Raw Scores Lowest Rating Since 1997

[TheChairman]

Monday's RAW scored a 2.7 rating, which put the show in the category of historically-low Raws over the past 14 years dating back to 1997. Most of the episodes are holiday editions when viewership traditionally declines.Going into NOC's with Punk facing HHH, do you think this feud is being wasted? Was it a bad idea knowing MNF was starting to have this feud go in the direction it did, when it did?

Saying it was because of MNF doesn't really do this justice seeing as it was the worst rated show since 1997. So does it clearly show WWE that their target audience isn't who really watches the show?

Or is wrestling dying/dead? Thoughts?

[Malfeitor]

Monday's WWE Raw scored a 2.7 rating, which put the show in the category of historically-low Raws over the past 14 years dating back to 1997. Most of the episodes are holiday editions when viewership traditionally declines.

Nov. 3, 1997 - 2.6 rating
Dec. 15, 1997 - 2.7 rating
Dec. 31, 2001 - 2.4 rating (New Year's Eve)
Dec. 20, 2004 - 2.7 rating (Best Of show)
July 4, 2005 - 2.6 rating (Fourth of July)
Dec. 25, 2006 - 2.7 rating (Christmas)
Dec. 24 & 31, 2007 - 2.5 ratings (Christmas & NYEve)
Sept. 15, 2008 - 2.6 rating
Sept. 27, 2010 - 2.7 rating
July 4, 2011 - 2.4 rating (Fourth of July)
Sept. 12, 2011 - 2.7 rating

[Anybody Thrilla]

Well, would you look at that. Who to believe now?

Wrestling will be fine.

[Lock Jaw]

Yeah. Wrestling is definitely dying. Will probably be gone in three months, tops.

[Anybody Thrilla]

As far as the angle, would you expect them to try and put on a shitty show just because they don't expect as many viewers? I don't follow your logic there.

[Lock Jaw]

Coming Soon to a Waffle House Near You: CM Punk

[Malfeitor]

Moral of the story is...

Oh who the fuck am I kidding? I got nothing.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

TNA wins!

[Anybody Thrilla]

Here are a couple of great wrestling death moments to help us get through this tragic loss:

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iQq5QxBJMPE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hjT7dCMWm7o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Cool King]

Oh NOeZ! RAW IS WAR got a lOw rating! WRESLinng iz dYing!!111 D:

But seriously, it's nothing to freak out about. It happens. Especially if the country's biggest sport has just started a new season.

I wouldn't say wrestling is dying.

Also, you might want to change the title of the thread to "Raw Scores Lowest Rating Since 10 weeks ago" as the last time Raw got a low rating was then and not 1997. :-\

[Anybody Thrilla]

Not to derail this wonderful thread, but two quick questions:

1) Why do they make leather pants that fit the Big Show?

2) Why did he wear them to a funeral?

[Cool King]

Also, if you look at the ratings for "Sept. 15, 2008" and "Sept. 27, 2010", you'll see that they too have low ratings, which was when the NFL seasons had recently started.

So it's pretty much a regular occurrence for Raw to have it's low ratings around this time of year.

[FearedSanctity]

Well next week is STL/NYG, so Raw will be fine

[Malfeitor]

Oh NOeZ! RAW IS WAR got a lOw rating! WRESLinng iz dYing!!111 D:

But seriously, it's nothing to freak out about. It happens. Especially if the country's biggest sport has just started a new season.

I wouldn't say wrestling is dying.

Also, you might want to change the title of the thread to "Raw Scores Lowest Rating Since 10 weeks ago" as the last time Raw got a low rating was then and not 1997. :-\

Exactly why I posted those glorious stats, bro.

[Emperor Smeat]

Isn't this also around the same time of the year the WWE usually tends to enter its downtime until the Rumble when it goes back into Mania-hype mode?

I'd be more concerned if RAW hit a record low during the Fall sweeps week because that is when the advertising rates get set until Spring occurs.

[Captain of Fun]

It was a double header MNF(first of the season at that) featuring two really big games. Dunno why this is surprising.

