Can the WWE do ANYTHING to improve ratings?

[Guest thebigjig]

I've been thinking about this alot lately...

 

I think we can all agree that the wrestling boom of the attitude era is over... dead... finished... done with.

 

So with that in mind, is there really anything the WWE can do to improve ratings?

 

I honestly believe that the ratings aren't going to go up like the WWE wants no matter what they do. If they bring in Goldberg, he might spike the ratings for a month or so if that long, and even then the ratings spike probably wouldn't be past the 4.5 mark even if that.

 

Even if the product improves greatly and it seems for once that the WWE is on the right track, I think the ratings aren't really going to go up again for quite a long time. Wrestling just isn't "cool" anymore.

 

Thoughts anyone?

[Guest Trivia247]

I Agree for the most part. No Matter what improvements the WWE does as a product, if those causual Wrestling watches is turned away too watch Baseball or Survivor, or basically other things on the dial then the WWE won't reach them to gain better ratings. It would have to take something Phenomnia to Turn the tide again. WWE/WWF turned the tide twice in the past, the Introduction of Hulkamania and Wrestlemania which basically caused the BOOM in interest in wrestling for Non hardcore fans. Which of course Made PPV for Cable companies .

The Second Boom was at WM14 with Austin vs Michaels with Tyson as enforcer, there you had the Mainstream attention on Tyson at a Wrestlemania. And those Causual Watchers heard about WM14 and decided to order it to see what Tyson does, and instead of just waiting for Tyson too appear, they sat and watched through the matches, and got back into it, The Michaels Austin fight was the tip of the Iceberg, made people swarm to their tvs to Watch Raw the Next night to see what happens. And they did and never stopped till after WCW died.

 

Because of XFL and failed Angles, interests dropped. people just tired of the same rountine and they take a break from watching.

 

So what they need to do pure and simple is to Score another Major BOOM in the Wrestling, Something that sparks Mainstream Media attention which would bring back the curious casual fans. Now at this point i don't know what it would be, but something should happen that just makes Jaws drops and Keeps them coming back.

[Guest Spaceman Spiff]

SOUND LONG TERM PLANNING!

[Guest HollywoodSpikeJenkins]

Rhyno!

 

 

 

GORE GORE GORE

[Guest TestKick]

Long term planning.

 

Also, here's a novel idea... build the company around the actual wrestlers..

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I'll tell you what won't work:

 

Putting the same names: HHH and Taker...in the top feud every month.

 

IT just won't ever work again.

 

Another bad step:

 

The proposed SS card before Nash's injury shocases the problems with the WWE better than ANYTHING ELSE:

 

SPOILERS*******

 

Rock vs. Brock

Hogan vs. Vince

HHH vs. Nash

 

so let's see what their plan has in store:

 

A guy who stays around for 6 weeks losing the title to an unover on air rookie...

 

A promoter vs. an over the hill bad wrestler who's title reign cost the company over half of their teen audience...

 

And the two biggest political players of all time.

 

No where on that top three list are the following names (the names I beleive should round out the top nine in the company):

 

1. Kurt Angle

2. Chris Jericho

3. Chris Benoit

4. RVD

5. Eddy Guerrero

6. Booker T

7. Edge

8. Lance Storm

9. Christian

 

 

 

You want problems? look no further.

 

Any of those matches on the SS card going to pass ***?

 

Rock and Brock has a chance.

 

But all the workers...well...they aren't on the list.

[Guest redbaron51]

shut down other wrestling websites that provide spoilers (except the smarks of course)

[Guest HollywoodSpikeJenkins]

Spoilers are good. If we don't have them, how will we know how much WWE isnt paying attention to the Cruiser division in advance?

[Guest Razor Roman]

The WWE needs to make every bit of the show was exciting to watch as the RAW over-run. Make sure people keep tuning in. Get the talent and writers to realize that just because you're not working the final match of the night doesn't mean you're not important. They need to have angles that make sense. I mean, they could have at least come up with some way to get rid of the nWo other than Vince saying that they're gone... they had a whole week to come up with something, and that's the best they can do? I mean, the nWo are rebels.. they would take a company over even if they were dissolved, wouldn't they?

