Discussion: Marketing WWE PPVs

[King Cucaracha 0]

Note from DrVenkman: This is a split topic, which is why it begins with King Cucaracha starting the first post with "Also".

 

Also, I don't get the arguement some have been making about 'throwing Shawn/Jericho away on a nothing PPV like Unforgiven'.

 

Do people really have any reason to consider shows bigger than other, aside from history? Ever since the brand-only PPVs ended all the PPVs just blend together for me. You're just as likely to see a match like Edge/Undertaker or Orton/Cena on a 'B-show' as an 'A-show'. Do we consider only Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series as the elite shows? And in that case, how do you explain HHH/Cena at 'B-show' Night Of Champions? Or Edge/Undertaker Career vs. Title TLC Match at 'B-show' One Night Stand?

 

To me, Royal Rumble has the Rumble Match which makes it stand out and Wrestlemania is Wrestlemania. Summerslam and Survivor Series are only really any different from the rest because of historic value. Besides that, all the PPVs seem to be virtually equal and samey, at least to me.

[Hawk 34 0]

I'm in that same boat. WWE has done away with attaching importance to specific PPV events and treats all of them equally with WM and Rumble being the higher exceptions. That argument might have held ground in the distant past where there was a clear divide because traditional major PPV shows and the "b-show" but that has gone away. Summer Slam holds some value for certain fans because of the long history of the event but as a show itself, it was hardly a departure from One Night Stand or any other non Rumbe/Mania PPV. It's because Slam used to be one of three annual PPV events in a year but we're approaching the point where events like Unforgiven and No Mercy have been around for 10 years. They aren't throwaway PPV's by name alone anymore.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

Regarding the earlier discussion about whether there's any real difference between PPV's anymore - I think that the WWE should actually be trying to single out some of the newer PPV's, and give them some decent gimmicks or themes or whatever. Like, a big part of why the Royal Rumble stands out is the Rumble match - so why not make it known that (as an example) the Elimination Chamber only happens once a year, at like, New Year's Revolution or whatever, and try to make that PPV stand out a bit.

 

Of course, not every PPV should have a set gimmick like that, but I think if they spread a few around, it could help those PPV's out eventually.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Regarding the earlier discussion about whether there's any real difference between PPV's anymore - I think that the WWE should actually be trying to single out some of the newer PPV's, and give them some decent gimmicks or themes or whatever. Like, a big part of why the Royal Rumble stands out is the Rumble match - so why not make it known that (as an example) the Elimination Chamber only happens once a year, at like, New Year's Revolution or whatever, and try to make that PPV stand out a bit.

 

Of course, not every PPV should have a set gimmick like that, but I think if they spread a few around, it could help those PPV's out eventually.

Well, let's see...

 

Royal Rumble: The Royal Rumble Match

No Way Out: ...save Hell in a Cell for there from now on? Or Elimination Chambers since New Years Revolution no longer extists?

WrestleMania: None needed

Summerslam: Same as Mania

Survivor Series: Survivor Series matches

 

So...keep Unforgiven having these Scramble matches if they work?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

One Night Stand: Gimmicks galore

Cyber Sunday: VOTES~!

[Noah Fentz 0]

I would like to see the WWE keep the four majors (Rumble, WM, SummerSlam, and Survivor) and custom name and theme every PPV in between. I think by naming them annually only makes them typical and ordinary.

 

 

[cabbageboy 0]

I have mentioned previously that I would enjoy seeing some old WCW PPV names used for shows that are essentially B list. Why keep No Mercy for October? Use the much more enjoyable Halloween Havoc name and it might attract more buys. Or instead of the bleh Armageddon in Dec. why not have Starrcade?

 

Since I've been watching the Summerslam box set I have come to a sad realization: Summerslam may no longer be a truly major PPV. Sure, it stayed major up until fairly recently but has any PPV been hurt more by the combining of rosters for every PPV? SS stayed relevant in the brand split era since it was one of 4 PPVs where you could see all the talent. But since WWE made every PPV a combined effort, SS seems lost in the shuffle. The Royal Rumble has the Rumble match itself to hang its hat on. Survivor Series has the team elimination matches. WM is the biggest PPV of the year of course. Summerslam though? Mostly a history of really good PPVs, but no real concept.

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

I would like to see the WWE keep the four majors (Rumble, WM, SummerSlam, and Survivor) and custom name and theme every PPV in between. I think by naming them annually only makes them typical and ordinary.

 

 

Agreed.

