WM 21 Buyrate

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

XIX had a bad buyrate because the two most promoted matches were Vince/Hogan which nobody wanted to see and Austin/Rock which we had seen twice at Wrestlemania already when both guys weren't part-timers.

[Promoter 0]

Another theory making the rounds is that the company is getting buys from fans who can't see the event at bars anymore. All this stuff could be true, but I bet if it was last year Benoit and Eddie would be getting all the praise for the big buy-rate instead of all this theories why a Mania that was main evented by Cena and Batista got this big buy.

[RHR 0]

Just a thought towards part of the buyrate...but isn't it true that all HOOTERS no longer show WWE events...I mean...hell...there are at least 10 buys from the Hooters I used to go to alone...that could add a few thousand or so...plus...it is Wrestlemania...and WM should always do about 900k plus if it at least gets advertised....hell...I had ten NON wrestling fans over to watch...it is like the Super Bowl...which...for some...is the only game they watch all year...

[Naked Snake 0]

Did the news do anything for the WWE stock? Did it bump it up or anything?

[Guest Catcher8C]

Here is why WM buyrates are increasing while the rest of business has yet to see another boom period:

 

VKM and crew have finally gotten over the biggest stumbling block that the show has had: A lack of "big-match" feel.

 

Up until WM XIX and to a lesser extent XX, WWE has finally phased mid-card workers out of the mix. This is crucial because WM isn't like a normal show, and at the same time tag-team wrestling does not draw fans.

 

There was a time when WM was not a supercard. There was a time when it featured the blow-off to angles from the main eventers all the way down to the curtain jerkers. Now that WWE has begun to phase out the curtain jerkers, giving more ring-time to main eventers.

 

The non-sensical angles that led to HBK/Angle and Orton/Taker prove that people don't care. Sales aren't angle driven; they are buildup and character driven. The Smackdown 6 in 2002 did not have character or buildup, and they worked **** star matches while watching the buyrates stagnate.

[iggymcfly 0]

The non-sensical angles that led to HBK/Angle and Orton/Taker prove that people don't care. Sales aren't angle driven; they are buildup and character driven. The Smackdown 6 in 2002 did not have character or buildup, and they worked **** star matches while watching the buyrates stagnate.

Bullshit. It's completely angle-driven.

 

The main events of WM XIX and WM XX featured no memorable angles whatsoever. Brock kinda wanted to challenge Angle, and Benoit won the RR so he got to interject himself into HHH and HBK's never-ending feud.

 

Meanwhile, WM XXI featured the climax of one of the hottest face turns in memory, as Batista turned on his patronizing former mentor, HHH. That hot angle was the primary impetus for the increase in buys.

 

And while you may not have personally liked the Orton/Taker and Angle/HBK feuds, they were much better than anything that was on the undercard over the last few years.

 

Randy Orton stepping up to the undefeatable Undertaker and trying to break his streak was a lot better than Taker lighting fireworks whenever Kane wrestled, and the depth and backstory for the Angle/HBK feud was much better than Brock and Goldberg showing up on each other's shows and staring at each other.

[Promoter 0]

I think the increase in buys isn't necessarily due to the elimination of midcard workers although that is one element. If you look at the earlier Mania shows there was a mix of lower card to main event on the card. I still think in terms of depth a show like WM III still had a bigger match feel. At the top you had the big match feel of Hogan and Andre. The upper midcard had Steamboat and Savage. The mid-card had the Bulldogs/HF and Piper/Adonis, while the low card had stuff with Bundy and Muraco etc. IMO, that still looks more like a big match card compared to WM 19 that had "4 main events". I might say putting taking out boring filler might have helped. One thing we are missing in this equation is that perhaps the brand extension is playing a major role in this.

 

I don't think Angle/HBK was nonsensical at all. They did revisionist history, but it was believable. Angle won the gold medal in 1996, but HBK was getting accolades being the "professional wrestler". HBK is one of the most decorated athletes in wwe history, but Angle is the only Olympic decorated athlete in wwe history. They played this up and it illustrated both characters and the accomplishments. This was better than last year's dream match with Goldberg and Lesnar. Orton turning heel to challenge UT after failing to capture the gold made sense in terms of him trying to regain his credibility as a legend killer. It was better than UT/Kane's reason for fighting last year.

[Jericholic82 0]

I think Brock and Angle had abetter buildup then you give credit for. It was two former amateurs, angle the olympic hero vs brock the ncaa champ who jumped right to the pros. I know to me that was the only reason I really wanted to see wm 19 along with hbk-jericho.

 

 

Its kinda sad to me that some people will pay that much just to see a broken down Hulk. Honestly I was never a bgi fan of his, and while its fun to have nostalgia, his relevance ran out after the Rock match in 02.

 

 

But I guess only making sporadic appearnces have softened the hearts of most fans.

[Promoter 0]

I'm not really downplaying Angle and Brock's build, but Angle's condition kind of made the whole thing queezy. I also think that free match on smackdown wasn't a good idea. Some people liked their WrestleMania encounter more, but imo the SummerSlam match was much better.

[WrestlingFan4Ever 0]

I wonder how many buys the HBK/Angle matchup added. I know, regardless of the fact that I buy WrestleMania every year, that that match was the one I was most looking forward to seeing.

[Jericholic82 0]

I'm not really downplaying Angle and Brock's build, but Angle's condition kind of made the whole thing queezy. I also think that free match on smackdown wasn't a good idea. Some people liked their WrestleMania encounter more, but imo the SummerSlam match was much better.

yea it wa shard to watch, worrying that angle might hurt himself, plus Brocks scray ssp miss. I havent seen the summerslam one but have seen the iron man. I like wm 19 better however.

[TheFranchise 0]

I prefer Slam to Mania, but it's such a little difference, if Brock would have hit the SSP correctly and pinned Angle, i'd probably have picked XIX over it... that shows you how close they were.

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

I *LOVED* the Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar WWE Title Match on Smackdown! just prior to WM 19.

 

After hearing about Angle's neck, the entire internet community was sure it was going to be Angle dropping the belt in seconds to Brock on Smackdown, and then Brock Vs. Benoit at Mania.

 

So what happens?

 

"Angle" gets hit with Brock's finisher in seconds...and then, Bam, fuck you Smarks, AngleMania kicks in and he PINS BROCK.

 

See you at Mania, bitch. I just pinned you.

[Jericholic82 0]

I *LOVED* the Kurt Angle Vs. Brock Lesnar WWE Title Match on Smackdown! just prior to WM 19.

 

After hearing about Angle's neck, the entire internet community was sure it was going to be Angle dropping the belt in seconds to Brock on Smackdown, and then Brock Vs. Benoit at Mania.

 

So what happens?

 

"Angle" gets hit with Brock's finisher in seconds...and then, Bam, fuck you Smarks, AngleMania kicks in and he PINS BROCK.

 

See you at Mania, bitch. I just pinned you.

THAT WAS A COOL SWERVE

[Promoter 0]

Yeah, it was a cool swerve, but I think it was bad for business. How many in the masses felt they would get ripped off by another match like that between the two at WrestleMania. Then consider the "senior's tour match"(Bob Costas' words not mine) and HHH against Booker T who became a contender out of nowhere and maybe that buy-rate isn't so surprising. I guess Jericho and HBK didn't draw that well. When you take into account that horrible main event Jericho had a year earlier and not surprising.

 

I forgot BROCK/Benoit was rumoured for Mania 19. BrockLock vs. The Crippler Crossface on smackdown months later comes to mind