WWE's Realistic Options to Improve Sinking Raw Ratings

[big dog cowboy]

I thought this was a great article...........

WWE's Realistic Options to Improve Sinking Raw Ratings
By Ryan Dilbert,
WWE Lead Writer
Sep 24, 2015

WWE Raw is dropping into a ratings sinkhole and needs the company to throw it a rope now.

Real, doable fixes exist. WWE needs to signal a change and show that it's ready to embrace the future. The less Raw feels like a repeat of the past and the same script playing out each week, the better.

Welcoming back a kick-happy warrior, making a change at the top and pushing a dominant regime to the background are among the realistic options WWE has in front of it.

And Raw needs those changes in a hurry. The ratings continue to dip.

The start of the NFL season always makes it tough to draw as many viewers on Monday night, but things are especially bad in 2015. ProWrestling.net noted that Monday's Raw drew a 2.47 rating, a slight bump from last week's paltry 2.42. According to Gerweck.net, the year as a whole hasn't been much better: Raw has not hit the 2.9 mark since the night after WrestleMania.

It's no wonder that Vince McMahon is reportedly fuming about the situation. According to Wrestling Observer Live (h/t Wrestle Zone), he is "freaking out" over the low ratings.

How then does WWE get Raw viewership back up again?

Pat McNeill of Pro Wrestling Torch proposed that WWE cut Raw to two hours again and have an episode of NXT provide the third hour each week. Wade Keller of Pro Wrestling Torch threw out some ideas on his website to turns things around including trying to sign Jeff Hardy, doing an NXT invasion angle and turning John Cena heel.

Don't bet on McMahon doing any of those. As entertaining as some of those developments would be, they are likely too drastic for his taste.

Raw can convince viewers to come back by rearranging its structure. The change needs to come with the characters on screen.

1. De-emphasize The Authority

2. Crown a New Champ

3. Clear Daniel Bryan

4. Advertising over Surprising for Now

5. Real Pushes

Read much more: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...letter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=wwe

 

[BoysFan4ever]

The show is just too long. That's their main problem I think.

 

[CashMan]

The show is just too long. That's their main problem I think.

I agree, but I think the bigger issue, might be the competition. I remember Paul Heyman talking about when they had Raw vs Smackdown and the competition was real. Paul said something like, he would write for Smackdown, push a bunch of guys, than Vince would say, I want them. Paul would say fine, give me this this and this guy, and he would do the same.

So, putting NXT on, might do something, I think handing Paul Heyman a show, might help as well.

Ohhhh yeahhh, and maybe crowning Sting the champ, might of helped ya.

 

[jrumann59]

3 hours is a lot of air time to fill. And when you have to fill air time quality goes down. Also WWE is a victim of its own success it killed off its own competition, when the only things that drive your company are internal influences you will become complacent.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Put the Crapdashians on it.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I agree, but I think the bigger issue, might be the competition. I remember Paul Heyman talking about when they had Raw vs Smackdown and the competition was real. Paul said something like, he would write for Smackdown, push a bunch of guys, than Vince would say, I want them. Paul would say fine, give me this this and this guy, and he would do the same.

So, putting NXT on, might do something, I think handing Paul Heyman a show, might help as well.

Ohhhh yeahhh, and maybe crowning Sting the champ, might of helped ya.

Except Sting got seriously hurt during that match & may never wrestle again.

I actually thought he would win.

 

[RW31]

People still watch this garbage?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

People still watch this garbage?

People still waste their time asking this dumb question when ever they see something about wrestling?

lol. Oh the list grows.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Their biggest problem is they don't have the 1 guy who the fans are absolutely in love with and will watch no matter what.

They don't currently have their Stone Cold or Rock who the fans will tune in to the show and watch all of it just to see what their guy will do.

Cena doesn't have that anymore, and hasn't for a long time. More fans hate him then like him at this point. He used to be that for them and they're sticking with it, hoping he still will be, and it's not working.

Rollins is a great wrestler. He's good on the mic. But he's being booked poorly, the Authority thing has played out, and Rollins is being fed too many over the hill, has been, people at this point for his reign to look good or be booked strongly.

On top of that he's sadly kind of a botch machine with the way he hurts people from time to time. That makes it difficult as well.

