WWE Network... It's Here

[sek69]

Honestly at this point, 90% of people's technical problems were on the user end. If you have good internet but a POS router for example, your WWE Network experience will suffer. That's not to say there hasn't been a stutter or two on the live feed, but it seems that the people who have problems every month are the ones still rocking the 2005 era Netgear routers.

 

 

Also it shouldn't be undersold how boned WWE's Canadian fans are. They might as well just released an announcement telling everyone up north to just use a proxy to get the US version.

[Death From Above]

Partnering the service so it's available with Rogers only in Canada isn't going to win them any friends. But this is clearly the new warfront in the Canadian telecom game. TSN has a Bell-only online service, WWE now with Rogers. There are probably others but as a sports fan those are the two obvious ones for me.

 

My rural internet is so crap here that honestly I haven't even kept up much with the technical features with the network, because it's not even relevant for me, personally. If I actually move back to civilization I'll probably look into getting this, though considering how much fun I've had arguing with Rogers reps over the years over my "you live in the middle of nowhere and you'll take whatever interwebz we give you" package, I'd really love to break from them someday.

[JNLister]

FWIW, Dave Meltzer's answer to the $30 million cuts/500k subscribers breakeven is that it certainly doesn't add up on paper. He reckons WWE's revenue drop from 1.4m to 500k would be $86 million and that some of the disparity could be explained by:

 

* Money from the Canada deal

* Lower infrastructure costs from serving fewer online customers

* Cuts to network programming that aren't included in the main company budget cuts.

[Marty]

Just a thought: if they're going to have this as a proper cable channel TV in Canada, they're going to need pull their finger out with updating the schedule. Right this moment it's only available up till 4am on Monday. That's not going to fly with cable box EPGs and TiVo listings databases.

 

Very good point.

 

Actually...we're August 1 today. Rogers and the WWE are saying this thing happens on August 12. As far as I know, they've yet to submit an application. I remember when Rogers obtained the contract for the MLB Network. It took a LONG time for the application to be submitted, approved and then the channel to go on-air. We'll see when the time comes, but I'll be very surprised if I see anything on channel 512 on August 12th.

[C.S.]

I watched Main Event last night for the hell of it. There was a random Heath Slater/Titus O'Neil vs. Tyson Kidd/Zach Ryder match. Zach seems to have a new look (or maybe he's had it for a while - I haven't really been paying attention). But what really struck me was how crisp and intense Tyson Kidd's offense was compared to everyone else in the match - particularly Ryder. It's ridiculous how good Kidd is, and yet he's being wasted in nothing matches on c-shows like this? WWE sucks sometimes. The Slater/O'Neil team does nothing for me, even though their little gimmick of trying to overshadow each other is fun.

 

There was also an Ambrose/Alberto match. Can't say I particularly enjoyed it. I was disappointed because it never seemed to get past first gear, and the finish did it no favors (even though it made sense).

 

Alberto desperately needs six months off and a character makeover. He's almost as stale as Orton at this point.

[Cross Face Chicken Wing]

General question because I'm curious what people think: Is old footage really that big of a draw for the Network?

 

I know it is to those of us on this board, but in the grand scheme of things, were a significant amount of people really clamoring for a way to watch a ton of old wrestling footage?

 

I don't think so. Most of my friends are lapsed wrestling fans who enjoy talking about some of their favorite wrestling moments form back in the day, but have no desire to drop $10 per month so they can re-watch those moments. And if they did have a desire to re-watch their favorite workers or moments from wrestling's past, that desire had already been met by the DVDs WWE has released over the years.

 

The old footage aspect of the Network is one of those things that sounds awesome to people, but more in a nostalgic, "hey, that's really neat and cool idea" kind of way instead of a "I need to have this and subscribe immediately" kind of way. If people need an old-school wrestling fix, they whip out their Bret Hart DVD or the Monday Night Wars DVD. Better yet, they go to Youtube where they can navigate to specific matches and build playlists filled with what they want to watch instead of slogging through an app and having to deal with 3 hour PPVs and Monday Nitros.

 

I thought a few more of my friends who used to be into wrestling would give the Network a shot, but I was the only one who subscribed. I think I overrated the allure of all the old footage.

[Loss]

The lapsed fan thing has always seemed weird to me, because WWE bragging about how many lapsed fans as potential buyers is strange, as if they weren't driven away, they just happen to be lapsed. Most people who did watch and don't anymore watched just like a TV show where they thought about it when it was on and stopped thinking about it when it was off. I wouldn't pay a monthly fee to access television shows I watched years ago anytime I wanted. I can't see someone who stopped watching wrestling caring enough to pay to watch it anytime they want now. YouTube is going to satisfy those type of former fans just fine.