 

They need to create characters that are entertaining to watch, and that the fans want to win... and not just in a "smark" way (like I think Jericho should win all his matches, or think Angle should be champ)... they need a character like Foley played in 99-00... where you were really rooting for the guy. No one in the WWE is like that right now... there is no one really that likable (personality wise) in the WWE right now. Actually, the best I can do right now is Spike Dudley... hear how the crowd pops every time he pulls of a move on a bigger opponent? Or how nuts everyone went when it looked like Jeff Hardy could have beaten the Undertaker...

 

Rob Van Dam is over with the crowd for his moves... and moves are good... but without Characters pro wrestling is nothing more that fake boxing, or fake ultimate fighting.

[Guest cabbageboy]

There is nothing they can do to improve ratings. First off, the ratings now are more typical of what wrestling ratings have always been....1998-2000 is the aberration. Sure, some day there will be some dude that captures the public's imagination and ratings will surge. This could be 2008 though.

 

As long as ratings stay decent enough for the show's to stay on the air, I don't much care. Actually I'm glad all these teenybopper fans have stopped watching.

[Guest Razor Roman]

I'm not glad wrestling is unpopular again. Now I get made fun of when I use my Chris Jericho checks to pay for things.

[Guest MrRant]

There is nothing they can do to improve ratings. First off, the ratings now are more typical of what wrestling ratings have always been....1998-2000 is the aberration. Sure, some day there will be some dude that captures the public's imagination and ratings will surge. This could be 2008 though.

 

As long as ratings stay decent enough for the show's to stay on the air, I don't much care. Actually I'm glad all these teenybopper fans have stopped watching.

Remember as much as we hate those "teenybopper" fans THEY are where the most money is at. And when the WWE is making lots of money that is better for us. Means more money for production values, more shows, more advertising (remember the Super Bowl commerical?) and it does mean that you won't get laughed at quite as much. Its a an evil to be sure... but one that is needed. Unless "smarks" can somehow number around 8-10 million viewers then we don't need them.

[Guest goodolemr]

Dump all ownership angles. And yes, this General Manager stuff is just another ownership angle.

 

Develop storylines that center on active wrestlers, whether it is based on personal issues or pursuit of the world title.

[Guest Your Olympic Hero]

I haven't read the other posts on this thread, so if I repeat anyone, sorry..

 

LONG TERM PLANNING --- 2 weeks isn't long enough to build up a feud that anyones gonna give a fuck about, and that's about how long they try. The two month long feuds get stale because they all stem from a REALLY stupid conflict. Plus we never have to wait to see the guys fight. If William Regal feuds with Jeff Hardy, we get a tag match at every show where both guys are involved. (Ex.: Regal & Nowinski vs. The Hardy Boyz, then Regal & Guerrero vs. RVD & Jeff, etc.) So when the PPV comes, it's nothing unpredictable that we haven't seen before. The formula for a good feud is so easy, and Regal and Hardy are showing that right now. Hardy upsets Regal for the Euro title. Regal really cares about the Euro title so he's pissed. He wants it back so he hates Jeff Hardy. Simple as that. We don't need things like Jericho pissing in Regal's tea last year.

 

ONE PERSON WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING --- The right people are already there. They can bring in the ratings. Bringing in Goldberg, Flair, Michaels, nWo, whoever... it doesn't make the ratings STAY up. It gets one segment to raise a little higher than the others. Push new guys that are actually talented that people care about. Don't bring in old timers like WCW did.

 

I think the WWE is slacking off because they know that they have no completition. If NWA TNA could build itself up to something huge, and we have the "big two" again, then maybe the WWE will up their effort.

 

I'm rambling, so I'll stop now.

