Since Linda lost - what does that mean for the WWE?

[Today]

• Huge Lackey update coming... by CreedP [Today at 02:55:29 PM]
• Frankie takes/ reducing y... by Daeva [Today at 12:22:23 PM]
• May 21: The New Generatio... by Homeless [Today at 12:20:51 PM]
• Bret hart VC by ironteeth [Today at 09:13:16 AM]
• Dangerous Alliance Questi... by mrpeoplesteam [Today at 06:08:41 AM]
• HEAVEN OR HELL by Queensryche [May 20, 2013, 07:17:38 PM]
• Ultimate TCO Dungeon of D... by Queensryche [May 20, 2013, 06:47:17 PM]
• Shoot counter question by Daeva [May 20, 2013, 06:18:48 PM]
• Hiroshi Tanahashi by darkworldz [May 20, 2013, 05:25:57 PM]
• divas vs multi maneuver by Daeva [May 20, 2013, 05:05:41 PM]
• Virtual Survivor Series by CreedP [May 20, 2013, 10:54:47 AM]
• Virtual revolution tornad... by dilbert505 [May 20, 2013, 08:52:37 AM]
• Raw Deal in Indiana by darkcolts77 [May 20, 2013, 08:01:12 AM]
• Mulitiplayer by stevethedemon666 [May 20, 2013, 04:32:23 AM]
• Really?, Really?: The eBa... by Drywall [May 20, 2013, 12:22:27 AM]

Article Catagories

Feature Articles

Chicken Soup for Antigoth`s Soul

Raw Deal Articles

UFS Articles

Submit an Article

Find Out how to get paid to write UFS Articles

Members

• Total Members: 1453
• Latest: locksmithin

Stats

• Total Posts: 97394
• Total Topics: 8904
• Online Today: 36
• Online Ever: 492
• (August 06, 2008, 10:47:20 PM)

Users Online

Users: 7
Guests: 15
Total: 22

Buddha Dudley
kingofkings_909
CreedP
ziggy zenf
piperspitt
Wallemania4life
Supernova

[Antigoth]

Per the subject - anyone think we're going to see changes in the WWE now that Linda lost the election?

[necrobaron75]

Vince will come out of his "coma",and reveal himself as the Raw GM.

[neuromancer]

And stop the PG thing. Blood and coarse language shall be introduced back into the show.

[CreedP]

That has to do with one of the advertisers, from what I read.  Contract with Mattel, who makes some of their toys.  They don't want a PG-13 or higher show, I guess...

If that's true, then Linda losing won't change anything - the only thing I think that will change is the McMahons coming back to the programming. (Vince, Steph, Hunter McMahon, lol)

CREED

[Queensryche]

I don't think the PG rating is going anywhere. In fact, I don't blame the PG rating for the lousy buyrates or sagging ratings. The storylines going on in WWE are some of the most intriguing I've seen in some time. I think that the sagging buyrates and ratings are a combination of two things:

1. Raw and Smackdown now being written as commercials for PPVs that are too frequent.
2. Linda McMahon's Senate campaign and the "Stand Up For WWE" BS.

Recently we've had a PPV every three weeks, and for most people that's too often, especially with the economy the way it is and people cutting back on entertainment. With Linda McMahon, a lot of people I've talked to have sworn off WWE because Linda's Senate campaign and by extension the political views of the McMahon family turn them off. It was fine when Linda wasn't active like she was. But as soon as she entered the race for US Senate, she drew a line in the sand, and since pro wrestling fans tend to lean to the left, it turned off some folks. Stand Up For WWE I don't even need to mention, especially since criticism for the WWE for how they treat their workers is valid.

[piperspitt]

No, that's not why they made the change. What WWE does is based on their customers desires, this includes networks, advertisers, merchandising partners, and fans.

[superradjoe]

I don't think the PG rating is going anywhere. In fact, I don't blame the PG rating for the lousy buyrates or sagging ratings. The storylines going on in WWE are some of the most intriguing I've seen in some time. I think that the sagging buyrates and ratings are a combination of two things:

1. Raw and Smackdown now being written as commercials for PPVs that are too frequent.
2. Linda McMahon's Senate campaign and the "Stand Up For WWE" BS.

Recently we've had a PPV every three weeks, and for most people that's too often, especially with the economy the way it is and people cutting back on entertainment. With Linda McMahon, a lot of people I've talked to have sworn off WWE because Linda's Senate campaign and by extension the political views of the McMahon family turn them off. It was fine when Linda wasn't active like she was. But as soon as she entered the race for US Senate, she drew a line in the sand, and since pro wrestling fans tend to lean to the left, it turned off some folks. Stand Up For WWE I don't even need to mention, especially since criticism for the WWE for how they treat their workers is valid.

UFC doesn't seem to be suffering with PPVs about 3 weeks apart, I think MMA is more to blame for wrestling's sagging buyrates, because why watch fake fighting when you can watch real fighting?

[piperspitt]

UFC is pure competition, WWE is plot driven. Apples and Oranges with buyrates.

[monkey]

Actully I stopped buying WWE cause I get every UFC and can't afford both. SO I just wait till the next day and download WWE PPV's.

[BigPimpin]

UFC's also a bad comparison because different fighters are featured.  Just because Brock and Velasquez are featured for the last PPV doesn't make either a lock to fight at the next show.  In fact, it'll probably never happen, because of the physical demands of UFC.

