Randy Orton is The Ratings Killer

[Xero]

From PWInsider.

This week's edition of Raw did a 2.8 cable rating. Unless this is a situation where there was a problem with Nielsen's computations, it's officially cause for concern for WWE and Raw. The show did hours of 2.8 and 2.8, and this was on the day after a PPV where a new WWE Champion was crowned. Again, if there wasn't a problem at Nielsen, this is downright scary, even if you bring DVR time-shifting into the mix.

For those looking to other places for shows that could have affected the rating on cable, ESPN did a 10 cable rating for the Dallas vs. Buffalo game, which was up from the 9.0 that last week's game did. The Indians-Yankees game hurt WWE as well as they did a 7.0 for the deciding game of the series. But still, there have been football games and playoffs in the past and WWE never dropped this far. This is a scary number.

==============================

I'll assume KK will find a lower rating, but ouch.

[Crossrine]

Cena's absence has to be a contributing factor.

[Stickman]

I don't think Orton is the problem. I think shitty writing is.

[KingofOldSchool]

So when are people going to be making "WE NEED CENA" topics?

[Mr Regal]

Was the writing in wrestling ever really that great?

[Loose Cannon]

he's certainly not a Yankee killer

[Mr. Pierre]

I think the games were a pretty big factor (A do-or-die Yankee playoff game and a great game on ESPN).

[McLegend]

There were baseball playoffs and like one of the highest rated Monday night games ever.

Really not that big of a deal.

[IC Champion]

Does this also mean HHH isn't a drawing ratings either?

[Kane Knight]

2.8 is about what it's been doing recently. I'm not even sure why it'd be scary, especially factoring in DVR playback, which won't be factored in until the final ratings.

Lately, ratings after a PPV haven't seen a change, even with a title change. Not much of one, anyway.

[Hanso Amore]

What is the Normal rating at these days? I know 5s back in the day were normal, but I dont see them doing much better than this normally.

[Mercury Bullet]

Gee, MAYBE ITS BECAUSE THEIR PROGRAMMING HAS BEEN REALLY BAD FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IT IS FINALLY STARTING TO CATCH UP WITH THEM!!!







Nah, couldn't be that! Not enough Cena, thats why!

[Mercury Bullet]

Also...

It had to be just because of Baseball and MNF going up against Raw, of course those things are going to score higher and it is going to hurt Raw's rating...

MAYBE THEY HURT RAW'S RATING BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE ENTERTAINING!!!

[Kane Knight]

What is the Normal rating at these days? I know 5s back in the day were normal, but I dont see them doing much better than this normally.

About 2.5-3.1.

This Raw apparently split the difference almost exactly.

OMG! RANDY ORTON IS BAD FOR RATINGS WE NEED CENA!

[Johnny Vegas]

wow, for God's sake there were two sports games on that had alot of drama behind them. These ratings are BECAUSE of Cena's superman push. Can someone put up the ratings for when Edge was champ? After Cena won it back, pretty much consistent within the 2.9-2.5 rating.

Fact of the matter: There needs to be another revolutionary angle involving someone the fans can relate to. Cena has been getting "X-Pac" heat from the majority of the crowd.d.

[Mercury Bullet]

Ya know, this says one thing though...TNA gets around a 1.0 typically. 1.0 to 2.8 is not that huge of a gap. It's a very attainable gap if they would pull their heads out of their ass and take advantage of WWE's weaknesses right now. Which will happen first, TNA will rise to WWE's level, or WWE will fall to TNA's?

[Kane Knight]

After Cena got the title back from Edge? Sorry, Johnny, but they were actually still around 3.6.

There was a decline eventually, but had to point it out.

I think the most important thing is that there was virtually no change, though.

Second most, that there was virtually no change with a couple of major games on.

And lastly, we should probably wait until the final ratings are out. Maybe check back in 8 days. If these ratings are accurate, they aren't bad. If they're not accurate, then the lower ratings might actually be worrisome (But probably not, given the competition).

[Kane Knight]

Ya know, this says one thing though...TNA gets around a 1.0 typically. 1.0 to 2.8 is not that huge of a gap. It's a very attainable gap if they would pull their heads out of their ass and take advantage of WWE's weaknesses right now. Which will happen first, TNA will rise to WWE's level, or WWE will fall to TNA's?

One thing worth pointing out, you're talking about 1.0 on a Thursday vs 2.8 on a Monday.

[Mercury Bullet]

True, but it would be a meaningful step for TNA to outgain WWE on ANY day.

[Crossrine]

Just out of curioisity how do they take the ratings? Do you have to watch the entire thing fully to get the "Rating" in or how does it work??