[Noah Fentz 0]

...Survivor Series has the team elimination matches...

 

Do you remember when that wasn't true for a bit? That was HORRIBLE. For years I wanted for it to be done just like the first one. How cool was it to see 5 tags against 5 tags? Especially when The Hart Foundation, Demolition, and The British Bulldogs are involved in one match (I liked The Rougeau Brothers, too, at the time.)

 

Every match had teams which was a perfect opportunity to involve every worker of the time. In that scenario, you could give literally anyone a push, and even decide just how much. Mid-carders could face off with the top face for a change at a PPV for a major push.

 

Then suddenly, it was a night of singles matches (don't recall what year), and it was never the same since.

 

It really was the diametrically perfect PPV to WM. It could establish 6 months of ongoing angles in time for WM to establish the next 6. Shame...

[Diamonddust 0]

I have mentioned previously that I would enjoy seeing some old WCW PPV names used for shows that are essentially B list. Why keep No Mercy for October? Use the much more enjoyable Halloween Havoc name and it might attract more buys. Or instead of the bleh Armageddon in Dec. why not have Starrcade?

 

Since I've been watching the Summerslam box set I have come to a sad realization: Summerslam may no longer be a truly major PPV. Sure, it stayed major up until fairly recently but has any PPV been hurt more by the combining of rosters for every PPV? SS stayed relevant in the brand split era since it was one of 4 PPVs where you could see all the talent. But since WWE made every PPV a combined effort, SS seems lost in the shuffle. The Royal Rumble has the Rumble match itself to hang its hat on. Survivor Series has the team elimination matches. WM is the biggest PPV of the year of course. Summerslam though? Mostly a history of really good PPVs, but no real concept.

 

At one point, it looked as if the WWE was going to bring back Halloween Havoc.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

No Way Out: ...save Hell in a Cell for there from now on? Or Elimination Chambers since New Years Revolution no longer extists?

 

Seriously...why does a PPV named No Way Out NOT have a cage match of some sort at every one?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

The sales for this year's show suggest the Elimination Chamber is a permenant attraction to set up a WrestleMania main event.

[Slickster 0]

Royal Rumble: Royal Rumble Match

No Way Out: Elimination Chamber

WrestleMania: None needed

Backlash:

Judgment Day:

One Night Stand: Extreme Rules

Night of Champions: duh

Great American Bash:

Summerslam: Same as Mania

Unforgiven: Scramble

No Mercy:

Cyber Sunday: Fan voting

Survivor Series: Survivor Series

Armageddon:

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

More often than not, Backlash seems to have the gimmick that it is, indeed, the storyline backlash from the events of WrestleMania. Hell, they might as well call the show "Backlash: WrestleMania Revenge Tour" some years. This strategy often has good results (Backlash 2007 was very good with Batista/Undertaker II and Cena/HBK continuing their series with the addition of Orton and Edge with a good main event, and while it's not saying much, Backlash 1999 was MUCH better than WrestleMania XV).

[King Cucaracha 0]

Since I've been watching the Summerslam box set I have come to a sad realization: Summerslam may no longer be a truly major PPV. Sure, it stayed major up until fairly recently but has any PPV been hurt more by the combining of rosters for every PPV? SS stayed relevant in the brand split era since it was one of 4 PPVs where you could see all the talent. But since WWE made every PPV a combined effort, SS seems lost in the shuffle. The Royal Rumble has the Rumble match itself to hang its hat on. Survivor Series has the team elimination matches. WM is the biggest PPV of the year of course. Summerslam though? Mostly a history of really good PPVs, but no real concept.

 

If there was a 'concept' originally, it was another show to blow off a big storyline in the Summer. There was no real gimmick to it, it was just a second big show. And to be fair that trend continued even when the model changed to a PPV a month. I think 2006 was the year that changed it. That's the first year I can remember when the show basically served as just another step in the road, where all the big matches and big feuds just continued on past Summerslam regardless instead of ending there.

 

 

This is really the problem with not having 'B-level' shows. Everything used to lead up to one of the big four. Now, in packing every show with a big match or a special gimmick, it boosts all the PPVs to the same sort of level, which takes away some of the original 'A-show' lusture from the big four.

 

 

To be fair, this year's been a little better with distinguishing PPVs from one another though. Last year, you show me a picture of Cena and Orton fighting or Undertaker and Batista fighting, without the set in the background and you could honestly take a wild guess between 6-7 PPVs that it could have come from. At least this year they've freshened most programs up a little, so you don't have the same pairings 4-5 PPVs in a row, unlike 2007. It's the same sort of problem TNA had with it's PPVs in 2005, plenty of good shows but totally interchangeable with one another.

