Unforgiven buyrate

[Dangerous A 0]

225,000, according to

 

http://corporate.wwe.com/investors/documen...Drivers_037.pdf

 

 

It'll go up some because that always happens with ppv numbers, but to go from 500,000+ buys for Summerslam to this has to be seen as a little disappointing.

 

I shudder to think what No Mercy's buyrate will be since it has the shittiest promotion for a ppv I've seen in quite a long time.

[Guest Coffey]

The way I see it, since WWE are up to so many PPV's a year, anything above 100,000 has to be seen as a huge success. Really, it's all just extra money.

 

I'm sure the numbers aren't right but I was guesstimating that if they get 100,000 that'd pay for the PPV costs.

[naiwf 0]

The way I see it, since WWE are up to so many PPV's a year, anything above 100,000 has to be seen as a huge success. Really, it's all just extra money.

 

I'm sure the numbers aren't right but I was guesstimating that if they get 100,000 that'd pay for the PPV costs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

While turning profits is always nice, that's not how investors will see it though. Declining profits isn't a good trend, and that's the way the WWE PPVs are going. Basically, if the WWE ever got to the point where they only broke even, or turned a minimal profit, they'd lose a ton of investors and their stock would plummet, causing the company to lose value.

[Dangerous A 0]

While this doesn't have as much to do with the buyrate, it does say something for the shittier than usual promotion for No Mercy...

 

 

Tickets are not going well for No Mercy. There are tickets available in every price range and freebies are easy to come by. A local car dealership is advertising that you can show up and get free tickets. You don't even have to test drive or take a brochure. (thanks to Derrick Hanna)

 

 

credit: wrestlingobserver.com

 

 

I wonder if they'll blame Hurricane Rita for the poor attendance even though it's been a week and a half and barely touched Houston? (ppv is in Houston, TX)

[Lil' Bitch 0]

That really sucks considering No Mercy has a good / decent card.

[Fökai 0]

No Mercy is quite easily the worst promoted pay-per-view of the Attitude-era or beyond, and I'm not even going into the WWE creative side of the problem.

[Dangerous A 0]

Even my group of buds and fellow TSM'ers who chip in $5 for ppv's aren't going to for No Mercy. We'd rather watch football or do other things and save our money for a real ppv like BFG or Survivor Series.

 

On paper, No Mercy looks better than GAB, but the promotion for it is worse than GAB.

[res37618 0]

No Mercy is quite easily the worst promoted pay-per-view of the Attitude-era or beyond, and I'm not even going into the WWE creative side of the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. I don't understand why it's so hard for the company to come up with a 7 or 8 match card in a logical fashion and promote the show with simple storylines, even something as simple as "you've got a belt I want, and I'm coming after it". Every card doesn't have to be a blockbuster, or doesn't have to have complex, emotional storylines, but they can all be at least minimally successful with just a little effort in actually promoting the show. They promoted the RAW Homecoming like it was f'n WrestleMania, but can't promote the SmackDown PPV enough to even make me want to catch it at a local sports bar for damn near free. It's pretty sad. Sometimes I really miss the days of the "squash shows" like Saturday Night and Superstars being a promotion machine for a PPV that meant something . . .

[Guest Y2DAYDAY]

Well, this buyrate is right in line for a single brand PPV with a non-gimmicked main event.

 

The only single brand shows that have done better than 225,000 as an early estimate this year are the Chamber, HITC, and Hogan shows.

 

So this is right in line with a single brand show with a non-gimmicked main event.

 

As for No Mercy, if the first estimate is over 200,000, it will be a small miracle.

[NYU 0]

They should be thrilled they got 225,000 buys for Unforgiven. There was not one money-making match on that card.

[pochorenella 0]

Well, this buyrate is right in line for a single brand PPV with a non-gimmicked main event.

 

The only single brand shows that have done better than 225,000 as an early estimate this year are the Chamber, HITC, and Hogan shows.

 

So this is right in line with a single brand show with a non-gimmicked main event.

 

As for No Mercy, if the first estimate is over 200,000, it will be a small miracle.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was about to point that out, that in no way should WWE feel disappointed in Unforgiven's buyrate. The number is pretty healthy for the show and to compare it to SummerSlam's numbers is not fair, taking in consideration the difference in the cards, the amount of promotion, and the fact that SSlam was a co-brand show with a "Dream match" as main event.

 

No Mercy looks good on paper, certainly better than Unforgiven, but I agree it's been poorly promoted. Maybe all the preemptions for the SD! show are hurting the chances for this show. I agree it'll be a small miracle if the show breaks 200,000 buys. Hopefully WWE'll be able to deliver a good show at least.

[Guest Fook_Theta]

While turning profits is always nice, that's not how investors will see it though. Declining profits isn't a good trend, and that's the way the WWE PPVs are going. Basically, if the WWE ever got to the point where they only broke even, or turned a minimal profit, they'd lose a ton of investors and their stock would plummet, causing the company to lose value.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Almost everything I've ever read about the "investors" in WWE is that they're pretty much complete dopes. Not even in a markish way for about half of them.