[Guest Mattdotcom]

Celebrities! Musicians! WWE-Get the Second "W" OUT!!!

 

Hey, that's how they're probably thinking, not me.

[Guest El Satanico]

shut down other wrestling websites that provide spoilers

But WWe gives spoilers out on their own website so what good would that do? Besides the casual fans who bring ratings aren't the ones searcing the internet for news and spoilers.

[Guest TheHulkster]

I think that they need to do a better job at building main events. As talented and as entertaining as the midcard, the cruisers, and the women can be, most people buy the WWE pay per views depending on if the main event is enticing or not. The last main event that was good in build and delivery was Rock Vs Hogan many months ago at Wrestlemania. Look at the main events of the last few pay per views after that: Hogan Vs HHH, Undertaker Vs Hogan, and Undertaker Vs Triple H. What wrestling fan would really want to pay for a show with those kind of main events? I'm a big mark for Hogan and I wouldn't want to pay $30+ for a show headlined by that shit. Hogan can't go at that level any more, HHH is not a PPV main event draw, and neither is Taker, and they can't deliver a payoff in the ring at a main event level anymore. Guys like Edge, Angle, RVD, Brock (it's a little early for Brock, but he hasn't been worn out yet feud-wise in the least and is healthy), Booker T, Jericho, Eddie, and other young guys should be headlining right now, but thanks to some apparent loyalty to these established names, their main events suffer and continue to suffer. The writing for the main event has been equally as bad as the workrate. I'm not going to go off on a tangent complaining about the writing team, but fans have a hard time buying shows when they know it won't deliver an exciting match now matter how good or bad the writing is. Because once you've plopped down the $30+, all the storylines in the world don't matter, because people pay for 3 hours of wrestling, and they have to give it to them. I don't mean to be longwinded, but they need to do some serious house cleaning in the main events right now.

[Guest deadbeater]

No Molly scheduled, so no Vengeance for me.

[Guest Down Below]

Molly -v- Torrie for the title, according to 411.

[Guest Respect The 'Taker]

I gotta agree with bps on this one, as much as it kills my Taker-senses...push fucking RVD!!! Why? The guy is OVER and can BACK IT UP, name ONE other guy that is worthy of main eventing outside Benoit, Guerrero, Jericho, Rock & Angle who can do that.

 

Taker as champ is good for me, but not for the business, i'd rather the WWE survive on a champ that ALL fans are into instead of the company dying off a champ i happen to be a huge fan of.

 

Nash's ever so predictable super-push is on hold now obiviously because of his injury, so its time Vince put someone in there to take the place of Nash...Rob Van Dam. A more than worthy replacement.

 

Your friendly neighbourhood Taker-man

[Guest deadbeater]

Holy sh---Hulkster, dude!!! Great pic of Hogan doing the Inziguri!!

 

Reminds me, how come the wrestlers out there are just doing their Five Moves of Doom, moves the fans come to expect them to make, instead of sometimes whipping out a move that they can do but the fans don't expect them too, like Air Kane or UT's Old School rope walk? A great move or crowd pleasing moment can make up for a mediocre match. When Marty Janetty was fighting some Joey Joe-Joe Jr. Shabadoo in ECW, the fans booed throughout the match. But when Marty hit the Tamikaze, all of the fans turned around and cheered the two, and Marty shook hands with Joey for taking it like a man.

 

I mean, take Stacey Kiebler. Eye candy jobber regulated to bra and panty matches and being felt up by Vince McMahon. Now have Stacey practice and execute Chun-Li style helicopter kicks or other lightning fast kicks. Now she is not only an in-ring legit threat, her moveset using her long legs really wows the crowd. Now, Molly, in a fit, grabs Stacey and does the Manami Cradle Roll. Not only a legit move but especially with Stacey in it, a very sexy one too. Stuff like that should get huge pop.

[Guest TheHulkster]

Only in Japan will you see Hogan do shit like that.

Ichiban!