Should the WWE use Focus Groups?

[Guest MrRant]

I think focus groups could help the WWE. Finding some random people and then letting them watch some past episodes (like the last 2 weeks etc,) and let them grade it and give feedback on it. Perhaps that will help keep the writers on a path instead of wandering everywhere. Just my thoughts anyways.

[Guest Rob Edwards]

Well they have a guy (Forget his name) who goes through the internet recation to shows and passes them to Vince through Finkel so they do in a way. If they asked your average Joe in the street they'd probably get stupid feedback anyway so the way they use now is probably best if they actually paid any attention to the info they have

[Guest MrRant]

But we aren't talking just about just the "wrestling" aspect I am also talking about the "entertainment" aspect and I think anyone who watches TV can give a good opinon on what's entertaining and what isn't and every little bit helps.

[Guest Rob Edwards]

True I doubt Gay Weddings would ghave been a popular choice, I think all they need to do is pay attention to whats popular at any given time rather than use so called "issues" that were last controversial about 7 years ago

[Guest El Psycho Diablo]

They should..yes..

 

But then they'd have to..y'know..acknowledge that the fanbase exists except for bullshit nostalgia title reigns.

[Guest MrRant]

And focus groups would help with that. Even with character development. Maybe then Saturn wouldn't have been dating a mop.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

Has anybody seen the focus group episodes of The Larry Sanders Show or The Simpsons? Mix them together and make it wrestling and you get this.

 

MODERATOR: How would you rate Kurt Angle on a likability scale?

FOCUS GROUP GUY #1: Below-average.

FOCUS GROUP GUY #2: Yeah, definitely below average.

GUY #1: I like the guy that says "it doesn't matter what your name is!"

GUY #2: Me too, because he's from my home state of Florida.

MODERATOR: So what would you like WWE to do? Should we have crazy fantasy storylines, like wrestlers that shoot lasers from their heads?

ALL: Yeah, that's good.

MODERATOR: Or should we deal with real-life issues that matter to you and I?

ALL: Yeah that's what you should do, yeah.

MODERATOR: So you want a wrestling show that deals with real-life problems and people that shoot lasers from their heads.

GUY #3: And you should be able to win things by watching.

GUY #1: Hey now!

 

 

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EDIT: I HIT THE JACKPOT!!!!!! POST #777, BABEEEEEEEE~!!!!!!

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Agreed. I laugh at those "focus groups" that news outlets broadcast during presidential debates and stuff. I shudder to think of the insight a group of WWE viewers would provide...

 

"That Stephanie McMahon is hot -- she should get more airtime"

 

"Get that Benoit off the air -- he doesn't even have all his teeth"

 

"I miss that wrestler with the nightstick and sunglasses"

 

"What is up with that masked guy jumping around all the time? I can't even see what he's doing half the time"

 

No thanks, I'll pass...

[Guest DJ Jeff]

HHH could be the head of the focus groups.

 

Guy #1: So, what should happen to Jericho?

 

HHH: I say he should be pushed down to cruiserweight. If you all don't agree with me, then I'm holding all you down also.

 

All: Yes, that sounds like I good idea to push Jericho down to cruiserweight.

 

Guy #2: He could win the Cruiserweight Title.

 

HHH: No Cruiserweight Title for Jericho. He should only wrestle once in a blue moon.

 

Guy #3: Yeah, that sounds pretty cool.

 

HHH: My plan worked. Jericho will no longer be in my league.

 

[Guest Jimm Ross_]

My Talent Relations department assures a much better product for both exciting WWE brands.

[Guest areacode212]

There was actually a poster here once who (jestingly) proposed giving the wrestlers super powers to make things more exciting, like having Austin shoot lasers from his eyes, or giving Benoit the power to turn invisible at will. That was pretty funny.

 

The problem with getting the WWE to hire focus groups is that you might end up diluting the product to appeal to the man on the street, as opposed to wrestling fans. Joe Public may not *want* to see a 20-minute Angle/Benoit match, since they won't really appreciate it because "it's all fake anyway", and might be more interested in comedy skits. So, you'd end up with the wrestling treated as an afterthought (as it was during the Russo era), and the focus put back on ridiculous storylines.

[Guest cynicalprofit]

I've said it before and Ill say it again, HAD OUT SUGGESTION CARDS. Do it at live shows and house shows and ask the audience things like what did you like and what didnt you like. Yeah youll get SIGN GOLDBERG crap, but thats why you pay ppl to weed those crappy cards out, but if you get 65% of the ppl there saying they liked kurt angle, it might be a good idea to push him. And give suggestion cards to the wrestlers, ask they who they like working with and THEN build a story around that. Dont give the writers total control, they dont know wrestling like the wrestlers do, or atleast the good ones do. I mean if rey likes to work with Kurt, he'll be more willing to work harder and better and give a better performance, I mean Jericho dogged everything with HHH cause HHH doesnt like him and Jericho knew HHH was burying him, so he mailed it in.

