Raw gets abysmal lowest non-NFL rating since 1996. What would you do to turn it around?

[Apex]

Dave Meltzer reported that this was the worst non-holiday numbers Raw has drawn since 1996. From 8-9PM Monday Night Raw drew its lowest number of viewers since their last July 4 show (for foreign readers, it's US Independence Day on July 4 and it's a widely celebrated day to skip work and BBQ). He noted this show did worse than the pre-taped London show *. He also stated that while the NBA playoff game certainly hurt WWE, this show was down 20% from the same week last year, which went up against a stronger NBA game. So "it's not like the competition is down this year," as there are indeed playoffs every year. Overall the ratings were down 20%, and down 40% in teenage boys.

I would usually say that it's because of other factors (people don't watch TV, NBA), but enough is enough. It's time to stop the awkward programming.

What would you do?

Attitude 2.0?

I try not to care for business insider things to enjoy wrestling more, but I thought it'd be fun to read people's ideas to help the product.

 

[Mr. Negative]

Give Paul Heyman the book, pay him a quarter mill and give him the

 

[AquaCityBoy]

Get the title off Brock.

 

[Mr. Negative]

Fire the writers, hire some neckbeards and smarks but not let them poach talent or call anyone up form NXT.

Drop the shyt to 2 hours, advertizing money be damned.

Get Kevin Dunn/Steph away from any creative capacity.

get rid of scripted promos. Sink or Swim, bytch.

 

[Apex]

I'd personally change up the presentation and play up to people's strengths. If Anthony Joshua was a wrestling personality, he'd be considered vanilla, but he's probably the most buzzing athlete in the U.K. It's because he's a beast in the ring and people sell his ability in the ring. I'd do montage videos for guys who aren't great promoers (Finn, for example). Canelo Alvarez doesn't speak English, but is a huge PPV draw both in the U.S. and Mexico. If Canelo was a wrestler, the WWE would hesitate to push him because of "marketability" reasons when, in reality, all it takes is a translator.

I think wrestling should go for that fight night feel. Do a couple Raws in Vegas and live up to the name of "MONDAY NIGHT RAW." There really isn't a place for the Alicia Fox angle. I understand some people like comedy wrestling (the fashion police stuff is cool), but you need to choose one direction instead of trying to be a jack of all trades.

Letting Mauro Ranallo go was such a stupid decision. He's the best commentator in combat sports. He gave the product that cool fight vibe.

 

[Ill Lou Malnati]

Isn't it true that ratings matter very little in this day and age? The Monday Night Wars are over and this company is doing great business regardless of TV ratings. Ratings talk is just dirt sheet filler for guys that still think, or wish, it is the 90s.

Unless I was getting pressure from USA, I would worry more about quality than a 2017 cable rating.

 

[BlackDiBiase]

Fire the writers, hire some neckbeards and smarks but not let them poach talent or call anyone up form NXT.

Drop the shyt to 2 hours, advertizing money be damned.

Get Kevin Dunn/Steph away from any creative capacity.

get rid of scripted promos. Sink or Swim, bytch.

like the ones on this board championing new day and jahad mahal.

then shytting on any decent pro-wrestler thats not named brock for the last ten years. shytted on evolution, young dibiase, never cared for codey till his wack star dust, shat on drew macintyre original run. basically these guys are kids and love that pg era dancing comedy skits.

thats why they hate orton, dudes want cartoons.

 

[Ed MOTHERFUCKING G]

• Push the ic title like its major, have it main event shows that brock isnt on
• Give the main belt to braun strowman, get him publicity (have him beat up a celebrity on raw or something leading to a big movie release, and get him on jimmy kimmel in character, with the belt)
• Build a david vs goliath feud with him and balor
  • Have balor fail, and form the bullet club to beat him up in a double turn
• Have more managers to talk for these people who cant

 

[Apex]

Isn't it true that ratings matter very little in this day and age? The Monday Night Wars are over and this company is doing great business regardless of TV ratings. Ratings talk is just dirt sheet filler for guys that still think, or wish, it is the 90s.

Unless I was getting pressure from USA, I would worry more about quality than a 2017 cable rating.