[BigDaddyCool]

Lets look at it like this: No Mercy on paper looked like a really crappy ppv. Especially after Cena go injured and no match was announce. Speaking as someone who didn't get No Mercy or see it somehow and the first thing I saw when wondering over to WWE.com was Orton was awarded the title, I figured there wouldn't be a match, and ignored the rest of the ppv and watched Fox's cartoons. The next night, Raw starts up Orton is still champ, and they replay how it happened and I find out he lost it to HHH only to win it back, while not seeing the Last Man Standing match in all its glory. Also Raw starts off with HHH, Orton, and Vince. So I'm thinking business as usual plus there is talk of everyone congradulating Orton or whatever. Lame, plus I already missed the shocker which was on the ppv, they aren't going to do shit for free tv. Lets see what else is on.

I'm willing to bet that is what happened.

Also, Instant Classic and I were talking earlier about it being a rather mild pop for Micheals. And I'm guessing that people were expecting the show to end in either an RKO or a Pedigree so all the vocal males in the audience (which you could hear during the handicap match and the hardy/kennedy match) decided to beat the rush and leave early.

That and no one is watching any more.

[BigDaddyCool]

Ya know, this says one thing though...TNA gets around a 1.0 typically. 1.0 to 2.8 is not that huge of a gap. It's a very attainable gap if they would pull their heads out of their ass and take advantage of WWE's weaknesses right now. Which will happen first, TNA will rise to WWE's level, or WWE will fall to TNA's?

While you raise an interesting point, beating a weak feeble WWE is like beating Ric Flair now. It doesn't mean quiet as much as WCW Nitro beating WWF Raw.

[IC Champion]

While you raise an interesting point, beating a weak feeble WWE is like beating Ric Flair now. It doesn't mean quiet as much as WCW Nitro beating WWF Raw.
What do you mean, when WCW was kicking WWF's ass RAW was terrible, almost unwatchable even....

[Kane Knight]

True, but it would be a meaningful step for TNA to outgain WWE on ANY day.

I'm not exactly with you on that.

[JT]

Personal thoughts...

Went to my friends house to watch the PPV...Randy being given the title pissed me off...HHH winning the title 10 minutes later almost had me walk out of my friends house (luckly had people visiting that I didn't want to talk to, and stayed).

Next night, I have little interest in RAW because of the PPV, decided to watch heroes instead. Tuned into the beginning of RAW for the hell of it anyway, saw HHH get a rematch that night for the WWE Championship, said fuck it, and watched Heroes.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Personal thoughts...

Went to my friends house to watch the PPV...Randy being given the title pissed me off...HHH winning the title 10 minutes later almost had me walk out of my friends house (luckly had people visiting that I didn't want to talk to, and stayed).

Next night, I have little interest in RAW because of the PPV, decided to watch heroes instead. Tuned into the beginning of RAW for the hell of it anyway, saw HHH get a rematch that night for the WWE Championship, said fuck it, and watched Heroes.

I'm with you on that. The ratings apparently haven't dropped much, but I thought they would at least go up with the new Champion and all the interest surrounding the angle. Of course, the WWE in their infinite wisdom, went with boring booking, and haven't benefited themselves in any way.

I agree with Mercury Bullet on his thoughts. The RAW audience would not wander to sports if RAW was actually *gasp* entertaining. The same old shit is not going to get it done. John Cena's absence probably didn't hurt things. A few more overweight wet teenage girls might have stopped watching, but a lot of them probably watch for Jeff Hardy (why he's attractive is anyone's guess), Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, etc. Plus, Cena was advertised and present (in some form) on the show. I don't think the lack of Cena can be blamed, although that is what the WWE will do.

[Kane Knight]

By the way, TNA drew in about 1.2 million with a 1.0 rating last time I could find numbers.

Last week, WWE's rating of 2.8 for their top hour (The other one was off the charts drew in FIVE FUCKING MILLION PEOPLE.


Yeah. Not that big a gap. Only four million viewers TNA has to make up there.

[Kane Knight]

Just out of curioisity how do they take the ratings? Do you have to watch the entire thing fully to get the "Rating" in or how does it work??

Well...

...There's an overall rating, and hourly rating, and half and quarter hours. You can't narrow ratings changes down to, say, the second, but you can track them by QHs.

[Kane Knight]

For the record, the last three weeks of Raw Ratings have seen a slight increase of viewers.

Also, to WWE's credit, they've managed to be the ONLY thing to hold its own in the ratings against MLB (Off the top ten for last week, 9 were baseball, one was Raw). Not Disney or Nick.

