WWE: WWE Network and Business Thread III [network count a "genuine disappointment"]

[Kimi]

A couple of notes from this week's newsletter.

First, a list of the most watch shows on the Network for the week ending 5/12:

1. NXT
2. Edge and Christian Show that Totally Reeks of Awesomeness
3. Table for 3 with the Kliq
4. WWE Payback
5. NXT from the week before
6. WrestleMania
7. Camp WWE
8. Edge & Christian Show from the week before
9. WWE Beyond the Ring the Kliq Rules
10. NXT Takeover Dallas
11. Table for 3 WWE Family
12. The Making of Camp WWE
13. Raw from a month earlier
14. NXT from two weeks earlier
15. Royal Rumble 2016
16. WrestleMania from last year
17. Table for 3 with the Horsemen from two weeks earlier
18. WWE Ride Along with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Paige and Alicia Fox from March
19. Warrior’s Greatest Matches filmed in 2014
20. A video of The Rock


Second is the Network subscriber churn rate. Barrios was doing a presentation at a conference and mentioned that it's about 10%.

 

[scrubadam]

A couple of notes from this week's newsletter.

First, a list of the most watch shows on the Network for the week ending 5/12:

1. NXT
2. Edge and Christian Show that Totally Reeks of Awesomeness
3. Table for 3 with the Kliq
4. WWE Payback
5. NXT from the week before
6. WrestleMania
7. Camp WWE
8. Edge & Christian Show from the week before
9. WWE Beyond the Ring the Kliq Rules
10. NXT Takeover Dallas
11. Table for 3 WWE Family
12. The Making of Camp WWE
13. Raw from a month earlier
14. NXT from two weeks earlier
15. Royal Rumble 2016
16. WrestleMania from last year
17. Table for 3 with the Horsemen from two weeks earlier
18. WWE Ride Along with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, Paige and Alicia Fox from March
19. Warrior’s Greatest Matches filmed in 2014
20. A video of The Rock


Second is the Network subscriber churn rate. Barrios was doing a presentation at a conference and mentioned that it's about 10%.

Anything about how many viewers are watching NXT. Curiouse if it out draws TNA/LU/ROH.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

They don't release the number of viewers that watch certain shows, but NXT does well and it's indicative based on the arenas they sell out when they tour.

The big challenge for them coming up is the next chapter of NXT. With the brand split coming and more call-ups happening at a quicker pace, NXT is going to have to restock the cupboards really quickly and start their "next chapter" otherwise there could be a slight lull there for a bit.

 

[Kimi]

I think NXT will be fine. It's a white hot brand to wrestling fans, and the fans trust HHH to give them the show that they enjoy. I think the call ups are also mitigated by the fact we've expected Joe, Bálor, and Nakamura to be all called up any day for the past 5 months. Fans of NXT understand that main roster call ups are a thing, so they understand it when watching the show.



As for viewership, I'd expect it to outdraw Lucha Underground, as that show only has like 100k viewers each week. It might get more than TNA, which gets about 300k, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't. We know it's not not a massive audience, as they'd brag about it if it was.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I think NXT will be fine. It's a white hot brand to wrestling fans, and the fans trust HHH to give them the show that they enjoy. I think the call ups are also mitigated by the fact we've expected Joe, Bálor, and Nakamura to be all called up any day for the past 5 months. Fans of NXT understand that main roster call ups are a thing, so they understand it when watching the show.



As for viewership, I'd expect it to outdraw Lucha Underground, as that show only has like 100k viewers each week. It might get more than TNA, which gets about 300k, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't. We know it's not not a massive audience, as they'd brag about it if it was.

The callups are actually a good thing, it makes sure NXt will always stay fresh.

 

[scrubadam]

They don't release the number of viewers that watch certain shows, but NXT does well and it's indicative based on the arenas they sell out when they tour.

The big challenge for them coming up is the next chapter of NXT. With the brand split coming and more call-ups happening at a quicker pace, NXT is going to have to restock the cupboards really quickly and start their "next chapter" otherwise there could be a slight lull there for a bit.

Its def doing well just curious to see if it out draws TNA/LU/ROH. If there is 1.25/1.5 subscribers and its the number 1 show I have to imagine at minimum 500,000 people are watching. That is TNA/LU combined audince almost.

 

[Kimi]

Something that should be noted, is that ~300k is only TNA's US-domestic number. Internationally it will be drawing far more than what the Network has total subscribers.

