Raw rating lowest since July 2012

[The CyNick]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Hasney Raw set another all-time record low for the era for a non-football season broadcast last night averaging 3.37 million viewers. 8 p.m. 3.59 million viewers 9 p.m. 3.46 million viewers 10 p.m. 3.09 million viewers Damn, that 3rd hour drop. No one gives a shit about the main event at all.

Still the most watched show for the night on cable outside of the voting stuff.

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Originally Posted by The CyNick Still the most watched show for the night on cable outside of the voting stuff.

God you are pathetic lol

[Ol Dirty Dastard]

Originally Posted by The CyNick Still the most watched show for the night on cable outside of the voting stuff.

And what is it going up against that makes that at all something to be happy with?

What if they had to compete with their flagship show on an actual prime time television night? Where would they rank.

God you're a fucking idiot.

[BigCrippyZ]

Originally Posted by Gorgeous Dale Newstead And what is it going up against that makes that at all something to be happy with? What if they had to compete with their flagship show on an actual prime time television night? Where would they rank.

It doesn't matter according to CyNick. As that's not currently the situation WWE is in, they're doing great.

Of course, they're doing great by default and not because the product is actually good, consistent, compelling television. If WWE had any real competition, they'd be screwed if they were continually putting out the crap they have been.

Of course, WWE is only one great competitor's show away from finding themselves in a scenario where they'll have to really fight to compete, and not necessarily a wrestling competitor's show either.

[The CyNick]

Originally Posted by BigCrippyZ It doesn't matter according to CyNick. As that's not currently the situation WWE is in, they're doing great. Of course, they're doing great by default and not because the product is actually good, consistent, compelling television. If WWE had any real competition, they'd be screwed if they were continually putting out the crap they have been. Of course, WWE is only one great competitor's show away from finding themselves in a scenario where they'll have to really fight to compete, and not necessarily a wrestling competitor's show either.

Why is it a guarantee that people will watch WWE? I watch WWE, but its not because Mark Henry shows up to my house and threatens to break my neck if I dont watch. Its funny watching you guys chase your tails about this issue. More people watch WWE every week, than just about any other form of entertainment. More people watch WWE than NBA on a regular basis, more than MLB, more than NCAA, NHL, not to mention most of the random shows on cable. But somehow those shows are successful and WWE isnt, because for some reason WWE fans only watch because they have to. Makes no sense.

[BigCrippyZ]

Originally Posted by The CyNick Why is it a guarantee that people will watch WWE? I watch WWE, but its not because Mark Henry shows up to my house and threatens to break my neck if I dont watch. Its funny watching you guys chase your tails about this issue. More people watch WWE every week, than just about any other form of entertainment. More people watch WWE than NBA on a regular basis, more than MLB, more than NCAA, NHL, not to mention most of the random shows on cable. But somehow those shows are successful and WWE isnt, because for some reason WWE fans only watch because they have to. Makes no sense.

Because there's no competition for them on Monday nights. This is evidenced by the fact that they get beat by a show on VH1.

Who/what are they competing with exactly during those three hours that has any significant mainstream buzz/appeal?

In addition to college football and the NFL, I can think of numerous other shows that I hear people talk about more often and that have more mainstream appeal and buzz. Walking Dead, Better Call Saul, Gotham, American Horror Story, Fargo, Louie, Grey's Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, American Crime.

Granted only some of those are on in direct competition with Raw or SD, but none of them are regularly on for the full length of Raw or SD or have new episodes every week.

Some of these I've never even seen and have no desire to watch but I've heard great things. I've never had anyone in the last 10+ years tell me I missed a great episode of Raw or SD. A segment maybe, but not an episode. I've also never had anyone in the last 10+ years tell me or anyone else I need to start watching Raw or SD and that I or others were missing out. I work with and regularly hang out with tons of current and/or former WWE/pro wrestling fans too.

The point is, despite what you and the WWE would like to be true, all the shows I've listed are likely consistently better written, more compelling, interesting and definitely have more of a mainstream buzz/popularity than Raw or SD.