[Scotty]

UFC is pure competition, WWE is plot driven. Apples and Oranges with buyrates.

Apples are still substitutes for oranges, so if you have a dollar and can only get one, you have to choose. Same goes with WWE and UFC, especially when WWE PPV's are almost 100% wrestling, where Raw and Smackdown are used for storyline builders.

[piperspitt]

No, that's not how it works. People watch Raw/Smackdown for the build up, then the buy the PPV for the payoff.
UFC is a one shot deal.

If WWE doesn't get enough build up due to time constraints, they lose buys.

UFC doesn't need build up, it's just a one shot competition.People don't have to invest into build up.
UFC can get away with more frequent PPVs, WWE can't.

[King Jimmeh]

The build is still a huge factor for UFC though. Look at UFC 100 and the build for Brock/Mir II. Hell, I imagine the buy-rate for 121 will be huge as well due to the build for Lesnar/Velasquez.

I think the main difference is that the UFC has a larger roster, and fighters don't compete every month. So each card is different. Whereas WWE's PPVs are all very similar, especially during one season. Like this Autumn basically every show has had 'Taker/Kane, and very similar types of match-ups for Orton (Sheamus and Wade Barrett).

[piperspitt]

In UFC, any build is a bonus. People would have tuned in for that fight with out the build. In fact the build was just the anticipation of the fight with no reasons needed

[rated SRH]

Wonder if WWE would have Linda end up being GM?

[King Jimmeh]

Hardcore UFC fans may buy and watch every show, but more casual fans are not going to bother without having a reason to care about the fights, whether it's a title fight or something more personal.

[piperspitt]

There are enough bars and restaurants showing the UFC fights that people don't have to buy them. They just show up, order beer and chicken strips and enjoy. Then, they're hooked.

[superradjoe]

I completely disagree.  WWE and UFC are directly in competition for viewers, and I would say most people I know who at one point watched wrestling now watch MMA whether it's there ISN'T all the extra fluff or because they want to see violence.  UFC does have lead-up to it's fights, although not quite as intense, but they do have those preview shows on Spike TV with "Oooh I'ma beat that dude so bad!" and "Nah, he's a tough fighter but I'M gonna beat HIM so bad" and whatever.  If you honestly believe they're not at all in competition, then why would they merchandise UFC and wrestling DVDs, action figures, and other merchandise right by eachother in stores?  UFC is generally viewed as the more "macho" of the two while WWE is that "faggy soap opera crap" or whatever bros want to insult it with this week.

[piperspitt]

Who are you disagreeing with? Nobody said they weren't in competition with each other, the debate was why one one could get targeted viewers with more frequent ppvs while the other struggled to do so.

[Scotty]

I would say that at least half (4 of our that usually order WWE PPVs do not watch Raw or Smackdown, they only watch the PPVs.

Also, since there are 8 of us that split the cost, we order every WWE PPV. With only 3 UFC fans in the group, they only get ordered for the "big" fights.

[HalfBadger]

I agree with the idea that Raw will remain PG (SD has always been PG, I believe), but the McMahons will be on the show (sadly) more.

As for the WWE vs UFC debate. I believe UFC may be hurting WWEs buyrates, but not as much as WWE hurting them themselves. Lance Storm recently wrote an article about this, where some PPVs are just about continuing a storyline and not the match. So you don't need to see the match, just read the results.

Also as shown with the latest quarter financial results, although most money is down. WWE's revenue from toys went up. I think for UFC their PPV revenue is a lot bigger share of their overall profits than WWE's. So even though UFC is getting more buyrates than WWE, I think WWE has enough variety of revenue streams for it to not hurt them as much as people make it out to be.

However I think MMA will lead to a decline in the popularity of WWE. In the sense that like Taker, many of pro wrestlers would have gotten into MMA instead of pro wrestling. So a lot of potential main eventers will go to into MMA. In 10-20 years the athleticism in the WWE probably won't be what it is today. It might never recover, as most athletic/competitive people will go into MMA. Although I think guys like Lance Storm and Bret Hart who are into the storytelling of a match with Jericho and HBK into the showmanship/spectacle of the show pro wrestling won't be totally talentless, but not what is today or has been.

[piperspitt]

MMA will eventually become regulated, as more rules come into play the sport will become less violent and in the eyes of many, less exciting. It is doomed to become more like boxing. At that time WWE will lose a PG image and bring the animals back home.

[King Jimmeh]

It's already a lot more regulated under the Zuffa-rules than it has been in the past (for UFC) or in other organisations (which allow punt kicks and foot stomps).

[superradjoe]

Who are you disagreeing with? Nobody said they weren't in competition with each other, the debate was why one one could get targeted viewers with more frequent ppvs while the other struggled to do so.

I was really tired when I typed that and not entirely paying attention, but I read your "apples and oranges" statement as saying that they are not of the same fanbase. 

[neuromancer]

Who are you disagreeing with? Nobody said they weren't in competition with each other, the debate was why one one could get targeted viewers with more frequent ppvs while the other struggled to do so.

I was really tired when I typed that and not entirely paying attention, but I read your "apples and oranges" statement as saying that they are not of the same fanbase. 

Let's put this in a card game term.

MTG vs WoW
Both target the same card game player base. Both have similar game play, but entirely different concept. You can play both MTG and WoW. Some who doesn't have the money to support both will choose one that they prefer.

My parents stayed together for forty years, but that was out of spite.