The Evolution of the WWE Viewing Audience

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Watching SummerSlam tonight at the local theatre something dawned on me.

 

Kids.

 

The WWE is dominated by kids. That theatre was fucking overrun with people in two age brackets. 12 and under and 34 and over. Kids and parents to the fucking walls. And it really, really hurt the product. Which got me thinking to where the WWE has come today.

 

It was a really odd night at the PPV in terms of crowd reaction. During the dueling chants for Cena and Jericho it was made abundantly clear that the children and female aspect was heavily in Cena's corner whilst the male audience was backing Jericho. Cena got a ton of boos, something that has also been growing lately. Seeing as how they made Angle out to be a monster tonight and he's facing Cena at Unforgiven I believe we will be seeing the same thing.

 

Orton vs Taker is another example. Lots of females in the audience behind Orton and he was extremely over with the kids and ladies in the theatre tonight. Kids eat up Rey Mysterio like he's some sort of delicious candy. Somebody made a great point in the SummerSlam thread about how Eddy has been de-pushed to the point where people have been solidly behind him in this feud, despite WWE's heavy attempts to make him the heel. The WWE seems to have forgotten one thing the fans have not: Eddy Guerrero can be a really fucking great wrestler and has a lasting legacy with the audience. They will cheer him on that alone. If they're doing Eddy vs Batista I'll be very interested to see how things shape up.

 

I doubt WWE would consider this any kind of a problem and it probably isn't but it was noticeable enough to me to actually wonder how it could effect things. The audience is becoming more vocal in terms of not taking to pushed heels and faces the way the WWE would like them to. Financially this audience is the bread and butter but it gradually will (and has to an extent) push hardcore fans away.

 

And man, did I want to smack the fucking chick who kept calling Cena sexy and screamed right in myself (but more into Rudo's) ear when he won.

[Styles 0]

Kids cheer for who they're supposed to and get their parents to spend lots of money on shit. Plus they can be hooked as fan when they're young. They're exactly who WWE wants to go after from a business standpoint.

 

I agree it's really annoying though. At Summerslam it was as evident as ever where all the kiddies and women were nuts for Cena and all the guys were totally against him and for Jericho.

[The Mandarin 0]

Kids eat up Rey Mysterio like he's some sort of delicious candy.

 

I swear to God they do. Rey Mysterio action figures disappear faster than RVD's selling after leg work.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Watching SummerSlam tonight at the local theatre something dawned on me.

 

Kids.

 

The WWE is dominated by kids. That theatre was fucking overrun with people in two age brackets. 12 and under and 34 and over. Kids and parents to the fucking walls. And it really, really hurt the product. Which got me thinking to where the WWE has come today.

 

It was a really odd night at the PPV in terms of crowd reaction. During the dueling chants for Cena and Jericho it was made abundantly clear that the children and female aspect was heavily in Cena's corner whilst the male audience was backing Jericho. Cena got a ton of boos, something that has also been growing lately. Seeing as how they made Angle out to be a monster tonight and he's facing Cena at Unforgiven I believe we will be seeing the same thing.

 

Orton vs Taker is another example. Lots of females in the audience behind Orton and he was extremely over with the kids and ladies in the theatre tonight. Kids eat up Rey Mysterio like he's some sort of delicious candy. Somebody made a great point in the SummerSlam thread about how Eddy has been de-pushed to the point where people have been solidly behind him in this feud, despite WWE's heavy attempts to make him the heel. The WWE seems to have forgotten one thing the fans have not: Eddy Guerrero can be a really fucking great wrestler and has a lasting legacy with the audience. They will cheer him on that alone. If they're doing Eddy vs Batista I'll be very interested to see how things shape up.

 

I doubt WWE would consider this any kind of a problem and it probably isn't but it was noticeable enough to me to actually wonder how it could effect things. The audience is becoming more vocal in terms of not taking to pushed heels and faces the way the WWE would like them to. Financially this audience is the bread and butter but it gradually will (and has to an extent) push hardcore fans away.

 

And man, did I want to smack the fucking chick who kept calling Cena sexy and screamed right in myself (but more into Rudo's) ear when he won.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

One of the things I like most about the WWE is the audience -- Who cheers for what and what angles get over and what don't. The WWE's absurd ideas make it all the more fun.

 

Kids were cheering for Orton? Really?

