Monthly News Thread (May 2018)

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Here's hoping I can seamlessly go from SDL to Last Man Standing all in one night!

 

[Disclose]

hate the idea of being on a friday. thats all.
but good for them obviously if they managed that deal.

 

[Paris in Flames]

SmackDown's ratings didn't increase because they went live

They increased because they created a real brand split and returned a main title back on SD television and reorganized the entire show's format to not be a continuation of Raw's storylines.

I dont think there's any way you can prove that tbh. In theory you could do everything you listed but if it's taped do people care?

 

[Lunatik]

I dont think there's any way you can prove that tbh. In theory you could do everything you listed but if it's taped do people care?

I think the 300k instantly is because it went live and then the increases in the almost 2 years since are due to the product itself.

 

[GKJ]

Because airing it live on Friday's would involve WWE changing the way they've scheduled things for nearly 20 years now...

They're putting it on Friday? I missed that one.

Imagine a heel Rusev vs. face Reigns feud.

Rusev lays a savage beating on the beloved babyface superstar Roman Reigns as Cole recoils at the horror of the situation despite the fact that the crowd is going nuts for Rusev.

Yeah, they did that already.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Because airing it live on Friday's would involve WWE changing the way they've scheduled things for nearly 20 years now...

For a billion dollars, I can’t see them not compromising. That would be a ridiculous price for a taped show.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

SmackDown's ratings didn't increase because they went live

They increased because they created a real brand split and returned a main title back on SD television and reorganized the entire show's format to not be a continuation of Raw's storylines.

Yeah...

... No.

WWE's European Tour shows have historically lower ratings than live shows. Or do they just randomly do a brand split for those weeks only?

And if having a title mattered, RAW's ratings would be below SD's for the last year.

 

[GKJ]

Yeah...

... No.

WWE's European Tour shows have historically lower ratings than live shows. Or do they just randomly do a brand split for those weeks only?

And if having a title mattered, RAW's ratings would be below SD's for the last year.

The TV's from England aren't huge drop-offs

 

[WingsMJN2965]

The TV's from England aren't huge drop-offs

Huge no, less yes. Nobody's saying they're gonna lose half their audience.

 

[GKJ]

Huge no, less yes. Nobody's saying they're gonna lose half their audience.

Raw did better ratings last week (~2%) and Smackdown stayed the same.

I wonder if they completely re-brand Smackdown altogether and give it a new name. One of my big questions

Also, someone said that this means they don't have to have good shows. That depends. They have to gain new viewers. Fox isn't going go for basically ~$1M per viewer per year without then moving it to FS1. They will go up when it happens, and when they do they need a product that keeps those people. The 2.5-2.7 is basically their floor right now.

 

[NYRFAN218]

What's the big deal with Smackdown touring changing from Saturday - Tuesday to Friday - Monday to facilitate it being live? Gets everyone in the company on the same schedule in terms of days and it should help Smackdown draw better in terms of attendance as people are much more likely to go on a Friday night to a show than a Tuesday night.

 

[GKJ]

What's the big deal with Smackdown touring changing from Saturday - Tuesday to Friday - Monday to facilitate it being live? Gets everyone in the company on the same schedule in terms of days and it should help Smackdown draw better in terms of attendance as people are much more likely to go on a Friday night to a show than a Tuesday night.

The bottom line is that it doesn't matter. They should cut down on the house shows now anyways

 

[ColePens]

It's weird seeing negative reaction to such great news for the WWE and wrestling altogether. In a period where it really felt like wrestling was moving more and more to niche, out pops NJPW who has been delivering for years but now getting viewed by more casual wrestling fans. Then comes some great Indy news like the All In show. And now we have the big guns getting a shit load of money and that puts a lot of wrestlers in position to make good money for a long time. Good for them.

Honestly I think the last couple weeks have been nothing but awesome for wrestling. Interested to see where it all goes. Of course we have some general concerns on storylines/content/etc, but this is great stuff.

 

[ColePens]

The bottom line is that it doesn't matter. They should cut down on the house shows now anyways

What about Raw/SD house shows combined that way wrestlers don't have to go every single night? They can sell more tickets with a bigger roster and some guys can get nights off. Maybe? Maybe not?

