WWE Network... It's Here

[SteveJRogers]

Yes! I'm fond of saying that on reddit it feels like the majority of users feel that anything before the Monday Night Wars was in the dark ages.

To be fair, promotions themselves, especially pre 2001, tend to consider their past the dark ages!

[sek69]

To be fair, the amount of complete footage available is only recently started to grow. It was hard to find much non WWF stuff earlier than the mid 80s, Lucha stuff earlier than the mid 90s, or any Japan stuff that was not shown on NTV or on a comp tape of some sort. It would be hard for me to be mad at a newer fan for thinking the Golden Lovers are the greatest team ever if wrestling itself did not make it such a fucking ordeal to see that Midnights match in JCP that probably is better but you have to know where to go to find someone who can get you a copy of Cornettes personal copy.

 

 

I mean, people here will do it no problem because were crazy like that. I think its somewhat of a bubble we find ourselves in to expect all fans to make that level of effort in a world where people expect to have content served to them.

[Matt D]

To be fair, the amount of complete footage available is only recently started to grow. It was hard to find much non WWF stuff earlier than the mid 80s, Lucha stuff earlier than the mid 90s, or any Japan stuff that was not shown on NTV or on a comp tape of some sort. It would be hard for me to be mad at a newer fan for thinking the Golden Lovers are the greatest team ever if wrestling itself did not make it such a fucking ordeal to see that Midnights match in JCP that probably is better but you have to know where to go to find someone who can get you a copy of Cornettes personal copy.

 

 

I mean, people here will do it no problem because were crazy like that. I think its somewhat of a bubble we find ourselves in to expect all fans to make that level of effort in a world where people expect to have content served to them.

 

There's PWO Welcome Pack level stuff like Savage vs Garvin in the cage or the Archie Gouldie promo about his son or even Andre vs Hansen. Absolutely.

 

But there's also the ability to do this:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=midnight+express+vs

[BigBadMick]

I think starting out as a fan now would be a daunting task.

 

At the time I would have liked more, faster but in hindsight the gradual accumulation of knowledge and footage from the early 90s suited me fine.

[sek69]

Imagine if you just started watching in the last couple of years, mainly WWE stuff and maybe ROH or some New Japan since you hear everyone raving about it. Then think about the moment you say a match is the best you've ever seen. you get dogpiled by people basically calling you dumb for not having watched every similar match in history. That's why there's the snobbery claims that get thrown around. People who've been watching tapes since the 90s have had 25+ years to pour over all this stuff, so it's a little unreasonble to expect everyone to be on that level.

 

 

The exchange should go like this:

 

New fan: Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks was the best match I ever saw!

Longtime fan: If you liked that, you should really check this stuff out! *links and or recs for other stuff*

 

 

Instead it goes like this a lot of the time:

 

New fan: Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks was the best match I ever saw!

Longtime fan: *RT's new fan* Look at this idiot who's probably never even heard of the Midnights vs Rock n Rolls!

 

 

What's funny is often I'll see someone do the second and try following up with the first. They already poisoned the well, why would someone take recommendations from someone who's first impression they gave was being a condescending dickhole?

[...TG]

Well, to be fair I see just as many folks dismissing old stuff simply because it's old.

[SomethingSavage]

Yeah, but one type of condescending asshole is not really preferable to the other or anything. They're equally annoying.

[flyonthewall2983]

I'm not really offended by it, it gets a little annoying but I'm more kind of surprised by it. Then again (as has been pointed out) what was available to me as a fan 25 years ago was considerably less so I learned as much as I could by reading what I could find in the Apter mags or even lesser publications. I read about everything I could find in my school's microfiche at one point.

 

I'm 34 and really feel like I'm of the last generation that can remember a time without all of the ease of information (or distractions if you like) that snowballed once the internet became a thing in the mid-90's. When I got into music sometimes I just bought CD's unheard and was pleasantly surprised either when I heard something I knew, or was taken by the music as a whole. That's just an example, but it's part of what I miss in today's world and despair a little for the younger folks who don't have such experiences.

[Grimmas]

Imagine if you just started watching in the last couple of years, mainly WWE stuff and maybe ROH or some New Japan since you hear everyone raving about it. Then think about the moment you say a match is the best you've ever seen. you get dogpiled by people basically calling you dumb for not having watched every similar match in history. That's why there's the snobbery claims that get thrown around. People who've been watching tapes since the 90s have had 25+ years to pour over all this stuff, so it's a little unreasonble to expect everyone to be on that level.

 

 

The exchange should go like this:

 

New fan: Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks was the best match I ever saw!

Longtime fan: If you liked that, you should really check this stuff out! *links and or recs for other stuff*

 

 

Instead it goes like this a lot of the time:

 

New fan: Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks was the best match I ever saw!

Longtime fan: *RT's new fan* Look at this idiot who's probably never even heard of the Midnights vs Rock n Rolls!

 

 

What's funny is often I'll see someone do the second and try following up with the first. They already poisoned the well, why would someone take recommendations from someone who's first impression they gave was being a condescending dickhole?

To be fair the new fan isn't saying Golden Lovers vs Young Bucks is the best match they ever saw, they are saying stuff like it's the best match ever. Same with Omega-Okada.

 

If it's the best match you ever saw, fine. However if you haven't seen much, saying it's the best ever is fucking stupid.

[sek69]

There's always the inherent bias of what's new/current is best because you just recently saw it, but surely there's a better way to express disagreement than to say it's fucking stupid to say so.

