk.
ReplyDeleteThey should probably make Main Event what Smackdown used to be, then make Smackdown a glorified jobber show
ReplyDeleteI really wish the brands were still around.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if even Vince McMahon has the stones to face shareholders after pulling a move like that. It is an interesting thought though and valid point, thinking long-term
ReplyDeleteNot a risk. More like signing off on the company's death.
ReplyDeleteThat would be stupid. The main point of the weekly shows on cable is to advertise the product. Without those shows, how will WWE advertise its product to the next generation? People have to hear about WWE before they purchase the WWE network. WWE absolutely needs at least some presence on cable.
ReplyDeleteThey could've kept the PPV model the same and have RAW/SD and everything else exclusive to the Network.
ReplyDeleteThere is nobody sane who is going to pay $10 a month to watch Raw and Smackdown.
ReplyDeleteIf you put the entire industry, while the mainstream as a whole is down on the business, behind a paywall, forget it. You're done. There's no bringing it back.
Spoiler alert: Cena overcomes the odds in every story.
ReplyDeleteMy personal hope (no matter how much of a pipe dream it may be) is that the 'new' PPV model, focused on the network rather than individual buyers, leads down the road to the end of the ridiculous monthly PPV's and us saying goodbye to total filler shows like Battleground and Night of Champions
ReplyDeleteWell what they are doing currently is starting the dig to their grave.
ReplyDeleteI really wish WCW was still around
ReplyDeleteWait no I don't
ReplyDeleteThere's too much money and time invested in the Raw name. Raw has been the flagship show since 1993. You don't reshuffle the deck on a whim. That's bad for the brand.
ReplyDeleteThere never really was brands. Different companies help
ReplyDelete1. No, it's not.
ReplyDelete2. Even if it was, the treatment for a laceration is not to slice the patient's neck, unless death is the goal.
They were a good for something. Like a chubby mistress
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sorry, losing near $100 million in a year isn't a bad thing.... plus there's no way in hell they'll get anywhere near their break even amount after Summerslam.
ReplyDeleteStrangely, I much prefer Main Event over Raw at this point. It has long decent matches and is only an hour long. A pretty decent Sheamus vs ADR last man standing match is on right now for example.
ReplyDeleteI do and I don't. As is, I don't know if the roster is deep enough to support two brands.
ReplyDeleteUnless you did that thing where THESE guys are exclusive to one show, but these OTHER guys can come and go, which is just dumb.
Ahh... love Kramer!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of Homer when Bart was working at the burlesque house. "Oh yeah drugs, gotta have drugs".
ReplyDeleteThat match should've been in the Luger/Perfect spot at Wrestlemania 9. Not sure what you'd do with Luger though.
ReplyDeletebefore Bo, there really should have been a vignette of Barrett informing the Brazilians of some bad news.
ReplyDelete