Ratings only a problem in the U.S.?

[Guest pappajacks]

The article is a month old, but I don't think much has changed since then.

 

 

WWE Canadian ratings on the rise

Newswire

 

9/18/2002

TORONTO (Newswire) - World Wrestling Entertainment Canada Inc. has seen very positive growth in the Canadian market during the 2001/2002 broadcast season, and continues to attract viewers to its unique brand of entertainment.

 

 

 

WWE's flagship program RAW, which airs 9 p.m. Eastern time on TSN, has increased in ratings by 16% overall from the previous year; and SmackDown!, which airs 7 p.m. Eastern time on The Score, has increased in ratings by 43% overall from the previous television broadcast season (all percentiles throughout are based on original plus repeat audiences).

 

 

 

World Wrestling Entertainment properties are the No. 1 ranked regularly scheduled programs on TSN and The Score against all viewers 2+, T12- 17, A18-34, A18-49, M18-34 and M18-49; and, RAW is the No. 1 ranked regularly scheduled program on all Canadian English specialty television against those same demographics.

 

 

 

WWE's fan base is also growing in diversity. Women 18-34 tune into RAW 25% more than the previous television broadcast season resulting in a cumulative total of 81,000 female viewers. WWE SmackDown! possesses 60% more female (18-34) viewers than the previous television broadcast season.

 

 

 

"Our ratings in Canada have grown significantly over the past several months," said Carl DeMarco, President, World Wrestling Entertainment Canada, Inc. "Our fans in Canada are the best in the world, and are growing in number every day."

 

 

 

In addition to overall ratings, key selling demographics such as A18-34 and M18-34 have each increased by 23% for RAW. Similarly, SmackDown! is up 25% for A18-34 and 23% for M18-34.

 

 

 

"The success of Smackdown! on The Score has had a profound impact on our overall audience growth." Said David Errington, Senior Vice President and General Manager, The Score "The Score's overall A2+ audiences have increased over 44% from last year, and our partnership with WWE has played an integral role in that success."

 

 

 

Additionally, WWE programs avoided the traditional summer drop-off faced by television with regards to ratings. RAW viewership increased 21% from last year's Summer season (an average cumulative total of 839,000 overall viewers over the last Summer season), and SmackDown! increased 12% from last year's Summer season (an average cumulative total of 138,000 overall viewers over the last Summer season).

 

 

 

"WWE's RAW continues to be one of TSN's most popular shows," says Phil King, Senior Vice President of programming, TSN. "RAW never ceases to thrill fans with its unique blend of high-flying athleticism and off-the-wall story lines. Canadian wrestling fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming season."

[Guest bravesfan]

...lol, damn those Canadians and their twisted viewing habits, weird arena chants and bizarro-world face pops for heels.

[Guest DJ Jeff]

Hey, I'm Canadian.

[Guest benoitrules2000]

That explains a LOT!

[Guest Hogan Made Wrestling]

That explains a LOT!

He doesn't represent us. Well, those of us who don't live in trailer parks, anyway.

[Guest AndrewTS]

As if Canada bashing wasn't justified enough...in the one area where we thought they were perfect--their wrestling viewing habits, they turn out to be bigger morons than thought.

 

Hey, maybe Raw can reinact that Canadian masterpiece, "The Final Sacrifice." I elect we move Albert to Raw to play Rowsdower...Spike can play Troy...HHH is pure evil so he can play Garth Vader, the leader of the tattooed hockey-playing S&M cultists.

 

Canada will never live this down...

 

No offense to the smart/smark Canadians, but even our marks are tuning out in droves--even if Raw went up a negligible amount last week.

 

Of course...aren't there more Americans in a northern state than, like, ALL of Canada?

[Guest DJ Jeff]

Don't hate us Canadians just because we love our wrestling.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Don't hate us Canadians just because we love our wrestling.

Which has WHAT to do with Raw?

[Guest Karnage]

This just gives Canadians a bad name.

[Guest AndrewTS]

This just gives Canadians a bad name.

Where you been? Americans already bash Canadians for various other reasons, it just gives them a worse name then before.

[Guest bravesfan]

Don't hate us Canadians just because we love our wrestling.

Which has WHAT to do with Raw?

Only way I can make an excuse for this is that a normal Canadian wrestling fans' idea of tuning out Raw, is equitable to Americans and good ol' porn. No matter how bad it gets, they're still be there (which allows Vinnie Mac to think that nothing is wrong with the current product).

 

That is all.

[Guest AM The Kid]

Aww...thanks for the black eye to Canada.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Don't hate us Canadians just because we love our wrestling.

Which has WHAT to do with Raw?

Only way I can make an excuse for this is that a normal Canadian wrestling fans' idea of tuning out Raw, is equitable to Americans and good ol' porn. No matter how bad it gets, they're still be there (which allows Vinnie Mac to think that nothing is wrong with the current product).

 

That is all.

Which would make sense if it was a slight decrease or the same...but..

 

IT WENT UP!

 

Explain that to me?! That means they liked it enough that non-viewers started watching.

[Guest The Superstar]

Don't hate us Canadians just because we love our wrestling.

 

Don't worry, I hate you for other reasons.

[Guest Will Scarlet]

I think it may have had to do with Wrestlemania in Canada somehow. Here in Windsor, they used to yank Raw off for Leafs games all the time, but after Wrestlemania was over, they strangely starting showing Raw even when the Maple Leafs were playing. At the time, I attributed it to good feelings over Wrestlemania and the fact that the hockey games were pretty meaningless. I guess I was wrong though, as they seemed to have continued that trend this hockey season, as Raw played last week, despite a Leafs game going on. Too bad though. Last year at around this time, I would be ecstatic that Raw is being shown instead of hockey, but this year, I really do not care because Raw sucks anyway.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

Did someone just compare watching Raw to watching porn? Canadians must be stranger than I thought.

