WWE to add more PPV's next year

[Guest oldschoolwrestling]

WWE has ambitious plans for PPVs in 2003. They are considering running 19 PPV events in 2003, with split PPVs for Raw and Smackdown brands in months without a major PPV (Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, King of the Ring, Summerslam and Survivor Series being the majors).

 

WWE has contacted InDemand and has had preliminary talks with them about running the additional PPVs, but nothing is set as of yet.

 

The plan would apparently start in February, between the 2003 Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania 19.

 

Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter

[Guest Human Fly]

Those would be ambitious plans when business is on an upswing. If it has any hope of working they need to drop the price. Even the biggest mark won't pay 35 bucks for 19 ppvs.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

First off, the WWE would have to drop the price of each PPV in order for me to order them. I'm not paying $29.99 twice a month, that's for damn sure.

[Guest jester]

Wow, maybe we'll see feuds with a one show build up.

 

Actually, we're already seeing that, aren't we?

[Guest TheArchiteck]

19 ppvs a year?

Damn. They have 2 at least drop it by $10 then.

[Guest Brian]

They've been planning this for almost two years so it's not that much of a surprise. They're just trying to squeeze some extra buys out of people, and try to netice the rest into ordering either a SmackDown or RAW show and further get control over the pay per view market. Solution: start ordering UFC. September 27.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I guess Vince really doesn't know NWA exists. I've always said the only way WWF could go out of business is if Vince actively bankrupt himself. Well, good luck Vince.

[Guest HartFan86]

If they do this, drop the price to 20 bucks for the regular PPV, the big 5 have them for 30 and Mania have it for 35.

[Guest tominator89]

I can't help but think WWE might actually be considering bringing back WCW. There's the small, subtle things like moving the announce table and then bringing back the big world title. If Goldberg or Steiner shows up, I'll be convinced. Then either the 500th RAW or the 10th anniversary of RAW will mark the return of WCW.

[Guest Brian]

Maybe Eric's stealing the cruiserweight divisio. Chris Jericho for Tajiri, Rey, Kidman, and a short guy to be named later.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I say they should drop to 6 ppv's that way the have one every other month and they have two months to build up feuds and storylines.

 

Two months isn't that much time so the fans won't be bored waiting for the next ppv.

 

It could be like this:

 

Jan. Royal Rumble

Feb. --

March WrestleMania

Apr. --

May KOTR

Jun. --

Jul. SummerSlam

Aug. --

Sep. Fall Brawl: WAR GAMES <-----

Oct. --

Nov. Survivor Series

Dec. --

[Guest Trivia247]

I think it would be more profitable to tap into the Old ECW fan base and go back to hardcore matches ECW style, barbwire, taipei, Singapore canes etc.

 

but I digress.

 

 

I agree if they add on PPVs they need to lower the cost too incorporate the fans.

 

I also believe if they plan on making 2 sets of PPVs for both shows, they have to Add more titles to each side, Smackdown needs its own Tag belts, and some kind of IC type belt, Since they are going WCWesique may as well use the US title.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

The Reason I think the 6 ppv idea would work is that because there are less ppv's the fans won't be fed up of paying $35 every month. Plus with better build up more people will want to watch the ppv. The buy rates would go up and still make the WWE money.

 

The ppv's would seem more important. Hopefully that would make the TV shows seem more important because they would have to start building feuds and storylines.

 

Back in the day they had RAW and Superstars as their shows to build storylines and before that just Superstars and Primetime. Now they have RAW and Smackdown.

 

So I say Rumble, Mania, KOTR, SummerSlam, Fall Brawl:War Games, and Survivor Series would be great.

[Guest evenflowDDT]

I somehow doubt the WWE will end up going through this, since I honestly don't think the RAW/Smackdown angle will last very much longer. Remember when they first bought WCW and were planning to run WCW-only house shows? Remember how that never happened? Exactly.

[Guest mach7]

Jesus, they're idiots.

 

If anything, they need to have LESS than 12 ppv's a year.. Of course, I'm not thinking from a business standpoint, but rather from a "too much is bad" standpoint.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

okay everyone's no-selling my idea so I'll just not worry about it.

[Guest Luke Cage]

Vince has already killed the goose that laid the golden egg. If this news is true it sounds like he's finally ready to cook it up.

[Guest tominator89]

I somehow doubt the WWE will end up going through this, since I honestly don't think the RAW/Smackdown angle will last very much longer.  Remember when they first bought WCW and were planning to run WCW-only house shows? Remember how that never happened? Exactly.

 

 

If they are serious about a WCW relaunch, then it's nice to know they're planning this months in advance. The reason the first WCW relaunch never developed was because they rushed the Invasion angle after TNN wouldn't give them a separate timeslot. With proper planning and execution, it could work.

[Guest Brian]

I think twelve's perfect for both sides. On one hand it's not too many, because you could legitmately put together a PPV within one or two television shows. And it's good for business too. I've gotten used to the IYH format anyways.

[Guest FeArHaVoC]

I have no problem if it's a "IYH" type of deal. But, I want 3 hour PPV's, not 2.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

you "could" put a ppv together with two shows, but some of the best ppv's in history were not put together on two shows.

 

Maybe they could go with my 6 ppv idea and on the off months have Clash of the Champions type shows.

[Guest chirs3]

It's not that bad an idea if they'd SEPERATE THE DAMN SHOWS. Have the five big ones be shared, and have each brand get their own extra seven. So if you stick with one brand, really, nothing changes.

[Guest tominator89]

This is precisely why I think the WCW re-relaunch could work. Share Wrestlemania, Starrcade, Fall Brawl: War Games, Survivor Series. The rest can be King of the Ring, Halloween Havoc, etc which are separate. Then, while alternating ppvs, the other brand can build towards their own ppv. So, if someone follows their own separate brand they only really have to order every other PPV, which will probably be better since it will have a better buildup.

[Guest Brian]

I said it only takes only a few shows to set it up. Building it up properly takes time, but easily in four shows you could get something going like Rock/Jericho.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Jan. Royal Rumble Combined

Feb. Superbrawl (RAW)

Mar. No Way Out (Smackdown)

Apr. Wrestlemania Combined

May Spring Stampede (RAW)

Jun. King of the Ring (Smackdown)

Jul. Great American Bash Combined

Late Aug. Fall Brawl (RAW) I know it isnt fall yet..

Early Sep. Summerslam (Smackdown) Still summer...

Oct. Halloween Havoc Combined

Nov. Starcade (RAW)

Dec. Survivor Series (Smackdown)

 

This is the best I could come up with, as the Big 5 remain PPVs, and you also get to add some of WCW's big PPVs (SuperBrawl, Starcade, Halloween Havoc). It goes on a basic schedule of a combined PPV every 3 months. Each Brand gets 2 major PPV names and each brand gets 4 minor PPV names.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Okay if they're shared how about alternate months:

 

Jan Royal Rumble

Feb Super Brawl

Mar WrestleMania

Apr Spring Stampede

May King of the Ring

Jun Great American Bash

Jul SummerSlam

Aug Bash at the Beach

Sep No Mercy

Oct Halloween Havoc

Nov Survivor Series

Dec Starrcade

[Guest tominator89]

That looks like a very reasonable schedule.

[Guest Nevermortal]

Holy shit... 35 bucks a pop for 19 PPVs...That's 665 bucks!

[Guest Kotzenjunge]

Forget the WCW names, they'll never use them.

 

Fo sheez,

Kotzenjunge

[Guest HartFan86]

Holy shit... 35 bucks a pop for 19 PPVs...That's 665 bucks!

You could buy a black box way cheaper then that.