[Migs]

 

To be fair, the amount of complete footage available is only recently started to grow. It was hard to find much non WWF stuff earlier than the mid 80s, Lucha stuff earlier than the mid 90s, or any Japan stuff that was not shown on NTV or on a comp tape of some sort. It would be hard for me to be mad at a newer fan for thinking the Golden Lovers are the greatest team ever if wrestling itself did not make it such a fucking ordeal to see that Midnights match in JCP that probably is better but you have to know where to go to find someone who can get you a copy of Cornettes personal copy.

 

 

I mean, people here will do it no problem because were crazy like that. I think its somewhat of a bubble we find ourselves in to expect all fans to make that level of effort in a world where people expect to have content served to them.

 

There's PWO Welcome Pack level stuff like Savage vs Garvin in the cage or the Archie Gouldie promo about his son or even Andre vs Hansen. Absolutely.

 

But there's also the ability to do this:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=midnight+express+vs

 

 

Yeah, but look at what you get there. The first hit is a really mediocre match with the Freebirds. None of the stuff on the first page is what I'd call intro level MX stuff. There's so much stuff, even on the Network, that it's hard to work through the backlog if you don't have something to guide you.

[Matt D]

 

 

To be fair, the amount of complete footage available is only recently started to grow. It was hard to find much non WWF stuff earlier than the mid 80s, Lucha stuff earlier than the mid 90s, or any Japan stuff that was not shown on NTV or on a comp tape of some sort. It would be hard for me to be mad at a newer fan for thinking the Golden Lovers are the greatest team ever if wrestling itself did not make it such a fucking ordeal to see that Midnights match in JCP that probably is better but you have to know where to go to find someone who can get you a copy of Cornettes personal copy.

 

 

I mean, people here will do it no problem because were crazy like that. I think its somewhat of a bubble we find ourselves in to expect all fans to make that level of effort in a world where people expect to have content served to them.

 

There's PWO Welcome Pack level stuff like Savage vs Garvin in the cage or the Archie Gouldie promo about his son or even Andre vs Hansen. Absolutely.

 

But there's also the ability to do this:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=midnight+express+vs

 

 

Yeah, but look at what you get there. The first hit is a really mediocre match with the Freebirds. None of the stuff on the first page is what I'd call intro level MX stuff. There's so much stuff, even on the Network, that it's hard to work through the backlog if you don't have something to guide you.

 

Maybe someone should make some guides.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

I think a huge thing that would make the Network truly incredible as a resource for stuff like this would be adding user-curated playlists that allow for individual matches to be added. You can search for feuds and stuff but it’s still a touch wonky.

[Seabs]

Im still a tad baffled that they havent created playlists of individual matches themselves yet. If youre a new fan who isnt privy to places like this to find out what they need to look up then its a bit of a minefield. Even just something as simple as the 100 best matches on the network list they made a while back. Or something like John Cenas ten favourite matches ever. Also still dissapointed they havent utilised current and ex wrestlers talking about their matches even in alternative commentary or roundtable form. I cant imagine that being much of a financial investment and would likely be a really popular and resource light feature.

[sek69]

I'd be willing to wager user curated playlists aren't a thing because they don't want people making the Best of Chris Benoit lists.

[Migs]

I'd be willing to wager user curated playlists aren't a thing because they don't want people making the Best of Chris Benoit lists.

 

I believe they've solved that by taking the cues off most of his matches (although I think some have cues but don't use his name).

 

I do wonder if part of the issue with playlists is the way video is organized - it's all in the full cards, and not individual videos. Even when you click a searched video you're pulling up the show.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

 

I'd be willing to wager user curated playlists aren't a thing because they don't want people making the Best of Chris Benoit lists.

 

I believe they've solved that by taking the cues off most of his matches (although I think some have cues but don't use his name).

 

I do wonder if part of the issue with playlists is the way video is organized - it's all in the full cards, and not individual videos. Even when you click a searched video you're pulling up the show.

 

Yes, that is the stumbling block right now. The idea usually shows up in the surveys that they send out occasionally, so hopefully it happens.

[NickH]

The Andre collection coming Monday looks awesome. http://www.wwe.com/wwe-network-2018-collections

 

A full Bock/Andre match? Has this been released before? Its on youtube but only 6 1/2 minutes.

[peachchaos]

Please, yes. Give me 20 minutes of Andre-Bock.

[Matt D]

I am far, far more excited about that than anything happening Wrestlemania Weekend.

[khawk20]

The Andre collection coming Monday looks awesome. http://www.wwe.com/wwe-network-2018-collections

 

A full Bock/Andre match? Has this been released before? Its on youtube but only 6 1/2 minutes.

The partial is the only bit of that match that's ever been available.

[Cornette's racket]

Just strolling through the vault section of the WWE network, and there is a good bit of archive footage from a lot of territories there. To buy all this footage would cost far more than $9.99 a month. We shouldn't complain.

[NickH]

Just strolling through the vault section of the WWE network, and there is a good bit of archive footage from a lot of territories there. To buy all this footage would cost far more than $9.99 a month. We shouldn't complain.

 

Mate, we're basically stealing it at this point. Unbelievable how much content we're getting for $10. The vault is building up nicely.

 

I'm never cancelling my subscription no matter how uninterested I'am with current WWE.

[Zoo Enthusiast]

 

Just strolling through the vault section of the WWE network, and there is a good bit of archive footage from a lot of territories there. To buy all this footage would cost far more than $9.99 a month. We shouldn't complain.

 

Mate, we're basically stealing it at this point. Unbelievable how much content we're getting for $10. The vault is building up nicely.

 

I'm never cancelling my subscription no matter how uninterested I'am with current WWE.

It also adds value literally every month. I am sure it won’t be super long before they eventually do roll out the long-rumored tiered pricing but even then it is likely to remain a steal.

[Matt D]

I think it's like night and day between ~6 months ago and now. So that's something.