[rezinda 0]

They should bring back King of the Ring & have the winner get the title shot @ Summerslam. It will make the KOTR an important tourny and then you can have a 2 month build to the main event of SS just like they do from RR to WM. Plus they need to drop GAB. There's been more bad then good on those since WWE got a hold of it.

[SamoaRowe 0]

They should bring back King of the Ring & have the winner get the title shot @ Summerslam. It will make the KOTR an important tourny and then you can have a 2 month build to the main event of SS just like they do from RR to WM. Plus they need to drop GAB. There's been more bad then good on those since WWE got a hold of it.

 

Yes, that worked wonderfully in 2002 when it came to the importance to the tournament and getting people ready for Brock's title shot. It's too bad the event itself was pretty shitty.

[cabbageboy 0]

Bringing up KOTR 2002 is bad salesmanship, haha. But I've ranted for the past 6 years on that event, so I'll skip it.

 

I would be in favor of the KOTR winner getting a title shot if I had any confidence that they wouldn't blow it completely. The least offensive time this occurred was 1994 with Owen...he got his shot at SS and lost, end of story. But Mabel in 1995?

 

As far as Survivor Series goes, I think the PPV needs to have some sort of title match on it as a main event with all of the other matches being the team deals. 1992 was the first time they went mostly with singles matches and it was fun at the time, but then they went back to the team matches following it.

[Noah Fentz 0]

As far as Survivor Series goes, I think the PPV needs to have some sort of title match on it as a main event with all of the other matches being the team deals. 1992 was the first time they went mostly with singles matches and it was fun at the time, but then they went back to the team matches following it.

 

Perhaps they could take all the survivors and throw them in a battle royal at the end, as in the past. The winner could get a title shot or even a great number draw at the Rumble.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

It would require planning ahead, but I've always thought a nice idea for Survivor Series would be for the World, IC and Tag champs to team up and take on their respective number one contenders. You could use the match to build towards the various title matches the next month at Armageddon, and give a rub to the lower level talents.

[Exslade ZX 0]

Don't the "A shows" cost more? Or is it only Wrestlemania with the raised price tag?

[Noah Fentz 0]

It would require planning ahead, but I've always thought a nice idea for Survivor Series would be for the World, IC and Tag champs to team up and take on their respective number one contenders. You could use the match to build towards the various title matches the next month at Armageddon, and give a rub to the lower level talents.

 

That would be pretty sweet. The only problem I could see would be breaking up big angles that involved stables/groups/allies.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Elimination Chamber should be used as a way to set up any Wrestlemania main event for the brand that didn't win the Rumble... I think it should be a yearly thing.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Don't the "A shows" cost more? Or is it only Wrestlemania with the raised price tag?

 

All of the shows are $39.95 standard / $49.95 HD except for Mania, but I've already forgotten the cost. I think it was $54.95 standard and $64.95 for the HD broadcast.

[Hawk 34 0]

I've yet to see HDPPV have a raised price for any event. Even WM was still the standard 54.99 price. That is of course, dependent on your provider and how much they want to gouge you.

[cabbageboy 0]

Yeah around here the HD PPV feed is the same 40.00 that the standard feed is.

 

As far as that Survivor match idea, can you imagine a bizarre Series match this year with CM Punk, Santino, and Team Priceless vs. (for instance) Orton, Kofi, and Cryme Tyme? What a curious match with echoes of the 1995 Wild Card match.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Bah, that sucks. To say out loud to someone "I am paying $55 to see Unforgiven on PPV" makes it soud too expensive, and it's hard to justify paying for a standard definition feed when I know the HD one is there. Eh, what can you do.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I wish they would bring back the Wildcard match for SSeries. That was fun. (The closest thing to it was RAW Vs. SD from 2005).

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I think they should try booking a big stadium for a Summerslam event, build it up. Shea Stadium would've been perfect this year. In any case, it would give a chance to build up a big card, and also run a huge event in a northern city where it'd be impossible to place Wrestlemania outdoors.

[Hawk 34 0]

I've been saying for awhile that a show like GAB would be best suited for an outdoor venue. It doesn't have to be a Shea Stadium size venue. Just any outdoor stadium that could hold 25-30k and there are countless stadiums that offer that ability across the country. An outdoor venue would fit the "summery" feel of Great American Bash.