[Guest Super Pissed Smark]

This is all bullshit. I suspect the "increase" in RAW ratings are simply because it hasn't been pre-empted as often as it has in the past. Used to be between hockey and the incredibly exciting curling, it'd be bumped to midnight on the east coast every other week.

 

And Smackdown? When the hell did they even start airing Smackdown on The Score? How many cable outlets carried the channel last year, and when did people realize it was even available up here? I think those questions are the answers to its' 43% increase from last year. No way the WWE has doubled viewership up here.

 

That Smackdown would be the highest rated program on The Score isn't surprising, considering their only other program is half-hour blocks of sports highlights, and MLB games that are broadcast on another network at the same time anyway. Totally pointless network.

 

As to the summer being better than last, all I can offer is an anecdote of going into a local bar one Monday night and seeing literally NOBODY watching the TV that was tuned to RAW (it was a Rock promo, too). A year ago there would have been multiple TVs tuned to the show and plenty of people sitting around them, so I have the feeling these numbers are just a load of crap from a company so desperate for good news it has to go all the way to Canada to manufacture some.

[Guest pappajacks]

Personally, I don't see how this increase in Canada and the decrease in the US means that there is a bigger % of marks in Canada.

 

The storylines might suck now, but the quality of wrestlers in the fed has never been this good. You have RVD, Jericho, Benoit, Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Booker T, Tajiri, Edge and many others all under the same roof (same company). They are wrestling practically every week.

 

The ratings were highest in the US when Vince Russo was booking. At the time, it was more entertainment than wrestling. The New Age Outlaws, X-Pac, Chyna, Big Bossman, Ken Shamrock, Vince McMahon, Brisco & Patterson, etc and other ridiculous gimmicks were presented to viewers on TV every single week. That's when the ratings in the US hit a high.

 

We might complain about the current product (the crappy storylines), but I feel the quality of wrestlers we have now is better than the quality we had then. The vignettes do suck, but the actual wrestling on free TV is superior than what we had during the Russo era (the time where US ratings hit a peak).

[Guest razazteca]

if Goldust & Booker T did a remake of Strange Brew or of the Mckensie Brothers then the ratings would go to the moon.

 

I blame Canada for the Kane push

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

What's up with the crappy Canadian culture references? I can think of many reasons as to why Canada isn't as embarassing a country to live in as the US. When you're talking about North America, that is your yardstick.

[Guest AndrewTS]

What's up with the crappy Canadian culture references? I can think of many reasons as to why Canada isn't as embarassing a country to live in as the US. When you're talking about North America, that is your yardstick.

The much less sparsely populated South for the most part is our obvious idiot mecca for the most part--although there are intelligent people there, there are plenty of rednecks.

 

The more densely populated parts of Canada are near the border--and as a whole the country doesn't have many people, so there shouldn't be that many regional disparities besides the French/English differences.

 

Of course, we have plenty of city idiots, but Canada constantly makes an ass out of themselves. And for a country that prides themselves on their hockey skills, they haven't a single gold medal to their credit.

 

And if America was so embarassing, a great number of Canadian borne citizens wouldn't be moving there. Of course, the second they have the sniffles, it's back home for free health care.

 

Who is the Prime Minister of Canada--does anybody here know? Bush sucks but we admit that. I can only assume Canada's is somebody named "Jacques." Maybe GW can puke on him sometime.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

The more densely populated parts of Canada are near the border--and as a whole the country doesn't have many people, so there shouldn't be that many regional disparities besides the French/English differences.

 

It is a long way from Victoria to St. John's. America is far more unified than Canada. Just look at every national election for the past decade. Atlantic Canada goes PC, Quebec goes Bloq, Ontario goes Liberal, Saskatchewan goes NDP, and the west goes Alliance (formerly Reform).

 

 

Of course, we have plenty of city idiots, but Canada constantly makes an ass out of themselves. And for a country that prides themselves on their hockey skills, they haven't a single gold medal to their credit.

 

You apparently have a bad memory. And we aren't idiots, we're just drunk.

 

And if America was so embarassing, a great number of Canadian borne citizens wouldn't be moving there. Of course, the second they have the sniffles, it's back home for free health care.

 

America isn't embarrassing, but they do have some problems, as does any nation. Canadians move down there for two reasons:

 

1) Money. Like or not, the US controls most major industries in the Western Hemisphere.

 

2) It's warmer. Florida would be a swamp without the tourism industry, of which Canadians play the most important part.

 

Who is the Prime Minister of Canada--does anybody here know? Bush sucks but we admit that. I can only assume Canada's is somebody named "Jacques." Maybe GW can puke on him sometime.

 

Jean Chretien, and he is a far bigger idiot than Bush, although not quite the buffoon that Clinton was.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Hehe...my bad--actually, I have a bad memory, since I saw Canada never won one in wrestling, and said that Angle could use that as a good slam vs. Benoit.

 

Although I could swear I didn't see one for hockey...

 

Do they have one for curling?! =P

 

And no way Jacques--er, Jean is a bigger idiot than Bush. And Clinton is more intelligent than Bush. Morally more depraved? Yes. Sneakier? Yes. Although he did slip up when questioned. And he probably made America more of a laughing stock than Bush ever will be able to.

 

I really wonder WHEN THE FUCK PEOPLE WILL ELECT A PRESIDENT WE CAN RESPECT AGAIN!!?