BTB Discussion Thread

[CakeWalker]

but the best GAB will be in April 2022

 

[White Rhyno]

Correct. The originals were held in July

 

[Gambit]

Yeah, saw at the beginning of the 90s it happened in July then in the middle they changed it up.

 

[Smart Marx]

As long as the Great American Bash is within a few weeks of July 4th it works. I actually like it in June because it’s the summer kickoff PPV. Then bash at the beach is for when it’s really hot and you’re going to the beach more.

 

[Smart Marx]

As for the amount of PPV events. I’m always in the minority in this, but I wouldn’t cut them.

For branding purposes alone I think pro wrestling works best when you have a weekly tv show and a PPV at the end of 4-5 weeks of build on said tv show.

More importantly though if your company isn’t doing well financially, and aren’t selling out venues as you tour, your PPV events are gonna be your primary source of revenue. It basically killed TNA in 2013 when they cut them down.

6 is the bare minimum I’d do with a clash every month without a PPV and slowly build back up to a monthly PPV.

Before 2000 they made on average 150K buys a PPV. As you build back brand trust you can get that revue back.

 

[Roy Mustang]

As for the amount of PPV events. I’m always in the minority in this, but I wouldn’t cut them.

For branding purposes alone I think pro wrestling works best when you have a weekly tv show and a PPV at the end of 4-5 weeks of build on said tv show.

More importantly though if your company isn’t doing well financially, and aren’t selling out venues as you tour, your PPV events are gonna be your primary source of revenue. It basically killed TNA in 2013 when they cut them down.

6 is the bare minimum I’d do with a clash every month without a PPV and slowly build back up to a monthly PPV.

Before 2000 they made on average 150K buys a PPV. As you build back brand trust you can get that revue back.

Counter point: Doing more at the price cost it is in the US, make it more likely people will purchase less PPV's each time and overall lead to the company making less money? Though back in 2001 when PPV's were bigger this might actually not be the case

 

[Dubb]

Furthermore, and this is just me, but this is all just for fun and while it is always good to strive for a certain amount of realism in our works... I think at a point, pondering the PPV economics of the early 00's is thinking a little too hard about things.

My advice would be to go with the PPV schedule that you feel like is going to be the most effective for you to A) Tell the stories you want to tell and B) Keep you motivated and going. I really enjoyed my old WWF 1993 BTB at WC some of you are familiar with, but having months worths of weekly shows building up to one PPV every 3-4 months was disheartening at times because I was so eager to get to the next big show where most of the major happenings go down. The nice thing about the WCW reset of being bought out is that it's a bit of a blank slate and you can set it up however you want instead of following the historical structured PPV schedule already established.

 

[Smart Marx]

Counter point: Doing more at the price cost it is in the US, make it more likely people will purchase less PPV's each time and overall lead to the company making less money? Though back in 2001 when PPV's were bigger this might actually not be the case

You never make up the difference by doing less, imo.

WWE managed over 150K buys for another decade after 2001 so I especially agree with that point.

And let’s say they cut them down and made 200K for 6. That’s a net loss of about 600K buys. Mania and SummerSlam and Royal Rumble still did 500K and up each year while still doing monthly PPV.

TNA did even less buys after they cut them down.

The only reason to cut PPV in my esteemation is if you can’t even afford the costs upfront to pay them, but if you can’t even do that, you probably won’t even be in business much longer. That’s what happened to ECW. It couldn’t afford its next PPV and they needed the money from that to keep afloat.

I’m in the minority for wanting monthly PPV. I accept this, but I do think financially speaking it makes little sense to cut them when you’re already struggling.

AEW can afford to do 4 because they do excellent at touring and merch and whatnot. Though, I do think they could add 2 PPV events, loss a little buys per show and still have a decent net positive, but that’s just me and I’m certainly fine if they don’t.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Well sadly, this isn't reality, so people can cut their shows down if they want.

 

[Smart Marx]

Well sadly, this isn't reality, so people can cut their shows down if they want.

I’m just giving my opinion, lol.

I thought he was asking for discussion. And I believe his question was rooted in WCW and its situation.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

I think the other thing to focus on is who will be carrying those pay-per-views anyways? Turner isn't gonna since they don't own them anymore.

 

[Smart Marx]

I think the other thing to focus on is who will be carrying those pay-per-views anyways? Turner isn't gonna since they don't own them anymore.

True, but not necessarily. Depends on the bottom line.

Viewers Choice loses ECW at this time. They might want a new source of revenue from wrestling.

 

[RDT]

As for the amount of PPV events. I’m always in the minority in this, but I wouldn’t cut them.

For branding purposes alone I think pro wrestling works best when you have a weekly tv show and a PPV at the end of 4-5 weeks of build on said tv show.

More importantly though if your company isn’t doing well financially, and aren’t selling out venues as you tour, your PPV events are gonna be your primary source of revenue. It basically killed TNA in 2013 when they cut them down.

6 is the bare minimum I’d do with a clash every month without a PPV and slowly build back up to a monthly PPV.

Before 2000 they made on average 150K buys a PPV. As you build back brand trust you can get that revue back.

I would guess that if WCW irl wanted to cut costs they would lower production costs of the PPV rather than drop PPVs. I know this was partly Vince's strategy when he felt forced to come up with the In Your House concept (he felt if he didn't have a PPV every month but WCW did it made the WWF look bush league). But set design, only 2 hour PPV, etc. kept costs in line. Also, to further prove your point PPV basically kept ECW alive, and in 2000 because they ran as many as they did revenue hit all time highs. Had they not been screwed over by DirectTV and Acclaim l they might have survived.

 

[Gambit]

Yeah, I was thinking since their pay per view business was less than stellar at this point on top of trying to re-establish the brand off of a hiatus and already in one location for tapings they’d look to save a bit on production cost from running a pay per view. Since, in my universe, they’d be running out of the card rock casino and hotel in Vegas, and they charge for those, and the venue holds a decent side crowd they’d collect some revenue from the event.

and maybe it’s getting too into the weeds a bit. And like Dubb said it’s nice to have a little bit of realism to a degree.

in my take, I think it definitely would make the one that were run more special and could generate better view ship off the back of the best possible build and match ups.

 

[Smart Marx]

I would guess that if WCW irl wanted to cut costs they would lower production costs of the PPV rather than drop PPVs. I know this was partly Vince's strategy when he felt forced to come up with the In Your House concept (he felt if he didn't have a PPV every month but WCW did it made the WWF look bush league). But set design, only 2 hour PPV, etc. kept costs in line. Also, to further prove your point PPV basically kept ECW alive, and in 2000 because they ran as many as they did revenue hit all time highs. Had they not been screwed over by DirectTV and Acclaim l they might have survived.

100%. This.

The revenue from those PPV events would be needed as they struggled. Losing that would mean even more needs for cuts. However, cutting production down could mean everything. WCW always spent a fortune on that when they don’t need to.