[Shaggy]

I thought that this week and last weeks Raw were two of the worst raws Ive seen in a while...

Besides HBK returning at the end of this week there was really nothing good.

[crock69]

Not to set the same old debate about the roster split, but what were the ratings before and after the split. In the attitude era and the invasion era all the big stars were on one show, now with the split we only have a handful of stars on each show, which can potentially cause some boring moments for casual viewers.

If all the stars were on one show the possibility of having at least one thing any potential viewer wants to see, can boost ratings. Just my opinion.

[Kane Knight]

I thought that this week and last weeks Raw were two of the worst raws Ive seen in a while...

Besides HBK returning at the end of this week there was really nothing good.

Sadly, the ratings don't reflect that it's getting worse. Maybe because people are praying for Jericho or Michaels or whoever else is returning.

[Splaya]

I'm gonna add some personal thoughts as well.

Heroes was on.
Baseball was on.
ESPN Monday night Football was on.

People, especially males, are going to watch this more than anything in the world. Especially with someone like TO and Romo on MNF, Jeter and Arod on TBS and Heroes being on NBC. If you had to choose between those 3 and RAW, I'm sure 90% of you would choose one of the 3 and not Raw.

Also, if I were people who went to the PPV, watched it ( I did at Buffalo Wild Wings) or even read about it, I would be pissed because of the fact that we all thought Jericho was going to come back at No Mercy, and would have been on RAW. When people read he was going to be back at CS, I'm sure that turned a few households away.

[Shaggy]

Sadly, the ratings don't reflect that it's getting worse. Maybe because people are praying for Jericho or Michaels or whoever else is returning.

that would be pretty funny if the ratings went down...and then like you said they just suddenly spike up in about a few months when fans think Cena is gonna make his return

[Mooияakeя™]

tbh, I think I'm more pissed off with the fact there was apparantly only 30mins ring action all show. I don't count it myself, so I'm believing this and I'm quite fucked off about that.

Especially how "Ü-Boone" reported that WWE were trying to go for longer more detailed matches around the time of the epic Cena/Michael match will had a lot of people really interested and optimistic. Just proves Boone is a lying cunt, and WWE really need to give us some wrestling cos apparantly, 1 1/2 hours of chin-wagging ain't doing the shiz-nit.

[Kane Knight]

I'm gonna add some personal thoughts as well.

Heroes was on.
Baseball was on.
ESPN Monday night Football was on.

People, especially males, are going to watch this more than anything in the world. Especially with someone like TO and Romo on MNF, Jeter and Arod on TBS and Heroes being on NBC. If you had to choose between those 3 and RAW, I'm sure 90% of you would choose one of the 3 and not Raw.

Also, if I were people who went to the PPV, watched it ( I did at Buffalo Wild Wings) or even read about it, I would be pissed because of the fact that we all thought Jericho was going to come back at No Mercy, and would have been on RAW. When people read he was going to be back at CS, I'm sure that turned a few households away.

Baseball and MNF might be a factor, but Heroes didn't damage ratings last year, and this year it seems to be getting lower ratings. I think we can rule Heroes out as the "ratings killer."

But yes, Football and baseball are likely culprits. Assuming there's even a drop.

Wrestling fans being pissed won't affect ratings either, because as you can see by the number of people who are on here who are pissed but keep watching, they'll keep coming back for more.

Y2J? Does anyone realistically think Jericho's the dealbreaker for so many people?

[Xero]

Not enough to impact the ratings (at this point) whatsoever.

[SammyG]

Push Kennedy.

[KingofOldSchool]

Push Kennedy.

They tried that and he blew it.

Next.

[Johnny Vegas]

Dude, they (RAW) need to just face the facts that HHH was soooo '97-2001 and that they need to move on. The guy is probably the most over person on RAW, we know that. Why?....Exactly.

If HHH was one the most over guys in the company back during the attitude era, and is STILL one of the most over guys in the company NOW, then there is a problem, WWE.

[Kane Knight]

Did...Did JV just say something remotely negative about WWE?

[Johnny Vegas]

nah, i do say some negative things about those niggas (WWE), but i know i will keep watching until HHH has another long title run (when WWE goes out of business). Therefore, i try to stay optimistic and positive, praying to JBL that things get better

[Kane Knight]

Raw did lose ground. It got bumped off the top ten rankings, meaning it had a 2.6 rating or less PER HOUR.

In any event, with stiff competition, I wouldn't exactly call this the end of the world. It no doubt hurt, but unless it dipped to like, 2.0, they're really not all that fucked.