WWE's business decisions

[Chavo Classic]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight I also wonder how well they can market to children longterm when their primary product airs so late at night for children to be watching.

Maybe when Smackdown leaves CW, we'll see an earlier change in scheduling. You heard it speculated here first.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Chavo Classic The tours are generally successes. Europe usually sells out and there are major gains in Merchandise sales as everyone wants a souvenir of the night the big time American game came to their town. However, the WWE can't go jump across the Atlantic or Pacific every week to boost their profits. It's a gruelling schedule for the roster to be put through, and it must cost a fair amount too. This is perhaps one of the reasons why a UK territory was being discussed up until recently. Build up a local, low-cost roster and send over the occassional big name to hype up interest. It's better in the long run the WWE attend to problems at home. The overseas markets, because they are visited less frequently, will always be there.

It's been reported several times lately that attendences were down in the UK shows, with tickets not selling out. While the numbers are still good, it really does demonstrate that the more they go overseas, the less successful each tour will be. It's a factor of diminishing returns.

Originally Posted by Chavo Classic That's true. It's not enough to say 'hey, kids, look at this wrasslin over here' and expect an influx of attention and dollars. But at the moment that's probably the direction they're going at. In the spectrum between the gimmicky early 90s and thr Attitude of the late 90s, they're probably leaning more towards the former. This is their problem. Just because it worked then, doesn't mean it'll work again. They need to get on an entirely different tangent, aiming to appeal to the new iphone generation rather than their previous SNES generation.

Part of the problem is they're repeating that generation entirely, which is the equivalent of trying to market the 80s to a 00s generation.

Anyway, the kids will enjoy it, at least short term. But if Vince gets complacent, as he always seems to do when things "Go Well," then we could see problems for WWE down the line.

Originally Posted by Chavo Classic Maybe when Smackdown leaves CW, we'll see an earlier change in scheduling. You heard it speculated here first.

I still say Raw should be moved to 7 PM so that the kiddies can see Cena. It makes no sense to market a 9 PM cable show to children. Though the fact that they market stuff to the kids and then feature scantily clad whores, incest, racism, etc. still kinda baffles me.

One of the interesting things about merch is the number of people who seem to buy it who have little or no interest in the product itself. It's especially true of the video games, but there are a ton of people out there who buy the T-Shirts and such without knowing fuck all about the programming. It just looks cool or whatever.

[Mr. Nerfect]

One thing to take into account is the attention spans of children and youth. How long will it be before they turn on the TV, and choose not to watch RAW but Disney shit? Or decide to watch an R-rated movie, instead.

Of course, I guess the idea is that you get in new fans to replace these ones that are leaving, but to make sure you do this, you actually need to market to kids and retards. Attention spans fade, you really need to replace them; so of course you market to do this.

I think it would be so much more effective if the WWE focused on the older demographic, and let kids fall into line. Kids found the WWE during the Attitude era, along with their parents, uncles and friends. Nowadays, it's a very isolated thing being a wrestling fan.

The problem with making a more adult product, is that parents might not want their kids watching it, but does any parent want their kid watching the current WWE, either? It's sexist, violent, insulting to the intelligence, and distracting now that it's got more time a week than ever.

[Kane Knight]

Originally Posted by Noid One thing to take into account is the attention spans of children and youth. How long will it be before they turn on the TV, and choose not to watch RAW but Disney shit? Or decide to watch an R-rated movie, instead.

And, in fact, when Raw is put up against that kind of shit, it gets slaughtered by them.

I think it would be so much more effective if the WWE focused on the older demographic, and let kids fall into line. Kids found the WWE during the Attitude era, along with their parents, uncles and friends. Nowadays, it's a very isolated thing being a wrestling fan.

Well, depends on what you call older, but I mean, WWE even mentions on screen when it's number one in males 18-34. It's kind of funny that they keep pointing it out, but market to a much younger audience.

The problem with making a more adult product, is that parents might not want their kids watching it, but does any parent want their kid watching the current WWE, either? It's sexist, violent, insulting to the intelligence, and distracting now that it's got more time a week than ever.