[Lord of The Curry 0]

I can understand why Rey is where he is right now in terms of position with the company. He's the type of guy where if you sat somebody down who didn't really watch wrestling and showed them a solid Rey match they'd become a fan. The tats, mask, flashy colours, entrance etc. are all for the most part done for the kids. It dates back to what the old Japan promotions would do with characters like Tiger Mask. Doesn't hurt that both guys are great wrestlers but I doubt that this Eddy feud did Rey any favours with his fans.

[Darthtiki 0]

Thank god I watch in a Mark free Smark environment

[The Mandarin 0]

In all honesty though, I think Delirious would get more over with the kids than Rey Mysterio if he was put on WWE TV. The guy is just so goofy it has to work. Make him somebody's sidekick.

 

"Ring ring ring- Bananaphone!" would sell 10 billion t-shirts.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Kids eat up Rey Mysterio like he's some sort of delicious candy.

 

I swear to God they do. Rey Mysterio action figures disappear faster than RVD's selling after leg work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Keep in mind that on several channels right now (WB, Cartoon Network, any others?) there's a reasonably successful (and extremely corny) luchadore-themed cartoon right now.

 

I'm suprised Vince hasn't taken notice of both the Rey/kids effect and the presence of the cartoon and done some more heavy marketing of Guys In Masks to the saturday morning crowd.

[CanadianChick 0]

Knowing that a huge part of the audience are kids, I'm a bit surprised that WWE is still grasping to the Attitude era with the blood and near-naked females. Logically, you'd think they'd cut down on both, and only do blood on occasion to envoke real emotion. A good example, I think, was when Eddie turned on Rey. And the diva search is a bit mind boggling too, in that respect. Really, with all these kids that are fans now, what they should be seeing should be focused on, if WWE wants to get business from these kids now and in the future.

 

It's a bit like how tabacco companies would have cigarette-based toys to grab the kids early and get them addicted early. Really, they are both just as good for you.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Knowing that a huge part of the audience are kids, I'm a bit surprised that WWE is still grasping to the Attitude era with the blood and near-naked females. Logically, you'd think they'd cut down on both, and only do blood on occasion to envoke real emotion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

People talk about how Hogan and Austin made almost equal money, but check out how long Austin was touring on top and how long Hogan was touring on top.

 

Kids who nag their parents to buy them stuff are money.

 

High School students who are told to get a job but still live with their parents and thus don't have to pay for rent and utilities every month have even more money, and they don't have to cry/beg/negotiate with a parental second opinion to get what they want.

[CBright7831 0]

"Ring ring ring- Bananaphone!" would sell 10 billion t-shirts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.transbuddha.com/osaka/osakaphone.html

[geniusMoment 0]

I agree with the audience demo's you have talked about. No one in my age bracket watches wrestling anymore, even I do not anymore. Its just not fun or cool like it used to be. If you say you watch now you are as big a dork as if you said you watched back in 1994, when only uber-dorks patroled the wrestling audience. The reason why is simple: WWE has gone completely pussy. There is little swearing, the angles are no longer cutting edge, the humor is kid shit, stupid gimmicks went from porn stars banging chicks to inspirational retards, the women are now portrayed as beautiful divas instead of dirty sluts and the match styles are so boring I would rather eat garbage than watch a whole show.

[Guest wildpegasus]

Thank god I watch in a Mark free Smark environment

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

It's way, way more fun to watch wrestling in a mark enviornment.

 

 

Ideally, I say it's best to have a smark buddy or two but the rest have to be marks.

[Guest wildpegasus]

I agree with the audience demo's you have talked about.  No one in my age bracket watches wrestling anymore, even I do not anymore.  Its just not fun or cool like it used to be.  If you say you watch now you are as big a dork as if you said you watched back in 1994, when only uber-dorks patroled the wrestling audience.  The reason why is simple:  WWE has gone completely pussy.  There is little swearing, the angles are no longer cutting edge, the humor is kid shit, stupid gimmicks went from porn stars banging chicks to inspirational retards, the women are now portrayed as beautiful divas instead of dirty sluts and the match styles are so boring I would rather eat garbage than watch a whole show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Poor bunny

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I agree with the audience demo's you have talked about.  No one in my age bracket watches wrestling anymore, even I do not anymore.  Its just not fun or cool like it used to be.  If you say you watch now you are as big a dork as if you said you watched back in 1994, when only uber-dorks patroled the wrestling audience.  The reason why is simple:  WWE has gone completely pussy.  There is little swearing, the angles are no longer cutting edge, the humor is kid shit, stupid gimmicks went from porn stars banging chicks to inspirational retards, the women are now portrayed as beautiful divas instead of dirty sluts and the match styles are so boring I would rather eat garbage than watch a whole show.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only Russo can save us now.