[The Man in Blak]

I can't see someone who stopped watching wrestling caring enough to pay to watch it anytime they want now. YouTube is going to satisfy those type of former fans just fine.

 

I guess I'm an exception to the rule, then, because while YouTube may have the content, most of that content is delivered with questionable video quality.

 

Then again, I'm not sure I'm a lapsed fan that came back because of the Network specifically, as much as a lapsed fan that heard about the Network, checked out the product and saw Daniel Bryan, and then jumped onto the Network out of curiosity.

[shoe]

I wouldn't call it a draw. Though I feel the network should offer a variety of stuff to all different types of fans. They always say wrestling is like a 3 ring circus . The network should be like that as well. Variety is the spice of life.

[Mad Dog]

My friend was a lapsed fan and got the free trial and then signed up because he could get a $25 gift card. I had been trying to sell him on giving NXT a try for about a year. He watches the old ECW tv here and there and watches NXT weekly now. He hadn't been an active fan since maybe 2004.

[Marty]

Re: CFCW's question. I don't know if old footage is enough to get people to get the Network, for the reasons Loss stated. That said, if they had a Network started about a dozen years ago, even if it was just a cable network with an ESPN Classics similarity, there may have been more of a draw with that footage. I think it's a different time now. I remember getting Flair's first WWE DVD and a friend who's a casual fan asked me, "does it have his old NWA stuff? That'd be cool." To the casual, non-hardcores, stuff like that was still a novelty then. Different time now where it's readily available in many places. I don't think quality of footage makes a huge difference; if it did, BR discs in all facets of entertainment would be selling more.

[flyonthewall2983]

I really, really hope the Nitro's go up again so we can do a back-to-back review thread of the whole show, not unlike the epic death of WCW thread we had going.

[sek69]

I watched Main Event last night for the hell of it. There was a random Heath Slater/Titus O'Neil vs. Tyson Kidd/Zach Ryder match. Zach seems to have a new look (or maybe he's had it for a while - I haven't really been paying attention). But what really struck me was how crisp and intense Tyson Kidd's offense was compared to everyone else in the match - particularly Ryder. It's ridiculous how good Kidd is, and yet he's being wasted in nothing matches on c-shows like this? WWE sucks sometimes. The Slater/O'Neil team does nothing for me, even though their little gimmick of trying to overshadow each other is fun.

 

There was also an Ambrose/Alberto match. Can't say I particularly enjoyed it. I was disappointed because it never seemed to get past first gear, and the finish did it no favors (even though it made sense).

 

Alberto desperately needs six months off and a character makeover. He's almost as stale as Orton at this point.

 

 

Tyson Kidd has been awesome on NXT, his asshole babyface gimmick has legit been the best thing WWE is doing for months now.

[goodhelmet]

Loss and Chris Harrington had some great ideas on how to integrate old wrestling with new content on Part 2 of the Fixing WWE podcast out tomorrow

[artDDP]

I already renewed my subscription and I enjoy what I'm getting so far. While what's available is admittedly great I'd like more stuff like big angles from "Superstars" and "Wrestling Challenge" or maybe upload the entire run on "Tuesday Night Titans." I'm not sure if it would be extremely prohibitive for them to upload entire episodes of the old shows or not but I'd love to relive some childhood memories of The Widowmaker vs Barry Horowitz.

[cowboy hats]

Woah...watched half of Wrestlemania VII earlier. Came back a few hours later and there was a resume function on the 360 app. Legit progress!!

[sek69]

The Verge has a story here on the WWE Network, one thing mentioned in the comments I never thought of as being a deterrent: current episodes of Raw/Smackdown being delayed a month before they go up. I know it's because of contracts and what have you, but today's binge-watching consumers expect to be able to watch current episodes of shows within a few days max. The rest of the TV industry has trained viewers to expect quick turnaround, and WWE is stuck in a bad spot.

[cowboy hats]

Woah...watched half of Wrestlemania VII earlier. Came back a few hours later and there was a resume function on the 360 app. Legit progress!!

 

Did not work on the second attempt. Status revised to: less happy

[Petey]

I think the problem with lapsed fans, and it's already kinda been said, is that a lot of them were a fan just because wrestling was hot and not because they necessarily loved wrestling. Having access to old stuff is awesome for those of us who LOVE pro wrestling but not so much for others. And when I mention lapsed fan, I'm speaking purely in the "watched wrestling during the Monday Night Wars" and once they ended, stopped watching wrestling, not the lapsed WWE fan but still huge fan of other wrestling companies. A lot of people make a big deal about the lack of variety with the content and while I agree I wish there was more territory stuff and/or rather than a random episode of Smackdown, they'd upload an entire year or even a month, I don't think they'd really get anyone who was a huge fan of Mid Atlantic or Mid South who hasn't watched wrestling in 20 years to now pay $9.99 per month to relive the glory days. $9.99 doesn't seem like much but for a nostalgia kick? I'm not sure a lot of people would even pay .99 per month.

 

I also think a big problem, and it's one they can't do anything about, was waiting as long as they did to launch The Network after it was announced. I remember a lot of people buzzing after the presentation, some of the aforementioned lapsed Monday Night Wars fans included. I honestly think that if they announced The Network and launched it the next day, maybe with a free week trial, they probably would have gotten a lot more potential subscribers than having the full month or whatever in between.

 

At this point, I'm not really sure how WWE can garner a significant chunk of new subscribers. There's plenty of stuff they can do to improve the experience: more diverse content, better/functioning search, more original programming like Countown and WrestleMania Rewind, but I can't think of any real significant change they would make that would get people who are either on the fence or not interested to have the desire to subscribe.

[cowboy hats]

From the upcoming schedule:

 

Da Video Vault - Extreme Rules 2012, Lesnar/Cena

 

Da Video Vault - Summerslam 2000, Hardy Boyz/Dudley Boyz/Edge and Christian (TLC)

 

Next Wrestlemania Rewind - Rewind and Relive the rivalry between the last outlaws in WWE - The Undertaker and Triple H, and their epic match from WrestleMania XXVII.

 

Best of Raw - July 16, 2001 - In the fight between WWE and the invaders, will anyone be able to get through to a despondent Stone Cold Steve Austin before it's too late?

 

Best of Smackdown - April 24, 2002 - Chris Jericho and Triple H battle for a chance at Hulk Hogan's undisputed title. Randy Orton makes his WWE debut against Hardcore Holly.

[C.S.]

At this point, I'm not really sure how WWE can garner a significant chunk of new subscribers. There's plenty of stuff they can do to improve the experience: more diverse content, better/functioning search, more original programming like Countown and WrestleMania Rewind, but I can't think of any real significant change they would make that would get people who are either on the fence or not interested to have the desire to subscribe.

 

I think you're discounting the importance of improving the experience. The WWE Network still seems like its in beta test mode. It comes across as a lame, clunky, unpolished, unfinished, minor league product right now. I have to think that people are being turned off because of that. I'm not entirely thrilled about it myself.

 

These things would help the presentation immensely:

• More reliable live PPV streams (hasn't been an issue for me, but there are still complaints)
• Thumbnail previews when fast-forwarding/rewinding
• A proper resume function on ALL devices (I've had this on Roku for months, but apparently there are still 360 issues, judging by that post on the last page)
• A much better search - and one that doesn't RUIN match results
• Playlists and/or categories for each wrestler, show, etc.
• A queue system
• More content, period (Nitro, more territory stuff, Prime Time and TNT, etc.)
• Better distribution of content (why isn't ALL of Total Divas Season 1 already up, for example - uploading a new episode each week is downright idiotic when the show is already on Season 3)
• Quicker turnaround on new Raw and Smackdown episodes (I understand why this isn't the case, but it's STILL a problem to the average consumer regardless of the reasons!)

[Coffey]

Maybe this is random but I would love for WWE Network to have all the old episodes of Confidential uploaded too. I really liked the WWE Cribs thing where you could see how the wrestlers lived. I distinctly remember Al Snow owning an absurd number of hockey jerseys.

[goodhelmet]

Listen to this podcast....

 

http://placetobenation.com/good-will-wrestling-fixing-the-wwe-network-part-two/

 

 

Chris and Charles have the best conversation on he WWE Network that I have heard on a podcast yet.

[shoe]

Listen to this podcast....

 

http://placetobenation.com/good-will-wrestling-fixing-the-wwe-network-part-two/

 

 

Chris and Charles have the best conversation on he WWE Network that I have heard on a podcast yet.

I agree. This was great stuff.

[artDDP]

Maybe this is random but I would love for WWE Network to have all the old episodes of Confidential uploaded too. I really liked the WWE Cribs thing where you could see how the wrestlers lived. I distinctly remember Al Snow owning an absurd number of hockey jerseys.

I agree.

 

There's got to be so much amazing stuff in that vault that they could upload. I'd like to see those old specials they used to run the week before the major PPVs on USA network or things like the SummerSlam special they ran opposite Nitro in the summer of 1997.

 

And, dammit, I want a show touring the prop archives.