[el bobbo]

Well next week is STL/NYG, so Raw will be fine

Hey. I live in STL.

But I get it... unfortunately.

[Londoner]

Well this is clearly a well thought out thread. Bet the OP really thought he was on to something at the time to. Shame.

[Shisen Kopf]

Rasslin is dying. Oh no, this is beyond serious business! Raw is gonna be cancelled oh noes!

[Nowhere Man]

Well next week is STL/NYG, so Raw will be fine

I read that as "next week is STYLING."

Anyway, yeah, MNF is usually a pretty big deal, so I wouldn't get too upset about one week of low ratings. If it keeps up, then sure, that's something to be worried about, but one show tanking the same night the most popular sport in the country starts up again is hardly a reason to abandon ship.

[el bobbo]

I don't even see how people watch football. The storylines aren't even that good. Michael Vick getting out of prison is so several months ago.

[Shadow]

MNF came back and RAW scored a low rating.....

IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

[St. Jimmy]

2.6! That's like fucking IMPACT RATINGS OMGWHATTHEFUCKTHEWORLDISENDING.

If Vince was to expose his penis on television and stick it down Michael Cole's throat live on television USA/Universal would just pay the fine and be like "Guys, seriously, you can't do that. C'mon." and then Vince and the head of Universal would hug.

WWE isn't going ANYWHERE no matter how low ratings ever get.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

<img src="http://scm-l3.technorati.com/11/01/24/25607/tballproap.jpg" id="il_fi" height="326" width="296" style="padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px; padding-bottom: 8px; ">

Brady: Take that Triple H and CM Punk!

[Vastardikai]

I read that as "next week is STYLING."

Anyway, yeah, MNF is usually a pretty big deal, so I wouldn't get too upset about one week of low ratings. If it keeps up, then sure, that's something to be worried about, but one show tanking the same night the most popular sport in the country starts up again is hardly a reason to abandon ship.

Especially considering how it was a double header and the first game had Tom Brady in it.

[Londoner]

MNF came back and RAW scored a low rating.....

IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

R Truth and Miz were right all along.

[Rammsteinmad]

They need to bring back the Attitude Era!!!

[RiX1024]

Agreed Ramm.

[In Exile]

I didn't watch RAW this week. I apologize.

[Corporate CockSnogger]

This Chairman guy just seems to be using this as a way to say Punk hasn't saved wrestling, which I'm pretty sure nobody thinks anyway.

[Steveviscious89]

I don't think blaming MNF is any sort of excuse....but I guess we'll find out next week. We may be at that point where football is going to take away that many viewers now. In any case, wrestling isn't dead, it's just back to where it was before it became super popular.

[Sixx]

Not to derail this wonderful thread, but two quick questions:

1) Why do they make leather pants that fit the Big Show?

2) Why did he wear them to a funeral?

You should always wear leather pants to a parent's funeral.

[BizarroKing]

Johnny Ace is to blame.

[PorkSoda]

Maybe the NFL should invade WWE to help boost it's ratings.

I'd say WWE invade NFL but....in a way they already did.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I don't think that the XFL was meant to compete with the NFL as much as it was meant to capitalize on the popularity of the sport.

[Gertner]

Catering to smarks = no ratings.

[Chavo Classic]

Catering to smarks = no ratings.

Smarks on the internet who are not going to pay for PPVs, but stream them instead. I absolutely agree.

[Blakeamus]

The Chairman is one of those guys who concentrate on what the ratings say to determine if RAW was great or shitty...

[MoFo]

CM Punk doesnt draw.

[Gertner]

Ratings were higher when Hornswoggle was a bigger part of Raw. Just saying.

[MoFo]

Michael Cole was a box office smash too.

[Blakeamus]

Michael Cole is "symbolic"

[Theo Dious]

Not to derail this wonderful thread, but two quick questions:

1) Why do they make leather pants that fit the Big Show?

2) Why did he wear them to a funeral?

1) Probably custom-made.
2) Dude, Hulk Hogan wore a fucking black du-rag to COURT. Leather pants at a funeral seems a bit of a trifle next to that.