[Guest bob_barron]

(A man wearing a disguise enters the focus group)

 

Modertator: What do you think of the man with the hairy body.

All: Ewwww.

Man with Disguise: Well mah gawd that thun of a bitch is a hoss who can work WWE style like no one else al mighty.

 

What do you think of the guy doing all the crazy moves who points to himself?

 

All: He's cool.

Man: Well almighty that thun of a bitch's high flyin style is just not the way we do things here good god almighty. If he was Hoss or had physique like that Ol' Booger Red then I'd put him in a feud with bah gawd that ole Texan Bradshaw.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I've said it before and Ill say it again, HAD OUT SUGGESTION CARDS. Do it at live shows and house shows and ask the audience things like what did you like and what didnt you like. Yeah youll get SIGN GOLDBERG crap, but thats why you pay ppl to weed those crappy cards out, but if you get 65% of the ppl there saying they liked kurt angle, it might be a good idea to push him. And give suggestion cards to the wrestlers, ask they who they like working with and THEN build a story around that. Dont give the writers total control, they dont know wrestling like the wrestlers do, or atleast the good ones do. I mean if rey likes to work with Kurt, he'll be more willing to work harder and better and give a better performance, I mean Jericho dogged everything with HHH cause HHH doesnt like him and Jericho knew HHH was burying him, so he mailed it in.

this is a completely logical thing to do. it might even work in a way that the fans wouldn't catch on. for example, 500 fans explain how they were mad that brock defeated whatever face. well, if the goal is to gather strong heel suport for brock then the fans reaction would indicate it is working by being genuinely upset that he beat one of their favorites. it could work well for skits and angles also. if 5-6000 fans felt the hhh was extremely boring then it's an indicator that his promos suck.

 

as for the focus group idea, it's actually a decent idea in theory. i think the catch is you would need heavy screening in order to make it worthwhile. get a wrestling fan who buys the merchandise, marks out, etc. but isn't so in the know that their opinion would be jaded.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

I've said it before and Ill say it again, HAD OUT SUGGESTION CARDS. Do it at live shows and house shows and ask the audience things like what did you like and what didnt you like. Yeah youll get SIGN GOLDBERG crap, but thats why you pay ppl to weed those crappy cards out, but if you get 65% of the ppl there saying they liked kurt angle, it might be a good idea to push him. And give suggestion cards to the wrestlers, ask they who they like working with and THEN build a story around that. Dont give the writers total control, they dont know wrestling like the wrestlers do, or atleast the good ones do. I mean if rey likes to work with Kurt, he'll be more willing to work harder and better and give a better performance, I mean Jericho dogged everything with HHH cause HHH doesnt like him and Jericho knew HHH was burying him, so he mailed it in.

I like that idea, and it's the best way to give the WWE a better product then what they have now. Then again, that wouldn't happen since that would mean that Vince McMahon would have to listen to the fans.

[Guest MrRant]

I think its all in the way you phrase it. People will listen to intelligent suggestions. I am sure if you were sitting next to Vince in a plane and made intelligent comments on what you agreed and disagreed with he would listen. But ranting and raving would just be tuned out.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I wish they could have this thing, where people from all around the world could put their imput on the current direction and overall product of the company - say over the phone line or cable line or whatever...

 

NAH! That's just a crazy idea.

[Guest snowfan]

I wish they could have this thing, where people from all around the world could put their imput on the current direction and overall product of the company - say over the phone line or cable line or whatever...

 

NAH! That's just a crazy idea.

Yeah man that would suck.... we'd never get to see "that damn good" go over again....

 

[Guest RepoMan]

I don't know if the whole suggestion card thing is a good idea. The average mark would probalby say someone like Kurt Angle sucks, but they would have said the same thing if asked about X-Pac. I don't think WWE has the brains to tell the "I enjoy hating the guy" kind heat from the "Get the hell of my TV" kind heat.

[Guest snowfan]

I don't know if the whole suggestion card thing is a good idea. The average mark would probalby say someone like Kurt Angle sucks, but they would have said the same thing if asked about X-Pac. I don't think WWE has the brains to tell the "I enjoy hating the guy" kind heat from the "Get the hell of my TV" kind heat.

ah the difference between 2000 HGH heat and Eternal Waltman heat is lost on Big Steph isn't it?

[Guest cynicalprofit]

Well look at it this way, if wrestler a is hated, push as a heel, and if the ratings drop when hes on, it probably means it "get off my tv". So there you go.

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

I don't know about the rest of you, but Bob's little spoof had me laughing my ass off.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge