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WWE and AEW weekly ratings discussion

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ThreePi

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Dec 7, 2017
4,773
John Doe said:
I have a quick question.

Why is is that ratings "don't matter" when the numbers are dropping but when the ratings are high, it's a sign that the product is good?

Either ratings don't matter at all or they matter. This isn't directed at anyone in here, just a general question surrounding the rating debate since I've heard the former part of my question phrased as a statement countless times.
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The argument that "ratings don't matter" is based on the massive deal they got from Fox and all that Saudi blood money coming. So they made an obscene amount of money despite interest and excitement being and historical lows. They basically failed upward.

The Fox and USA deals are 5-years and Saudi is 10 years. So there's no immediate pressing need to make the show not suck.
 
Tabaxi

Tabaxi

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Nov 18, 2018
12,912
ThreePi said:
The argument that "ratings don't matter" is based on the massive deal they got from Fox and all that Saudi blood money coming. So they made an obscene amount of money despite interest and excitement being and historical lows. They basically failed upward.

The Fox and USA deals are 5-years and Saudi is 10 years. So there's no immediate pressing need to make the show not suck.
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Fox and WWE have been hyping up a new boom period to shareholders for months now. WWE isn't in any trouble of going out of business - it's effectively impossible – but they do have a vested interest in making sure Smackdown produces on Fox right now.

Plus, while the deals are for 5 years, the negotiations for the next contracts should start in half that time, and failing on Fox would severely cut their negotiating power.
 

Deleted member 23212

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whytemyke said:
I mean the ratings are bad but I don't think Fox went into this thinking they were going to go crazy. I remember reading at the time that Fox wanted that 18-35 demo and live sports was their way to get it. WWE was the cheapest way they could get that.

I say all this to point out that this won't be an embarrassment for Fox. If they're drawing a 1.2 and 1.1 of that is 18-35 or whatever, they'll live. But it's huge egg on the face of Vince and represents continual, relative failure to stabilize a product he's seemingly been wanting to resuscitate for over a year now.
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But they're not getting the 18-35 demographic, they're getting the 50+ year olds.
 

Deleted member 3761

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How could they have expected the Draft to be a ratings draw when they've watered down the importance, impact and relevance of the Draft the last two years?
 
Rivenblade

Rivenblade

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Nov 1, 2017
37,127
FYI Fox exec has been quoted as saying he hopes to see a significant increase over USA's 2.2 million average. So if you ever see SD dip to around 2.2 million, that's when alarm bells will start to sound off at Fox HQ.
 
Freezasaurus

Freezasaurus

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Oct 25, 2017
57,001
Rivenblade said:
See the previous page. Down almost 1 million viewers from last week. 2.9 million.
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Sweeney Swift

Sweeney Swift

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#IStandWithTaylor
Per Dave on Observer Radio:

Smackdown rating was even worse than expected; week 1 they didn't have Dish/Sling ratings included as they weren't carrying Fox due to a contract dispute. It was resolved for week 2, so the near-million drop was with 2 extra sources of potential viewership
Fox expected 3mil viewers as an average (after originally thinking 3.3 million early on during negotiations before coming back to the more realistic figure). Even if/when they drop to 2mil, don't expect them to move to FS1
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😂 even their lowered expectations for the average show weren't hit by the end of episode 2, with 2 extra sources of potential viewership episode 1 didn't have
 
Rivenblade

Rivenblade

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Nov 1, 2017
37,127
Sweeney Swift said:
😂 even their lowered expectations for the average show weren't hit by the end of episode 2, with 2 extra sources of potential viewership episode 1 didn't have
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I imagine they'll get a bump next week with more people knowing it exists on those platforms now. But boy would I grin if they dropped to 2.5-2.7.

Or lower.
 
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Violence Jack

Violence Jack

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Oct 25, 2017
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Sweeney Swift said:
😂 even their lowered expectations for the average show weren't hit by the end of episode 2, with 2 extra sources of potential viewership episode 1 didn't have
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That is hilarious. And the only reason it wasn't around Raw ratings was due to a draft that got completely botched. It's going to be such a joy watching those ratings stay around what they would've been on USA.
 
DrewFu

DrewFu

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I can't wait to see the Raw 3rd hour rating, it was so bad. The main event was almost unwatchably crap.
 
Violence Jack

Violence Jack

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Oct 25, 2017
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Next week's MNF is Pats vs a more competitive Jets team with Raw all out of gimmicks to improve ratings. Rooting for a sub-2.0 average.
 
UberTag

UberTag

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Oct 25, 2017
15,367
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Just to play devil's advocate, previous draft shows weren't top-heavy with the only picks that mattered and had more balanced distribution throughout the show. The WWE's insistence on attempting to replicate real-world sports draft logistics (while still filling their show with carny draft room reactions with extras playing CEO) easily spelled out to anyone that watched that they didn't need to bother to stay tuned in just to see where Liv Morgan wound up.
 
Jmdajr

Jmdajr

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Oct 25, 2017
14,534
DrewFu said:
I'd sure as hell hope so. Last weeks Dynamite was about as good as wresting gets. If that lost viewers, then the industry is near death.
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I don't think it's near death but super hardcore wrestling fans keeping it afloat can only support so much. I can't watch all this shit, subscribe to all these networks, and go to shows. I definitely don't buy merch.

You know, It's like at one point BEST BUY had a whole fucking giant section for anime. Yeah, just for animu. Tons of DVDs. And it all died way before streaming was a thing. Waaaaay too much crap.

I just hope wrestling makes just enough to stay afloat, but this overexposure is not good. One of the best things about NXT is that it was like underground Heavy Metal. And I was fine with it.
We don't need Amon Amarth performing on Jimmy Fallon.

Anyhow enjoy it and hate it while it lasts.
 
DrewFu

DrewFu

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Rivenblade said:
I think they'll eventually settle around the 800,000 mark. Hope I'm dead wrong.
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I just wonder who would stick it out for two weeks, with how great it's been, and be like nahhh. Like, what do you want from a wrestling show then? lol

A drop from week one was obvious. But a noticeable drop in back to back weeks, with how good it's been would be alarming to me. Lets remember the last episode had, what, 1.2mil combined on the two channels? If they drop another 200+k, there is something wrong.
 
RyougaSaotome

RyougaSaotome

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Oct 25, 2017
4,677
For the time being, I'd be perfectly happy as long as AEW's ratings stays a ways above what TNT was hoping for/anticipating.

Anything else is just bonus for me.
 
Rivenblade

Rivenblade

Member
Nov 1, 2017
37,127
Jmdajr said:
I don't think it's near death but super hardcore wrestling fans keeping it afloat can only support so much. I can't watch all this shit, subscribe to all these networks, and go to shows. I definitely don't buy merch.

You know, It's like at one point BEST BUY had a whole fucking giant section for anime. Yeah, just for animu. Tons of DVDs. And it all died way before streaming was a thing. Waaaaay too much crap.

I just hope wrestling makes just enough to stay afloat, but this overexposure is not good. One of the best things about NXT is that it was like underground Heavy Metal. And I was fine with it.
We don't need Amon Amarth performing on Jimmy Fallon.

Anyhow enjoy it and hate it while it lasts.
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DrewFu said:
I just wonder who would stick it out for two weeks, with how great it's been, and be like nahhh. Like, what do you want from a wrestling show then? lol

A drop from week one was obvious. But a noticeable drop in back to back weeks, with how good it's been would be alarming to me. Lets remember the last episode had, what, 1.2mil combined on the two channels? If they drop another 200+k, there is something wrong.
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Wrestling just isn't as popular as we'd like to think. Without on-the-ground advocating by fans like us, it won't grow. Agreed that it doesn't get much better than Dynamite last week. I've sent gifs to some non-wrestling friends who are kind of interested, but it's hard to hook people who aren't already inside the circus tent.

Buckle said:
To quote a great man:

"Fight for your dreams and your dreams will fight for YOU!"
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*tears up*
 
Rivenblade

Rivenblade

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Nov 1, 2017
37,127
RyougaSaotome said:
For the time being, I'd be perfectly happy as long as AEW's ratings stays a ways above what TNT was hoping for/anticipating.

Anything else is just bonus for me.
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That's where I'm at at this point.

Wonder what USA expects from RAW and from NXT. Sounds like FOX wants significantly above 2.2 million for SD. If it keeps dropping, we could see below that before the end of the year. But maybe that's just wishful thinking.

I'm not actually sure I want WWE's shows to get cancelled, as it might cripple the industry.
 
Big One

Big One

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Oct 25, 2017
5,277
They wont ever get cancelled they'll just have to scale down in everything lol
Wwe still does big business
 
Jmdajr

Jmdajr

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Oct 25, 2017
14,534
Rivenblade said:
That's where I'm at at this point.

Wonder what USA expects from RAW and from NXT. Sounds like FOX wants significantly above 2.2 million for SD. If it keeps dropping, we could see below that before the end of the year. But maybe that's just wishful thinking.

I'm not actually sure I want WWE's shows to get cancelled, as it might cripple the industry.
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It WWE goes down AEW goes down with it.
 
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