[gWIL 0]

I'd take Russo over Steph any day.

[tekcop 0]

Poor bunny

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Reason #1215056 why WP is one of my favorite posters here.

[CanadianChick 0]

God, I'm glad they are trying to move away from white trash TV. You actually want to see tramps of TV? Dude, seriously, you have the internet. You can witness all the dirty skanks you want with a simple click of a mouse. Shit like that is more embarrassing than the kiddie crap they do now.

[Guest Mordecai's Cathedral]

"Ring ring ring- Bananaphone!" would sell 10 billion t-shirts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.transbuddha.com/osaka/osakaphone.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/badgerphone.php

[Guest jumpingbombangel]

Wait, I'm confused; when did WWE start turning away from its white trashery again?

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Wait, I'm confused; when did WWE start turning away from its white trashery again?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

About the time that one of the newsletters said that Vince declared in a meeting that shock TV is dead, then Shawn went out and shat on the necro angle in a promo with Bischoff.

[Guest Ransome]

They catered to the kids at the expense of their old fanbase in the late 80s, and I imagine they're trying to recapture that success now. It's not really working, especially when they try and stack the larger-than-life storylines side by side with the 'serious' ones.

 

The real test of their success will be how the audience reacts to Eugene in the coming months (particularly after his apparent booing at SS). Eugene personifies the unfortunate infantile regression they've made since 2000. Like Jar Jar Binks, Eugene is a character that was designed solely for the kids, and the crowd turning on him shows the conflict between presenting transparent, ridiculous gimmicks alongside 'serious' feuds like Matt/Edge or HHH/Batista. Regardless, the gimmicks catering for the children (or in WWE's mind, the creation of a fanbase for WWE's future) are here to stay, sadly.

[Guest jumpingbombangel]

Wait, I'm confused; when did WWE start turning away from its white trashery again?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

About the time that one of the newsletters said that Vince declared in a meeting that shock TV is dead, then Shawn went out and shat on the necro angle in a promo with Bischoff.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

OIC.

 

They've taken about three steps backwards since then but it was a valiant effort for what it's worth.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

God, I'm glad they are trying to move away from white trash TV. You actually want to see tramps of TV? Dude, seriously, you have the internet. You can witness all the dirty skanks you want with a simple click of a mouse. Shit like that is more embarrassing than the kiddie crap they do now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

When they were giving away a Diva's DVD during the raffle the crowd was gettin' all Married with Children audience and I yelled out "It's called the fucking internet".

[iliketurtles 0]

Last night I watched with a mid-20 year old mark, two smart marks (both around 19-20), a 30 year old AWA/NWA smark, and a father of the 30 year old who was a big WWWF fan.

 

Probably one of the most fun times I've ever watched wrestling. Whoever said watching in a smark enviorment is the best...I disagree. All you'll do is and critize.

 

Last night when Dominik came out, we all started laughing cause we knew it would happen. Yet, when they were doing those spectular bumps, we all marked out really hard.

[AndrewTS 0]

Isn't the actual WWE audience now more towards the middle-aged demo?

[Guest JMA]

I'd take Russo over Steph any day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think that wrestling fans would take any booker that was even remotely successful over Steph.

[Guest JMA]

Isn't the actual WWE audience now more towards the middle-aged demo?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd say yes, and it's a mistake in my opinion.

[Guest wildpegasus]

See, the WWE does cater to the kids somewhat but the thing is I can not watch parts of WWE in front of kids because of the embarassment of how they portray stuff. And I know I'm not the only one. Scratch that, I can't even watch parts of WWE in front of anyone because of their sick/warped vision of the world. That's not good.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

"GO SEXY! WHOOOO! YEAH!"

 

"CENA! CENA! CENA! WHOOOO!"

 

"You SUCK Jericho! You SUCK Y2CHEAP!"

 

Urge to kill, RISING.