 

[DenisSamson3]

WWE Smackdown Rating Falls to USA Network-Era Low

The ratings for Smackdown fell to the lowest point in the USA Network era, while viewership slipped as well. Last night’s episode brought in 2.112 million viewers and a 0.59 rating in the 18 – 49 demographic. Those numbers are down 8% and 16% from last week’s 2.295 million and 0.7 demo rating, with the rating beating out the previous 2016 low of 0.65 set on March 10th. The viewership was the lowest since the April 28th episode brought in 2.109 million viewers.

Smackdown ranked #5 for the night among cable originals behind the NBA playoff game on TNT (#1 with a 3.99 demo rating and 9.998 million viewers) and pre-game and post-game shows, as well as the NHL playoff game on NBC Sports Network.

http://411mania.com/wrestling/wwe-smackdown-rating-falls-to-usa-network-era-low/

 

[saintflannel]

Really enjoyed the Seth Rollins special last night. The WWE Network is hitting it out of the park with their 24 series.

 

[bruins309]

Oh dear God, they just put a bunch of old AWA supershows on the network including SuperClash III from 1988. One of the worst shows of all time.

And this Monday a Dusty Rhodes collection goes up, kind of like the Rock one but covering Dream's entire career.

 

[AlanHUK]

are there any sources for year on year house show attendance?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Reigns and Ambrose tours drew similarly, both around 3,900.

So... guy WWE wants to be THE GUY after Cena, current WWE World champion and 3-time champion, draws shows the same as an upper mid-card guy who has never held the WWE World title who the company doesn't see on the level of a Rollins or Reigns.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Reigns and Ambrose tours drew similarly, both around 3,900.

So... guy WWE wants to be THE GUY after Cena, current WWE World champion and 3-time champion, draws shows the same as an upper mid-card guy who has never held the WWE World title who the company doesn't see on the level of a Rollins or Reigns.

Follow up on this, Ambrose was heading the "B-show" in smaller regions drawing similar to Reigns heading the "A-show" in larger regions.

 

[DenisSamson3]

World Wrestling Entertainment is ramping up its presence in China, making its most popular shows streamable in Mandarin and introducing its first Chinese star in the latest US entertainment push to tap the country’s rising middle class.

WWE has struck a multiyear distribution deal with PPTV, a Chinese digital video service with more than 400m users, under which its long-running shows Raw and SmackDown will be available for streaming a few hours after they air in the US.

Bin Wang, a 22-year-old from eastern China, will be the first contracted Chinese WWE wrestler as the group looks to promote a local star to stir interest.

https://next.ft.com/content/b2fd28da-3363-11e6-bda0-04585c31b153

 

[S A W F T*]

Reigns and Ambrose tours drew similarly, both around 3,900.

So... guy WWE wants to be THE GUY after Cena, current WWE World champion and 3-time champion, draws shows the same as an upper mid-card guy who has never held the WWE World title who the company doesn't see on the level of a Rollins or Reigns.

I mean how many people go to a show to see one person?

 

[Kimi]

A lot when that one person is Cena.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I mean how many people go to a show to see one person?

I would go to a house show that DB or Punk were on. I'd probably go to see Seth Rollins or AJ perform if they came around Sacramento.

 

[Serac]

I mean how many people go to a show to see one person?

You only say that because Enzo and Cass are a tag team

 

[DenisSamson3]

Someone above asked for some house show statistics. I decided to compile a few statistics to to study from.


This site also has the stats for every wwe show except ppv's between 2008-2014. Newer ones are harder to find.
https://sites.google.com/site/chris...ngstatistics/wwe-attendance-by-city-2008-2013

It seems Cena is the top draw for WWE in 2015 when you look at that data, and he probably is. U.S. and Canadian house shows do about 18% better when Cena is on the card.

 

[ColePens]

That's very nice work and easy to look at.

 

[GKJ]

I'm surprised Summerslam is that low

 

[DenisSamson3]

I'm surprised Summerslam is that low

Was summerslam given for free that month. I remember the network gave one or two months free last year.

 

[Kimi]

The first month is always free, doesn't matter when you actually sign up.

But Summerslam is no where close to Wrestlemania in the eyes of most people. If old PPV buying people are going to buy a PPV, it's going to be 'Mania not anything else.

 

[ColePens]

The first month is always free, doesn't matter when you actually sign up.

But Summerslam is no where close to Wrestlemania in the eyes of most people. If old PPV buying people are going to buy a PPV, it's going to be 'Mania not anything else.

I cancelled my sub and they gave me 2 months free for a 2nd chance.

 

[Hire Sather]

So can I sign up for the PPV this Sunday and then cancel next month without paying anything?

It seems like it, but I'm not 100% sure.