There is no current easy fix on this roster right now. Even Daniel Bryan wouldn't fix it entirely, although it would help but it's not like they can just magically clear him to wrestle from serious neck problems. So the notion that they could do this, as a realistic fix, is just plain stupid by the person writing that article.

 

[CashMan]

Their biggest problem is they don't have the 1 guy who the fans are absolutely in love with and will watch no matter what.

They don't currently have their Stone Cold or Rock who the fans will tune in to the show and watch all of it just to see what their guy will do.

Cena doesn't have that anymore, and hasn't for a long time. More fans hate him then like him at this point. He used to be that for them and they're sticking with it, hoping he still will be, and it's not working.

Rollins is a great wrestler. He's good on the mic. But he's being booked poorly, the Authority thing has played out, and Rollins is being fed too many over the hill, has been, people at this point for his reign to look good or be booked strongly.

On top of that he's sadly kind of a botch machine with the way he hurts people from time to time. That makes it difficult as well.

There is no current easy fix on this roster right now. Even Daniel Bryan wouldn't fix it entirely, although it would help but it's not like they can just magically clear him to wrestle from serious neck problems. So the notion that they could do this, as a realistic fix, is just plain stupid by the person writing that article.

CM PUNK

 

[TellerMorrow34]

CM PUNK

Right.

But he's not there.

So I can't count him at the moment.

 

[RW31]

People still waste their time asking this dumb question when ever they see something about wrestling?

lol. Oh the list grows.

Apparently it's still real to you, ******.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

Their biggest problem is they don't have the 1 guy who the fans are absolutely in love with and will watch no matter what.

They don't currently have their Stone Cold or Rock who the fans will tune in to the show and watch all of it just to see what their guy will do.

Cena doesn't have that anymore, and hasn't for a long time. More fans hate him then like him at this point. He used to be that for them and they're sticking with it, hoping he still will be, and it's not working.

Rollins is a great wrestler. He's good on the mic. But he's being booked poorly, the Authority thing has played out, and Rollins is being fed too many over the hill, has been, people at this point for his reign to look good or be booked strongly.

On top of that he's sadly kind of a botch machine with the way he hurts people from time to time. That makes it difficult as well.

There is no current easy fix on this roster right now. Even Daniel Bryan wouldn't fix it entirely, although it would help but it's not like they can just magically clear him to wrestle from serious neck problems. So the notion that they could do this, as a realistic fix, is just plain stupid by the person writing that article.

I almost completely agree with you but I'm gonna take up for my boy Seth here.

I don't know if he messed up & hurt Sting. I'm pretty sure it's John's fault he got his nose broken. He didn't lower his head which I'm pretty sure is required there. Didn't lower it enough. So instead of getting a knee on his hard square head he got I in the face. I watched that over & over. I really don't believe that was Seth's fault

 

[BoysFan4ever]

Apparently it's still real to you, ******.

none of us who post regularly regarding WWE believe it's real. We ALL know it's scripted. We just enjoy it the way one enjoys movies, tv shows, video games, etc.

There is alot of athleticism involved. It's entertaining.

 

[jrumann59]

Their biggest problem is they don't have the 1 guy who the fans are absolutely in love with and will watch no matter what.

They don't currently have their Stone Cold or Rock who the fans will tune in to the show and watch all of it just to see what their guy will do.

Cena doesn't have that anymore, and hasn't for a long time. More fans hate him then like him at this point. He used to be that for them and they're sticking with it, hoping he still will be, and it's not working.

Rollins is a great wrestler. He's good on the mic. But he's being booked poorly, the Authority thing has played out, and Rollins is being fed too many over the hill, has been, people at this point for his reign to look good or be booked strongly.

On top of that he's sadly kind of a botch machine with the way he hurts people from time to time. That makes it difficult as well.

There is no current easy fix on this roster right now. Even Daniel Bryan wouldn't fix it entirely, although it would help but it's not like they can just magically clear him to wrestle from serious neck problems. So the notion that they could do this, as a realistic fix, is just plain stupid by the person writing that article.

Right now its not Bryan's neck its his head, i guess he has had too many concussions.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Right now its not Bryan's neck its his head, i guess he has had too many concussions.

That's just as scary a situation as well. Either way they should not clear him unless they're 100% certain he's good to go.