Well, I mean, to an extent, there's already this issue (As you mentioned). I mean, I'd have a lot of trouble letting my kids watch the "Kiss My Ass Club," an incestuous couple (No offense to the awesomeness of Burchill or the Hotness of Katie), and so on. Not only that, but when I watched the first episodes of Raw and Smackdown! in HD, I noticed that both were showing adverts for Mass Effect (The game that's getting controversy for "virtual orgasmic rape") and several of the new R-Rated movies. I mean, these are the sort of advertisements I'd probably think twice before showing my hypothetical kids programming that ran with that shit between it. Granted, you can skip the ads, but if they're marketing to kids and then showing ads for adult-themed items, it is kind of worrisome.

And then there's the whole Chris Benoit thing, the current generation of "steroid" scandals, and so on. I'm not sure I'd like my kids cheering for Batista or Cena, given the bulked up physiques probably send the wrong messages in terms of steroids. I mean, I don't give a shit what a bunch of aging carnies do to look impressive, but it's not the sort of thing I really want my kids aspiring to. And to some extent, you can talk to them, but there's only so much you can do.

Fortunately, wrestling's not the "in" thing, so it's less likely that kids are feeling compelled to watch, and I do wonder how much wrestling merch is being sold to kids with little to no interest in wrestling itself.

[KYR]

Originally Posted by Kane Knight I still say Raw should be moved to 7 PM so that the kiddies can see Cena. It makes no sense to market a 9 PM cable show to children.

Fair comment. Here in Australia RAW/Smackdown! air at 3.30pm/4.30pm (depending on the time zone) just in time for the kids to come home from school. It's then repeated on Saturday mornings. Great way to tap into the kiddie demographic and the parents' pockets.

The weekly shows are then repeated two hours later (5.30pm/6.30pm) on FOX+2 so the next of the 18 -34 year old demographic can get their fill as well.

There is no doubt that WWE programming is seriously popular in Australia and is reflected in the fact that it is aired on the highest rating pay TV channel.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Originally Posted by Know Your Role Fair comment. Here in Australia RAW/Smackdown! air at 3.30pm/4.30pm (depending on the time zone) just in time for the kids to come home from school. It's then repeated on Saturday mornings. Great way to tap into the kiddie demographic and the parents' pockets. The weekly shows are then repeated two hours later (5.30pm/6.30pm) on FOX+2 so the next of the 18 -34 year old demographic can get their fill as well. There is no doubt that WWE programming is seriously popular in Australia and is reflected in the fact that it is aired on the highest rating pay TV channel.

Yeah, the WWE is quite popular in Australia. I want to add "sadly," but I suppose as a wrestling fan I should be happy.

FOX8 calls itself "Home of the WWE," and it was kind of surprising to see the WWE really heavily promoted in its Christmas line-up. On weekends, the WWE also gets the lead-in from The Simpsons marathons.

When SmackDown! was cancelled, a friend of mine told me that FOX8 was constantly petitioned, and that they actually lost numbers with whatever they put in SmackDown!'s place.

The WWE makes a lot of money from us as a nation, I think. I would not be surprised to see them one day tape a RAW or SmackDown! over here.

[Dave Youell]

Originally Posted by Noid Yeah, the WWE is quite popular in Australia. I want to add "sadly," but I suppose as a wrestling fan I should be happy. FOX8 calls itself "Home of the WWE," and it was kind of surprising to see the WWE really heavily promoted in its Christmas line-up. On weekends, the WWE also gets the lead-in from The Simpsons marathons. When SmackDown! was cancelled, a friend of mine told me that FOX8 was constantly petitioned, and that they actually lost numbers with whatever they put in SmackDown!'s place. The WWE makes a lot of money from us as a nation, I think. I would not be surprised to see them one day tape a RAW or SmackDown! over here.

The logistics of moving that set all that way are scary to think about, heck i don't know what they are going to do for the UK tapings in April

Apart from stick a phone box and bus on the entrace way, again.