[The CyNick]

Originally Posted by BigCrippyZ Because there's no competition for them on Monday nights. This is evidenced by the fact that they get beat by a show on VH1. Who/what are they competing with exactly during those three hours that has any significant mainstream buzz/appeal? In addition to college football and the NFL, I can think of numerous other shows that I hear people talk about more often and that have more mainstream appeal and buzz. Walking Dead, Better Call Saul, Gotham, American Horror Story, Fargo, Louie, Grey's Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, American Crime. Granted only some of those are on in direct competition with Raw or SD, but none of them are regularly on for the full length of Raw or SD or have new episodes every week. Some of these I've never even seen and have no desire to watch but I've heard great things. I've never had anyone in the last 10+ years tell me I missed a great episode of Raw or SD. A segment maybe, but not an episode. I've also never had anyone in the last 10+ years tell me or anyone else I need to start watching Raw or SD and that I or others were missing out. I work with and regularly hang out with tons of current and/or former WWE/pro wrestling fans too. The point is, despite what you and the WWE would like to be true, all the shows I've listed are likely consistently better written, more compelling, interesting and definitely have more of a mainstream buzz/popularity than Raw or SD.

A lot to deal with in that post.

First, RAW can only fairly be compared to other shows on cable on Monday. Walking Dead is on Sunday, I also believe some of the shows on your "buzz" list are on network. I don't want to even get into why that's a rediculous comparison.

Further to that, you're talking about mostly one hour shows that produce MAYBE 20 episodes per year. I guarantee if RAW only had to write 20 hours of content every 365 days it would be far more compelling.

You mentioned nobody mentions episodes of RAW or SD. Even when I was coming up during the Attitude Era, I never heard ANYONE ever say RAW was compelling and can't miss. At BEST the odd person would say "hey did you see that guy stone cold driving a beer truck, thst was jokes, not that I watch that shit". I've been a fan of this product for north of 30 years, it's always had more of an underground following than being on par with something like American Idol that everyone is taking about at school or work. So i feel like you're holding the current product to a standard that has never been achieved.

The proof to me that is still compelling is that nothing or check that, very few shows they compete with can beat them. That tells me they are among the most compelling shows on TV on that night. That's a success.

[#1-norm-fan]

Originally Posted by The CyNick First, RAW can only fairly be compared to other shows on cable on Monday. Walking Dead is on Sunday

lol

[BigCrippyZ]

Originally Posted by The CyNick Even when I was coming up during the Attitude Era, I never heard ANYONE ever say RAW was compelling and can't miss. At BEST the odd person would say "hey did you see that guy stone cold driving a beer truck, thst was jokes, not that I watch that shit". I've been a fan of this product for north of 30 years, it's always had more of an underground following than being on par with something like American Idol that everyone is taking about at school or work. So i feel like you're holding the current product to a standard that has never been achieved.

Then you're as big of a fucking moron as we all think you are.

If you actually think that folks weren't talking about Raw and SD being can't miss television and that WWE didn't have more mainstream appeal, buzz and exposure during the Attitude era days, then you're a moron, because you either weren't paying attention, have a horrible memory or are being intentionally dense.

Was it all great? No of course not. No show is perfect. The fact is though, WWE had substantially more much mainstream appeal and buzz because of the quality of the writing/booking/product back then. The shows of today that I listed have more mainstream buzz and appeal than Raw or SD because their quality is better.

The fact that WWE has to write 5 hours of television a week is a cop out for laziness and ineptitude by the folks in charge. The fact is the poor quality wouldn't (and shouldn't) be tolerated in another competitive company or with a CEO who wasn't so arrogant and/or out of touch.

[The CyNick]

Originally Posted by Gorgeous Dale Newstead And what is it going up against that makes that at all something to be happy with? What if they had to compete with their flagship show on an actual prime time television night? Where would they rank. God you're a fucking idiot.

I'm not sure your point here. I dont even think you know your own point, you're so out of your element in this discussion. Every night has prime time. Are you trying to say Monday isn't the largest night for TV viewing?

They compete against everything on TV. Specific to RAW, its against whatever is on. TNT will often have basketball on, College Basketball this time of year on ESPN, NBC Sports has hockey, and then the other random shows on the rest of cable (Discovery, FX, etc). The point is RAW beats everything they compete against (except MNF when its in season) and special programming. This past week for example, the cable news channels saw a massive bump in ratings (CNN was 3X their normal numbers) because of the election coverage. May be shocking to learn, but possibly some of RAW's viewers were more concerned about who is going to potentially lead their country vs. the Dolph Ziggler-Kevin Owens match.

This past Monday RAW was the most watched show among men 18-49 and men 12-34. Thats a massive success. Its a WIN for the night in the TV business. I dont know what else you expect of them.

USA has virtually no other programming in prime time that does big numbers. I remember doing some work related to this, and I believe the analysis showed USA only had one other show Monday-Friday that reached the top 100 shows in terms of ratings - which was Suits. Everything else is all WWE - either RAW or Smackdown. But I know, I dont know what I'm talking about. And I know, RAW "should be doing a 7.0". I sometimes wish it was 1999 too, but its not.