[Hanoi Cheyenne]

Raw needs to call in the big guns

[TromaDogg]

Originally Posted by WTFWWE

WWE is killing the cycle instead of kids growing out of WWE at 15 or 16 they are growing out of it at like 9 or 10 and want to watch the bad things not cookie cutter clean image WWE.

This is something I've thought for a while.

When they went back to a PG rating and greatly watered the content down, they said it was to create 'brand loyalty' from an earlier age.

Unfortunately for them, that doesn't work really work long term. By having a show that caters to teenagers and the older demographic a little more, you have an audience that will carry on watching for literally years. Kids will think it's 'cool' to watch it when they're younger and will carry on enjoying it as they grow older.

With a show that only mainly focuses on kids and soccer mom types, you have an audience that will mostly grow out of wrestling and stop watching as soon as they hit their teens, finding it dull and childish.

That being said, it is the fault of the creative team, not the rating itself....WWF from 1997 to 1999 (before they went TV-14) was mostly great stuff, with the likes of Nation of Domination, DX, etc. There's no reason why they can't make a great show like that now within PG guidelines that entertains us older fans, they're just choosing to pour all their focus on (what I believe is) by far the wrong demographic.

At the rate they're shedding viewers at the moment, it won't be too long before TNA is actually considered legit competition to them each week (and I'm saying that as someone who watches TNA)

[RatedR10]

Eventually, WWE has to start getting serious about building stars for the future. If John Cena had a career ending injury at Hell in a Cell, what the hell happens to the product? Things are just going to get worse and worse if something doesn't change. An edgier product let's say. I'm not saying Attitude Era, but let's be real here, this shit that WWE gives us every week isn't PG, it's more G rated. There's a lot more that can be done under PG parameters and WWE doesn't do anything. It's alienating a lot of viewers, even the younger teens, more than WWE wanted I bet.

I said for a while that Raw would dip down to 2.5 eventually, but I'm surprised it happened this quickly. There's nothing interesting about the product whatsoever today, and the viewership numbers prove that. What makes people want to tune in on a weekly basis for three hours? Absolutely nothing. Something has to change quickly, because ratings will just continue to drop at this pace.

[Marv95]

2.5 is at Nitro 1999 and 2000-levels before and after Russo was fired. In fact it's worse than what they did, and they had Raw to compete with. Anyone remember how BORING Nitro was throughout 1999 post nWo/pre Russo and 2000 during the Sullivan Era? But at least they had starpower.

Yes 3-hours are a huge problem but even if they went back to the regular 2 it wouldn't make THAT much of a difference. They've gotten 2s before the 3-hour switch. Despite some potential in one or 2 guys the rest of the show and product is a complete mess. Cena isn't gonna save it, JBL back full-time won't save it, TV-14 won't save it (see 2007). It needs a revamp. Trim the fat and get rid of the guys who aren't ready/waste space and bring in guys who clearly are and push them. Enforce the brand split or just abolish it already and have one world champ. Turn guys heel/face who are long overdue. Focus on a more serious product instead of pointless comedy. Give us a storyline that creates a buzz around the wrestling world(Nexus, Summer of Punk, Conspiracy) and follow through on it.

[Rock316AE]

Disaster number as expected, not only from last week but from June when they announced this ridiculous 3 hours deal. Hope that interest continue to plummet, this week was the longest TV show I have ever seen, completely dull, lifeless and boring.

[Punter]

This whole PG thing is such a stupid excuse. It means fuck all. FYI, SmackDown was PG since it's inception, and in 2001-2003, it featured some of the best storylines and content/matches I've ever see. PG only limits WWE because they want it too, otherwise it does fuck all to the type of programming WWE can produce, and is only a segway for Vince to capture the attention of moms and children.

[TromaDogg]

Originally Posted by Jon Jones

This whole PG thing is such a stupid excuse. It means fuck all. FYI, SmackDown was PG since it's inception, and in 2001-2003, it featured some of the best storylines and content/matches I've ever see. PG only limits WWE because they want it too, otherwise it does fuck all to the type of programming WWE can produce, and is only a segway for Vince to capture the attention of moms and children.

I can't speak for others, but I don't think the PG rating is the problem...it's what they choose to do with it that is causing problems.

Smackdown was excellent back then, you're absolutely correct. But Smackdown back then also didn't feature a general manager that skipped to the ring, a fat freak that had a kiddies disco in the ring after his matches (Too Cool used to dance, but they didn't drag kids from the audience in) and a top star that specialiased in 'PG swearing' and using such powerful insults as 'son of a bee sting'

Raw could be a great PG show again. They just need to focus on the right demographic, as (as others have said) it's been putting out more 'G' style content than 'PG' for a while now.

[-Skullbone-]

Originally Posted by Marv95

Turn guys heel/face who are long overdue. Focus on a more serious product instead of pointless comedy.

What good are turns going to do if creative struggles to make long-lasting programs that get people's attention in the first place and stay there? The comedy's always going to be around although I agree much of it is pointless. Then again, much of the company's programming appears to be pretty pointless anyway.

Continuity is a huge issue at the moment and the WWE can't seem to hold on to an angle in the long run. I maintain that the only program to possess a semblance of longevity it is the Bryan-AJ-Kane-Punk arc, whose roots can be traced back to the Wrestlemania WHC fiasco. Everything else gets put on the shelf after a month with no real implication or 'hook' for the audience to latch onto aside from programs involving Cena, Triple H as well as Undertaker and Lesnar when they appear (maybe Punk if I'm being extremely generous, but he's still climbing that ladder of relevance). Everything else appears to happen by proxy.

[The XL]

Originally Posted by Amber B

Good. WWE basically equals this

A fucking mess.

LMFAO at that gif!!

I really think the WWE is in real trouble. I could see them going under in like 10 years if they don't turn this ship around soon.

[roadkill_]

Originally Posted by Jon Jones

This whole PG thing is such a stupid excuse. It means fuck all. FYI, SmackDown was PG since it's inception, and in 2001-2003, it featured some of the best storylines and content/matches I've ever see. PG only limits WWE because they want it too, otherwise it does fuck all to the type of programming WWE can produce, and is only a segway for Vince to capture the attention of moms and children.

No ab-libbing is allowed under the current strict regimen. Steve Austin himself would have a hard time flourishing under such tight bullshit (My guess is he woulda walked, probably to TNA where f-bombs have been heard several times past few months).