Interesting article on the WWE...

[MichaelWinicki]

Talks about their prospects for growing the brand...

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/12/wwe-cant-grow-on-wrestling-alone.aspx

 

[Future]

The brand can grow but wrestling itself isn't going to. Author is right that they'll have to branch out, and, honestly, I'd be surprised if that wasn't their long term goal when they introduced the network anyways.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The problem might lie with wrestling itself. In all honesty, for those who have watched, is it possible to keep on watching? After a certain point, wrestling becomes a bit tedious, and it loses its luster faster than other forms of entertainment. Once you've seen Triple H battle every member of the WWE universe, utilizing the same opening and finishing moves, can you continue to consume the programming? It's difficult. What's the solution?This will sound counterintuitive, but I believe that WWE and its WWE Network needs to diversify away from its core wrestling business.

The guy who wrote this article doesn't get it. Wrestling is just like the NFL. Would someone seriously ask "The problem might lie with football itself. In all honesty, for those who have watched, is it possible to keep on watching? After a certain point, football becomes a bit tedious and it loses it's luster faster than other forms of entertainment. Once you see the Cowboys battle every other team in the league, utilizing the same opening and finishing plays, can you continue to consume the programming?" No they wouldn't. If the WWE were to diversify as he suggests it would not end well just like it wouldn't end well if the NFL tried to diversity away from it's core business.

The simple fact is the WWE gambled it could get 1M subscibers (their break even point over selling monthly PPV's) and they only got 660,000 so panic set in and their stock has tumbled a lot. Now the scrambling begins to see where they can make up the difference in revenue. I've read the price of WWE Network is going up to $11.99 or $12.99 after the first of the year if they don't hit their 1M subscription target. That is a good start. I also know they have a new TV deal in the works as their contract with USA Network is expiring soon. That could help also. Changing their core business? A very bad idea. I guarantee you the result of that would be a mass exidous of fans including this dedicated multi-decade fan.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

The guy who wrote this article doesn't get it. Wrestling is just like the NFL. Would someone seriously ask "The problem might lie with football itself. In all honesty, for those who have watched, is it possible to keep on watching? After a certain point, football becomes a bit tedious and it loses it's luster faster than other forms of entertainment. Once you see the Cowboys battle every other team in the league, utilizing the same opening and finishing plays, can you continue to consume the programming?" No they wouldn't. If the WWE were to diversify as he suggests it would not end well just like it wouldn't end well if the NFL tried to diversity away from it's core business.

The simple fact is the WWE gambled it could get 1M subscibers (their break even point over selling monthly PPV's) and they only got 660,000 so panic set in and their stock has tumbled a lot. Now the scrambling begins to see where they can make up the difference in revenue. I've read the price of WWE Network is going up to $11.99 or $12.99 after the first of the year if they don't hit their 1M subscription target. That is a good start. I also know they have a new TV deal in the works as their contract with USA Network is expiring soon. That could help also. Changing their core business? A very bad idea. I guarantee you the result of that would be a mass exidous of fans including this dedicated multi-decade fan.

Yeah, it will be interesting on how it pans out.

On the wrestling front what the WWE needs is a competitor. A legit organization that can be used (like the old days) where talent can move from one to the other so that the roster doesn't get stale.

At some point current business model will morph and something will change with the wrestling landscape.

 

[Hoofbite]

The problem is the show sucks now.

 

[CATCH17]

The problem is the show sucks now.

They got a few good characters now like the Wyatts, Daniel Bryan, Lesnar, and Tripple H with Stephanie.

The rest is really a bunch of boring garbage. I may tune in if im incredibly bored but yeah the show looks like it might be improving but it still doesn't touch what it was in the 90's.

 

[Hoofbite]

They got a few good characters now like the Wyatts, Daniel Bryan, Lesnar, and Tripple H with Stephanie.

The rest is really a bunch of boring garbage. I may tune in if im incredibly bored but yeah the show looks like it might be improving but it still doesn't touch what it was in the 90's.

I can't even watch anymore. Haven't in years and years.

Everything is so ridiculously watered down and haphazardly put together that it's a complete turnoff.

 

[windward]

The guy who wrote this article doesn't get it. Wrestling is just like the NFL. Would someone seriously ask "The problem might lie with football itself. In all honesty, for those who have watched, is it possible to keep on watching? After a certain point, football becomes a bit tedious and it loses it's luster faster than other forms of entertainment. Once you see the Cowboys battle every other team in the league, utilizing the same opening and finishing plays, can you continue to consume the programming?" No they wouldn't. If the WWE were to diversify as he suggests it would not end well just like it wouldn't end well if the NFL tried to diversity away from it's core business.

The simple fact is the WWE gambled it could get 1M subscibers (their break even point over selling monthly PPV's) and they only got 660,000 so panic set in and their stock has tumbled a lot. Now the scrambling begins to see where they can make up the difference in revenue. I've read the price of WWE Network is going up to $11.99 or $12.99 after the first of the year if they don't hit their 1M subscription target. That is a good start. I also know they have a new TV deal in the works as their contract with USA Network is expiring soon. That could help also. Changing their core business? A very bad idea. I guarantee you the result of that would be a mass exidous of fans including this dedicated multi-decade fan.

I could have sworn the goal was one million subscribers by end of year. Plus they stil haven't opened it up to international subs.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I could have sworn the goal was one million subscribers by end of year.

Initially it may have been I'm not sure. But the shareholders are beginning to panic.

 

[BigStar]

All my boys growing up like this, but I just don't get it. Bunch a roided athletes to put on a "show". (Fight for real already!), bunch o punks n tidy whities. That is all it is. Gayer den a mug tbh. Why don't they just make it a musical and come out already? How the heck did posturing become a racket? At least boxers eventually fight? Jeez.

 

[windward]

All my boys growing up like this, but I just don't get it. Bunch a roided athletes to put on a "show". (Fight for real already!), bunch o punks n tidy whities. That is all it is. Gayer den a mug tbh. Why don't they just make it a musical and come out already? How the heck did posturing become a racket? At least boxers eventually fight? Jeez.

Because if it's done right, a wrestling match/angle/etc tells a story. People like stories. Sometimes the medium is different than typical storytelling methods.

 

[BigStar]

Because if it's done right, a wrestling match/angle/etc tells a story. People like stories. Sometimes the medium is different than typical storytelling methods.

Naw I totally get that and respect the medium for that capability (they come back every week). I just don't understand the general premise without a real fight? What are we getting out of this (teasing stimulation). It is downright frustrating.

 

[windward]

Naw I totally get that and respect the medium for that capability (they come back every week). I just don't understand the general premise without a real fight? What are we getting out of this (teasing stimulation). It is downright frustrating.

I guess the premise is that if matches were a shoot , then. The story the promoters want to tell might be compromised? It's less sport than it is art form tbh. Not for everybody, that's for certain.

 

[BigStar]

I guess the premise is that if matches were a shoot , then. The story the promoters want to tell might be compromised? It's less sport than it is art form tbh. Not for everybody, that's for certain.

Respect, just don't get it personally.