WWE Raw (5/26/2008)

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS!]

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[The Amazing Rando]

They couldn't call it by its real name... "Win 40 Dates With Ashley"

[cd213]

Vince has now sunk to trying to buy viewers. This can't end well.

[strummer]

Stephanie Wiand and Todd Pettengil will phone the lucky viewer live on air!

[Bruiser Chong]

I can't be the only one thinking of Krusty offering viewers a check for $40 each time they watched his show, can I?

[LooseCannon25]

0k, that was anti-climatic.

 

Tell me about it........When they panned to the crowd at the end there they were absolutely dead and all sitting on their hands. Nobody gave a rat's ass about this announcement.

[Perfection]

0k, that was anti-climatic.

 

Tell me about it........When they panned to the crowd at the end there they were absolutely dead and all sitting on their hands. Nobody gave a rat's ass about this announcement.

 

 

lol they are desperate obviously.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS!]

0k, that was anti-climatic.

 

Tell me about it........When they panned to the crowd at the end there they were absolutely dead and all sitting on their hands. Nobody gave a rat's ass about this announcement.

 

It's because they weren't getting shit.

[Dandy]

They may have something here. If it involves having to tune in to be the correct numbered caller when they give the signal, then ratings would surely go up. You are going to have a chance to win $1,000,000 every Monday night just for watching 2 hours and 5 minutes of television? Damn straight people will watch! For McMahon and USA, this is a pretty good move. The increased money from ad revenue and possible increases in fans, merchandise sales, PPV buys, etc., should be substantial.

[Wally Balls]

Let me repeat...

 

Am I the only one who thinks that "1 million dollars each and every week" means the Million Dollar Man as new GM or something? or did I already miss something...(I missed the first half hour of the show)

[milliondollarchamp]

So Vince, instead of working on your product and getting better storylines, writers/bookers you intend to bribe fans to come to your shows and fill up arenas?

 

So bascially RAW is turning into Deal or No Deal.

[Dandy]

I doubt that McMahon and the WWE want to bait and switch viewers out of a potential $1,000,000 each week at this point. They want the ratings to go up.

[Hawk 34]

Let me repeat...

 

Am I the only one who thinks that "1 million dollars each and every week" means the Million Dollar Man as new GM or something? or did I already miss something...(I missed the first half hour of the show)

 

It appears as if Dibiase has already started to form a "New Million Dollar Corporation" with his son. Dandy had an excellent point about the $1 Million giveaway.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski]

They should do another round of Tough Enough.

[Wally Balls]

Well, I can see them doing this as a one time deal...but certainly not everyweek...

 

The WWE isn't the NFL, Microsoft, Exxonmobil, Shell, Wal-Mart, Mcdonalds Etc...theres no way they could afford that. Hell, their net income last year was only roughly $52 million

[bob_barron]

Well, I can see them doing this as a one time deal...but certainly not everyweek...

 

The WWE isn't the NFL, Microsoft, Exxonmobil, Shell, Wal-Mart, Mcdonalds Etc...theres no way they could afford that. Hell, their net income last year was only roughly $52 million

 

I think it's mostly paid through insurance, and through annual payments.

[Matt Young]

They could definitely afford to do it for more than a week. They're not multi-billion dollar corporations like the ones you mentioned, but they're likely worth close to a billion.

[Hawk 34]

Well, I can see them doing this as a one time deal...but certainly not everyweek...

 

The WWE isn't the NFL, Microsoft, Exxonmobil, Shell, Wal-Mart, Mcdonalds Etc...theres no way they could afford that. Hell, their net income last year was only roughly $52 million

 

It wouldn't be only WWE. It'd be USA (which is owned by Universal) and the sponsors may be involved as well.

 

[Exslade ZX]

Take note he said "The sum of 1 million dollars."

 

Which could means a million dollars given out over the course of the next year.

[Dandy]

Just to further elaborate on why I think it is a good idea:

 

-In the best possible scenario, millions of people will start tuning in for the chance of winning $1,000,000. If the ratings were to go to say...7.0 or so (high number, I know, but it's a free $1,000,000!!!) they can charge a lot more for advertisements. They can have sponsors for each show in a more promonent manner. They will also have pretty much doubled their audience and might be able to gain some loyal viewers.

 

-They might make money off the viewers this adds. Most companies have things broken down in raw numbers. Let's say that WWE knows the average fan gives them $200 each year through merchandise, live events, PPV buys, etc. We covered what their viewership brings to the table, but this is actual dollars they spend with WWE. If they bring in a few million additional viewers and some of them become fans that spend money, they just made a lot of return on that investment.

 

-Vince did not say how long he would be doing this. He didn't say every week for an entire year or anything, just every week. He can end it at any time. If he does it for a month or two and the ratings do not increase substantially, it will most likely end. If it works, it will continue.

 

-At the worst, I see WWE spending $8,000,000 trying to double their audience for a period of time. What would you pay a marketing company for that? It's a good risk vs. reward plan, and I am willing to bet that it works if they do the "be caller number 12" thing.

[King Kamala]

Didn't WCW do a million dollar giveaway in '99ish? Just saying...

[Chazz]

If that was their "Big" announcement, then I'm glad I decided to skip this show. Didn't they do something of this ilk back in the dying days of WCW, where they basically had to bribe their fans to keep watching their shitty product? Oh how history does repeat itself...

[Matt Young]

If they wanted to increase ad revenue, they should've done it during May sweeps. That's when advertising rates are determined.

[Dandy]

I believe the ratings decline during May sweeps is what lead to this, though.

[bob_barron]

They don't even make any money off the ad revenue.

 

This won't increase the ratings that much, RAW might hit a high 3, low 4, but that's about it

[Dandy]

They don't even make any money off the ad revenue.

 

This won't increase the ratings that much, RAW might hit a high 3, low 4, but that's about it

They do not directly make money off the ad revenue, but when it comes time to negotiate with USA, their ratings are the biggest factor. Increasing ratings means more ad revenue (for USA, who is probably chipping in on the money), which means more leverage for a better TV contract. If WWE does not improve their ratings, they lose dollars off the fans that are not tuning in, but will either be out of a deal with USA or get a much worse deal than they have now.

[cabbageboy]

I'm a bit puzzled by the "big announcement." Like others I wasn't sure if Vince was going to give away 1 million every week or just a sum total of 1 million over time. The draft was a more important part of it and they barely touched on that. No new GM, blah.

 

Ted DiBiase, Jr. looks like the 2nd coming of Orton, so I don't know how optimistic I am about him so far. Why is it that all of these 2nd generaton guys are all bland pretty boy types? Is it due to their dads being famous and thus marrying hot women? I do wonder who his partner will be though. Does Mike Rotunda have a son? It's sad in a way that Ted Jr. talked about winning the tag belts his first match, whereas it took his dad like 5 YEARS in the company.

[RepoMan]

I can't be the only one thinking of Krusty offering viewers a check for $40 each time they watched his show, can I?

 

*Checks will not be honored.

 

[Canadian Brandon]

The million dollar idea is interesting. Great show tonight. Good matches and a great debut of Ted Dibiase Jr. Looking forward to next week. And is anyone else disappointed that they didn't use red white and blue ropes tonight? It would have fit so perfectly with the opening video.

[haws bah gawd]

There was also the announcement of the 2008 Draft to take place in 4 weeks. The boundaries of the roster split is so vague now that this really doesnt seem to matter much. Unless they actually stick to having the wrestlers ONLY appear on their respective shows, then the draft is pointless.