 

It's been about a year since someone did an indepth review of profitability vs expenses for WWE, but from what I briefly remember they gain from having an overboundance of PPVs rather than lose in the short term. Pretty much everyone agrees it has hurt the business in the long term, although I wouldn't be surprised if the actual product got better that the PPVs would be making even more money. Especially on the merch sales side, which has been noticably lacking. There aren't any "NWO/Stone Cold/Suck It" marketability right now and for the near future. Eddie's Scarface shirt should have gotten pimped a ton more for one example.

[stahl 0]

The way I see it, since WWE are up to so many PPV's a year, anything above 100,000 has to be seen as a huge success. Really, it's all just extra money.

 

I'm sure the numbers aren't right but I was guesstimating that if they get 100,000 that'd pay for the PPV costs.

 

Meltzer said in a past newsletter that break even for a ppv is 175 000 buys.

[Dangerous A 0]

Maybe all the preemptions for the SD! show are hurting the chances for this show.

 

 

What's hurting the show is the main event program has no issue. The two combatants are freaking friends for crying out loud. The match may be decent because of Eddie, but I have no desire to see it because they don't have ANY issues at all.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well it has an issue but it's one that is in the very beginning stages of development. We are just now in the "Eddie is a sleaze but seemingly friends with Batista, yet Dave knows Eddie is full of shit" part of the story. It would be fabulous if Eddie wasn't challenging right away, but rather there was someone else to feed to Batista before blowing this off.

 

This PPV can go one of two ways: 1. Eddie really does wrestle a clean, scientific match...and loses. Then he realizes he needs to cheat to win, and in a rematch does every sneaky Memphis trick in the book. 2. Eddie has just been lying all along and professes a clean match but when the PPV comes he cheats in any way possible.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

What's hurting the show is the main event program has no issue. The two combatants are freaking friends for crying out loud. The match may be decent because of Eddie, but I have no desire to see it because they don't have ANY issues at all.

It's something different than most WWE main event programs. It's been more interesting and entertaining than any Cena feud this year.

[Dangerous A 0]

It's something different than most WWE main event programs. It's been more interesting and entertaining than any Cena feud this year.

 

Just because it's different, doesn't make it good. They don't need to have a total blood feud to where they are at Funk/Flair 89 level right out of the gate, but they needed something. All this feud has is toilet humor. While I know this is WWE and toilet humor is a staple, it shouldn't be the focal point in the top program. As of right now, this feud has been built on Eddie getting fondled by a gay doctor and Batista stealing Eddie's fucking dinner. If you're into it, that's fine. I just wonder if this is the "money" way to going about a program with these two.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Just because it's different, doesn't make it good. They don't need to have a total blood feud to where they are at Funk/Flair 89 level right out of the gate, but they needed something. All this feud has is toilet humor. While I know this is WWE and toilet humor is a staple, it shouldn't be the focal point in the top program. As of right now, this feud has been built on Eddie getting fondled by a gay doctor and Batista stealing Eddie's fucking dinner. If you're into it, that's fine. I just wonder if this is the "money" way to going about a program with these two.

Besides the "toilet humor", Eddie has been great in this friendly fued. It's the underlying tension of when is Guerrero going to show his true colors, which is awesome. They will proberly have a pretty damn good match at No Mercy, with (I hope) Eddie taking Batista to the limit, but Batista *just* getting the better of Eddie. Which will make Eddie in the weeks leading to Survivor Series go back to the "old" Eddie, and lie, cheat, and steal in their rematch at Survivor Series.

 

Or they could have Eddie go full heel mode right off the bat at No Mercy, and then they could have the total blood/hate fued going into Survivor Series.

 

Either way, I've liked this fued. Guerrero's been awesome, and should get some good matches out of Batista.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Something I have to wonder about though...

 

Will Eddie be able to get Batista up for the Three Amigos.

 

Hell, during that match he had with Triple H on the night of the first Draft Lottery, he had problems getting ol Mr. Steph McMahon up for the move.

[Guest FromBeyondTheGrave]

Will Eddie be able to get Batista up for the Three Amigos?

He got Luther Reigns up for them.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

If I remember correctly, I think he nailed the 3 Amigos on Lesnar last year so he shouldn't have too much trouble with Batista.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

OK.

 

I'm still remembering when he had problems getting Trips up for them.

 

Eh, probably Trips wasn't willing to take them.

[cabbageboy 0]

I like this Eddie/Batista stuff aside from the bizarre gay twist it seemed to take with the soulmate talk tonight. You see, Vicki? You see what you've done to this man!?

 

There's a lot of subtle stuff here though, like Eddie costing his own team the match to prove loyalty to Batista (not like he'd give a shit about Bradshaw and Christian anyway).

 

That said, I honestly think to pay this off that Eddie should win the title. Not at this lame duck PPV, but maybe Survivor Series when he finally snaps and goes full blown into his cheating mode.

[David Blazenwing 0]

No Mercy is quite easily the worst promoted pay-per-view of the Attitude-era or beyond, and I'm not even going into the WWE creative side of the problem.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

What about Unforgiven 2002? I remember it was like a week before the PPV and the ONLY matches that had been announced were the two World title matches (RVD/HHH and Brock/Taker I).