If his career is over then so be it. It's better then winding up in a far worse state because you were allowed to return when you shouldn't have been.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I almost completely agree with you but I'm gonna take up for my boy Seth here.

I don't know if he messed up & hurt Sting. I'm pretty sure it's John's fault he got his nose broken. He didn't lower his head which I'm pretty sure is required there. Didn't lower it enough. So instead of getting a knee on his hard square head he got I in the face. I watched that over & over. I really don't believe that was Seth's fault

I like Seth. Without a doubt.

But no it's on Seth.

It's a running knee to the face. Which means its supposed to look like it hit the face.

If Cena ducks to far and it hits the top of his head that looks like garbage and that's on Cena for the spot looking like trash.

People do the running knee to the face all the time. Punk did it all the time.

The key is that you don't screw it up, which Seth did, and he broke Cena's nose for it.

The injury to Sting is more of combined one I would say, and also WWE management as well.

That's a spot Seth doesn't need to be trying on a little bit bigger person. He didn't have the strength to hit it properly, and as such they landed the spot totally wrong.

The worst part is they landed that spot wrong TWICE. They didn't do it right the first time either, earlier in the match, and that should have been the last time they did it. Sting and/or Seth needed to recognize at that point that Seth didn't have the proper strength to hit that move right.

Instead they decided to try the spot again later and it was met with an even worse result.

That's not totally on Seth, though he certainly shoulders part of the blame.

 

[jrumann59]

I like Seth. Without a doubt.

But no it's on Seth.

It's a running knee to the face. Which means its supposed to look like it hit the face.

If Cena ducks to far and it hits the top of his head that looks like garbage and that's on Cena for the spot looking like trash.

People do the running knee to the face all the time. Punk did it all the time.

The key is that you don't screw it up, which Seth did, and he broke Cena's nose for it.

The injury to Sting is more of combined one I would say, and also WWE management as well.

That's a spot Seth doesn't need to be trying on a little bit bigger person. He didn't have the strength to hit it properly, and as such they landed the spot totally wrong.

The worst part is they landed that spot wrong TWICE. They didn't do it right the first time either, earlier in the match, and that should have been the last time they did it. Sting and/or Seth needed to recognize at that point that Seth didn't have the proper strength to hit that move right.

Instead they decided to try the spot again later and it was met with an even worse result.

That's not totally on Seth, though he certainly shoulders part of the blame.

The problem with Seth is they are pushing him wrong, if he is heel he needs to be bad, not win matches by the skin of his teeth of with A LOT of dirty finishes. they make him seem like a weasel, also he needs his own finisher again, this stealing moves and using the Pedigree makes him look like lapdog for the Authority, like he is the little HHH. The issue with WWE is they have a handful of people that can do it all but they are not really pushing them its almost like they are regressing to the late 80's early 90's formula, why because where is Cena going to go, or Cesaro, or Zigler. Its either wrestle under their dry *** writing or retire. I mean the multiple personality Kane thing come one, TNA pulled it better with Abyss than WWE is doing it with Kane.

 

[big dog cowboy]

People still watch this garbage?

Not just people, millions of people.

 

[BoysFan4ever]

I like Seth. Without a doubt.

But no it's on Seth.

It's a running knee to the face. Which means its supposed to look like it hit the face.

If Cena ducks to far and it hits the top of his head that looks like garbage and that's on Cena for the spot looking like trash.

People do the running knee to the face all the time. Punk did it all the time.

The key is that you don't screw it up, which Seth did, and he broke Cena's nose for it.

The injury to Sting is more of combined one I would say, and also WWE management as well.

That's a spot Seth doesn't need to be trying on a little bit bigger person. He didn't have the strength to hit it properly, and as such they landed the spot totally wrong.

The worst part is they landed that spot wrong TWICE. They didn't do it right the first time either, earlier in the match, and that should have been the last time they did it. Sting and/or Seth needed to recognize at that point that Seth didn't have the proper strength to hit that move right.

Instead they decided to try the spot again later and it was met with an even worse result.

That's not totally on Seth, though he certainly shoulders part of the blame.

you know me..it's never Seth's fault.

I do know after their match Sting gave an interview & he said Seth was the best wrestler he had ever wrestled! High praise!