There's room for more money to be made. They make a lot now because it's global, but if you created mainstream stars like Rock and Austin, then you can make crazy money and be a blazing part of pop culture.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

I'd personally change up the presentation and play up to people's strengths. If Anthony Joshua was a wrestling personality, he'd be considered vanilla, but he's probably the most buzzing athlete in the U.K. It's because he's a beast in the ring and people sell his ability in the ring. I'd do montage videos for guys who aren't great promoers (Finn, for example). Canelo Alvarez doesn't speak English, but is a huge PPV draw both in the U.S. and Mexico. If Canelo was a wrestler, the WWE would hesitate to push him because of "marketability" reasons when, in reality, all it takes is a translator.

I think wrestling should go for that fight night feel. Do a couple Raws in Vegas and live up to the name of "MONDAY NIGHT RAW." There really isn't a place for the Alicia Fox angle. I understand some people like comedy wrestling (the fashion police stuff is cool), but you need to choose one direction instead of trying to be a jack of all trades.

Letting Mauro Ranallo go was such a stupid decision. He's the best commentator in combat sports. He gave the product that cool fight vibe.

AJ is thinking about his brand. His whole story is, he fukked up as a kid, doing working class teenage boy shyt, got arrested, made a choice, he either carry on or find a different avenue. He followed his cousin/friend who use to go boxing and the rest is history. The fact that he has Fraudley, Amir Kon & DeGale template on how not to do things as an Olympic Boxing Champ in the UK. But the one thing he does have over those 3, he did it at home in front of his people as oppose to a handful of supporters. AJ is a classic white meat babyface.

Classic rags to riches story.

 

[Buggsy Mogues]

Isn't it true that ratings matter very little in this day and age? The Monday Night Wars are over and this company is doing great business regardless of TV ratings. Ratings talk is just dirt sheet filler for guys that still think, or wish, it is the 90s.

Unless I was getting pressure from USA, I would worry more about quality than a 2017 cable rating.

Not true. One of WWE's major sources of revenue is TV rights fees. Wrestling brings in very low ad rates for TV networks, much less than scripted programming and live sports, so the only reason to keep it on the air is because it gives you high ratings and lets the network say it was #1 for the night.

So, at a certain point if the ratings keep dropping, USA might look and say.. how much is this really worth it anymore? WWE has been important to them because of the rating, and because USA hasn't created any original hit shows lately, but if the ratings keep falling and USA decides it can put something else in that slot to make more money, they will do it.

This is all per Meltzgawd.

 

[mrken12]

like the ones on this board championing new day and jahad mahal.

then shytting on any decent pro-wrestler thats not named brock for the last ten years. shytted on evolution, young dibiase, never cared for codey till his wack star dust, shat on drew macintyre original run. basically these guys are kids and love that pg era dancing comedy skits.

thats why they hate orton, dudes want cartoons.

People hate Orton because he's boring and he has no personality.

 

[Buggsy Mogues]

As for what will fix it.. all these little minor fixes are just internet chit chat and won't mean shyt. Give the belt to this guy, hire this guy, do that. Nah. At the end of the day the ONLY thing that will make a difference is compelling characters and stories. Larger than life characters. That's what casual fans want. That's why they are drawn to guys like McGregor and Mayweather. Someone who flips the station and sees fukkin Finn Balor standing in the ring holding a mic is gonna change that channel with a quickness.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

Isn't it true that ratings matter very little in this day and age? The Monday Night Wars are over and this company is doing great business regardless of TV ratings. Ratings talk is just dirt sheet filler for guys that still think, or wish, it is the 90s.

Unless I was getting pressure from USA, I would worry more about quality than a 2017 cable rating.

Unlss the ratings nosedive to 1.6's and stay like that and they aren't in the top 10 for the 18-49 demo. shyt is going to stay the same.

 

[Mr. Negative]

like the ones on this board championing new day and jahad mahal.

then shytting on any decent pro-wrestler thats not named brock for the last ten years. shytted on evolution, young dibiase, never cared for codey till his wack star dust, shat on drew macintyre original run. basically these guys are kids and love that pg era dancing comedy skits.

thats why they hate orton, dudes want cartoons.

I really be hoping they do that kind of stuff for the sake of fukkery.

I just feel like you need REAL wrestling fans to plot good wrestling. It gotta be balanced, though. It's fine to like New Japan and "Flippy shyt".

But you gotta understand. A lot of that stuff you listed is boring. Hell, It's not that we hate Orton cause he's orton. His character's so stale that even he's bored with it. Orton oozes Apathy like Scott Hall ooozed Machismo.