It's time for me to come to terms with WWE

[GrammarNazi82]

I can understand Dolph's sentiment completely. I have had similar.....I almost want to call them breakdowns. In fact, I basically had one last night when I saw Big Show deliver the WMD to Punk (the fact that he then gave one to Cena didn't make it any better). It's almost become completely clear that WWE is now marketing and writing exclusively to children and casual fans, as they believe the hardcore wrestling fans will continue to watch, regardless of the quality of show they produce. I'm also just about to the point that I believe the only way they might realize (and I emphasize "might") would be for the hardcore wrestling fans to turn off WWE and focus on TNA and ROH (or any other independent promotion), but that means not enjoying the talents that many of us love to watch (Punk, Bryan, Christian, DZ, for me, personally). It becomes a terrible choice for those of us who love good wrestling, but also love those talents.

Either way, I should be in the TNA thread on Thursday and I look forward to posting with all of you then.

wk

Very well said.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Great thread! In my honest opinion, I only watch Raw these days because it's 'on' and has been for most part of the last 20 years. Come a monday evening, when there's very little else on, Raw is literally the only saving grace of TV. That being said the current RAW product has been and will continue to be stale since 2004, purely because the WWE arent interested in a wide fan base, they are only interested in repeating the process of kids after kids after kids. Which is a great PR/Financial exploit, but its not great for the general fan at all.

Let's rewind 14 years to Summerslam 1998, purely so I can re-live wrestling from 1998-2004 all over again. Epic.

 

[Crayo]

I definitely agree that it's too kid friendly. Their largest viewer demographic I'm sure is 18+ right? I don't get how they think Brodus Clay dancing with Hornswoggle is going to keep them around.

 

[Snowman1]

I definitely agree that it's too kid friendly. Their largest viewer demographic I'm sure is 18+ right? I don't get how they think Brodus Clay dancing with Hornswoggle is going to keep them around.

Well, as he said, it's been stale and kid-friendly since '04, and we adults haven't left yet. Maybe they've figured out that the adults that have been watching for years will simply keep watching while they focus their attention towards bringing in the 5 year olds?

 

[Rysenberg]

Well, as he said, it's been stale and kid-friendly since '04, and we adults haven't left yet. Maybe they've figured out that the adults that have been watching for years will simply keep watching while they focus their attention towards bringing in the 5 year olds?

I think there's more chance of adults leaving than there is kids though, that's what really irritates me. As a 10 year-old I would continue to watch no matter how crap it got (IMO). I just accepted whoever the main faces were tbh, I disliked a few like Flair, Cena, Mysterio and Taker but even if they were pushed I would still watch no matter what. Smarks however are more likely to leave, as we can see in the OP.

Just look at the AE, if you play to the smarks, you'll get ridiculous ratings as it will be more socially accepted and won't be dismissed by most folk above the age of 14.

 

[Stopspot]

I think there's more chance of adults leaving than there is kids though, that's what really irritates me. As a 10 year-old I would continue to watch no matter how crap it got (IMO). I just accepted whoever the main faces were tbh, I disliked a few like Flair, Cena, Mysterio and Taker but even if they were pushed I would still watch no matter what. Smarks however are more likely to leave, as we can see in the OP.

Just look at the AE, if you play to the smarks, you'll get ridiculous ratings as it will be more socially accepted and won't be dismissed by most folk above the age of 14.

But the Attitude Era wasn't catering to the smarks.

 

[Asskicker]

AE was catering to everyone! When WWE didn't give two shits about a small demographic or any demographic for that matter.

 

[Rysenberg]

But the Attitude Era wasn't catering to the smarks.

AE was catering to everyone! When WWE didn't give two shits about a small demographic or any demographic for that matter.

Yeah more like Windy says, it was catered to male fans as well, which did them a hell of a lot better than catering to kiddies is doing?

 

[Asskicker]

Guys, the AE wasn't about the demographics. They never gave two shits about who was watching. All they knew was that they had awesome superstars with awesome ability and charisma and therefore, those superstars attracted many to WWE.

 

[I'll See Ya Kia]

I cant imagine completely cutting off WWE forever. :upset::upset::upset:

 

[Asskicker]

Very true^ Even if you do you will always end up coming back, some way or another. Personal experience.

 

[Lockard 23]

This thread is how I felt back in 2005. I stopped watching then but kept up throughout 2006 but gave up even doing that by the time 2007 got here. Then I didn't start keeping up again or watching PPVs until 2010. But I've only watched a handful of Raws since then in their entirety and have now, for the past few months, giving up on watching the show once again at all. I haven't even read the results the past several Raws. Things I don't like is the brand split and having two world titles, which I'm sick of. I don't care for most of the newer guys, because they just don't seem that special to me (Miz, Del Rio, Rhodes, Barrett, etc.) And the show as a whole is just boring.

I think a big part of it, though, might be me outgrowing wrestling as a whole because I find myself even watching old DVDs and Youtube videos less and less. I only still post here a little because I've watched wrestling for so long and it's been one of my principal hobbies for so long (since 1996) that a part of me is always drawn back to it a little... If not towards current day wrestling, then at least old school wrestling.