 

[GKJ]

What about Raw/SD house shows combined that way wrestlers don't have to go every single night? They can sell more tickets with a bigger roster and some guys can get nights off. Maybe? Maybe not?

The towns they run, that doesn't matter either. The people who go to a show in Saskatoon or Allentown are going to go. No one is a big enough star other than Lesnar or Cena to draw at house shows like that

 

[NYRFAN218]

The bottom line is that it doesn't matter. They should cut down on the house shows now anyways

Won't get an argument from me. For Smackdown's schedule at least in that format I laid out, they could punt that Monday house show which will probably draw nothing anyway and it'll be a drop in the pan.

 

[GKJ]

The only reason they do the Monday house show is because they’re already on the road. This schedule will be more ideal and hopefully they go down to 3-day loops.

Also the major PPV weekends became much more easy, you can do a Friday-Monday run instead of Saturday-Tuesday.

 

[GarbageGoal]

It's weird seeing negative reaction to such great news for the WWE and wrestling altogether. In a period where it really felt like wrestling was moving more and more to niche, out pops NJPW who has been delivering for years but now getting viewed by more casual wrestling fans. Then comes some great Indy news like the All In show. And now we have the big guns getting a **** load of money and that puts a lot of wrestlers in position to make good money for a long time. Good for them.

Honestly I think the last couple weeks have been nothing but awesome for wrestling. Interested to see where it all goes. Of course we have some general concerns on storylines/content/etc, but this is great stuff.

I'm glad they are going to FOX because it mean it stays two hours. Yes, less product is still better for quality control. I DNGAF how much more money it makes.

 

[Kimi]

What's the big deal with Smackdown touring changing from Saturday - Tuesday to Friday - Monday to facilitate it being live? Gets everyone in the company on the same schedule in terms of days and it should help Smackdown draw better in terms of attendance as people are much more likely to go on a Friday night to a show than a Tuesday night.

Same reason Smackdown is on a Tuesday now, money.

Producing live TV is really really expensive. And it's even more expensive when you have to do it twice a week on non-sequential days as you need to be flying your entire production in and out twice a week, opposed to in on Monday and out on Tuesday after just travelling between shows.

Even with the new TV deal, it's a non-trivial cost to incur.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Raw did better ratings last week (~2%) and Smackdown stayed the same.

I wonder if they completely re-brand Smackdown altogether and give it a new name. One of my big questions

Also, someone said that this means they don't have to have good shows. That depends. They have to gain new viewers. Fox isn't going go for basically ~$1M per viewer per year without then moving it to FS1. They will go up when it happens, and when they do they need a product that keeps those people. The 2.5-2.7 is basically their floor right now.

Raw's rating the prior week was one of the lowest they've had since the mid 90s...

I doubt they re-brand. They love saying that, "Weekly episodic" crap.

 

[Jussi]

October 2019 makes sense since according to Kevin Feige (head of Marvel Studios), that's when the Disney/Fox deal will probably be finalized.

 

[Lunatik]

October 2019 makes sense since according to Kevin Feige (head of Marvel Studios), that's when the Disney/Fox deal will probably be finalized.

It's also when Disney is launching their own streaming service, isn't it?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

isn't the Disney/Fox deal just for 21st Century Fox? So just the film division.

 

[Emperoreddy]

isn't the Disney/Fox deal just for 21st Century Fox? So just the film division.

Yes. Disney isn’t interested in more networks. It is a headache.

 

[Jussi]

isn't the Disney/Fox deal just for 21st Century Fox? So just the film division.

Regional Sports networks go to Disney as well along with Sky plc(39% stake).

Proposed acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney - Wikipedia

Assets to be acquired by Disney[edit]

Included in the deal are the majority of 21st Century Fox's entertainment, international and regional sports assets.[1] These include:

• Fox Entertainment Group
  • 20th Century Fox[18]
  • Fox Searchlight Pictures[69]
  • Blue Sky Studios[69][70]
  • Fox Star Studios[71]
  • Fox Networks Group[72]
  • Fox Sports Networks[71][73]
• FX Networks[18]
• National Geographic Partners (73%)[71]
• Star TV[71]
• Hulu (United States) (30% -- Disney already owns 30%, after which it will own 60%)[18]
• Sky plc (39.14%)[74][1]
• Endemol Shine Group (50%)