wrestling / Columns

Truths & Lies: WWE RAW Ratings, Roman Reigns’ Future, More

December 23, 2014 | Posted by Justin Watry

I love Christmas.

Even though weather and snow suck, it is truly the best time of the year. Presents under the tree. Reflection on the past 12 months. Green Bay Packers playoff football around the corner. However, the best part is the music! Of course. Thus, to get in the holiday spirit, this will be a special Christmas themed column. As you read, be sure to hit play on the Youtube videos to make the reading experience THAT much better. The final video will be for WWE concerning Roman Reigns though…

As for the wrestling side of things, it feels like the slam before the storm. New Japan Pro Wrestling has their big event set for early January with Global Force Wrestling (in whatever capacity). Ring of Honor was just on pay-per-view, Lucha Underground is making waves in their own way, and TNA Impact Wrestling is about to air on a network I did not even know existed a few months ago. Then there is WWE beginning their Road to WrestleMania which is sure to be memorable. I am ready.

First song on the playlist…

LIE: WWE RAW ratings being down in the Fall season is newsworthy.

*sigh*

Yawn! As I write every single Fall season, here is my exact quote from LAST YEAR in September:

“From September-December, WWE Raw is going get annihilated in the television ratings. It happens every year and will in 2013 as well. Yet, every year, fans flip out over the low numbers, go wild over the ‘booking’ team, call for major changes, question long-term future of WWE, blah blah blah. Same old song and dance! Yet, every year, January rolls around, and viewership goes right back up! Just last year, I remember MULTIPLE weeks of Raw to close 2012 with some unreal low ratings. Come January, Raw was topping 5 million viewers – much higher than usual. In other words, I deliver a fair warning for everybody to just relax.”

Same annual freak out. Same months. Same stuff. Same, same, same. See you all again next September!

SPOILER ALERT FOLKS: WWE Raw ratings are going to increase come January 2015! Oh, and guess what? When Fall 2015 rolls around, ratings will go back down. Shocking, I know. One more thing…

…in January 2016, WWE Raw ratings will increase, and just a hunch – numbers will decrease again in Fall 2016.

Eventually, fans learn.

Eventually.

TRUTH: Josh Mathews joining the commentary team is a good move for TNA Impact Wrestling.

It is a good move, dare I say great move for TNA.

Here is what I said six months ago back in June when Josh Mathews was released from WWE:

“Josh Matthews is exactly the type of person TNA Impact Wrestling should be hiring. Often times, the company just hires anybody who was recently fired from WWE. Just to get a ‘name’ to draw viewers. Well, as we see, that does not work for TNA. With the commentary team as it is though, sorry Mike Tenay. Sorry Taz. Josh Matthews should be brought in and groomed for the future.”

Bingo! I was all for MVP heading to TNA in 2014. I was all for Josh Mathews making the jump. Heck, I am a fan of Alberto Del Rio, so as long as the price tag is not a ridiculous $400,000 per year, he can join the party too! Go right ahead. There are positives to this company, believe it or not. I have ALWAYS said the roster is talented. The hard working guys and gals on camera has never been the problem with TNA. We all know that, so I wish Mathews well in 2015. Perfect fresh face (and voice) to showcase week in and week out. Mike Tenay has needed to be replaced for years now (as has Taz but whatever), and this was the obvious decision with yet another “relaunch” set for January.

LIE: TNA Impact Wrestling has a lot of buzz right now heading towards January 7th, 2015.

This newsbite has NOT been reported on any wrestling website, but TNA drew 364,000 viewers on Wednesday night. As usual, you could have found that out at @JustinWatry (on Twitter) on Thursday afternoon. Yes, it was a best of special, and yes, Spike TV moved its time slot. Still, that 364,000 viewership figure is down from the previous week of just over 700,000 viewers. Now, I am just guessing here, but their final Spike TV broadcast this week is likely to grab even less than 364,000 viewers. Maybe 200,000 viewers or so…

…and that is their momentum right now. That is their real momentum.

Dixie Carter tweeting out teasers every day is not promotion. Dixie Carter going on the Jim Ross podcast is not promotion. While cool, releasing new posters do not count as promotion. It is background noise to the internet fans, who already know about the move to Destination America. Speaking to US is not getting the word out and/or making waves. We already know about TNA! The company has two weeks to spread the word to the mainstream public before their 456,394th “reboot” in January, and in true TNA fashion, it it too little, too late with promotion.

LIE: The WWE Survivor Series 2014 pay-per-view buy rate tells us nothing.

Wow. I could write an entire column on this news. Instead, I will point out one positive and one negative.

– The positive is obvious. In this era, over 100,000 PPV buys actually qualifies as a ‘win’ for WWE. With cable providers still coming and going on carrying their shows, the obvious WWE Network taking away customers, AND the entire free trial going on, yeah, the fact over 100,000 fans still paid full price is amazing. I thought the last minute build up was very good, so it does not shock me viewers were more interested in this event than previous months. People were willing to PAY big bucks to see the end of The Authority (whole point of a story line payoff), so kudos there, and while minor, the late rumors (leaked by WWE on purpose in my opinion) of a Sting appearance absolutely helped.

– The negative is what it says about the WWE Network reaching the entire fanbase. Not just the diehards that gobble it up. When I wrote about the launch back in January, I was very clear with my thoughts on the older generation NOT knowing how to access new technology. What seems easy and simple to US is not going to connect to others from a past era. “A Roku? A Playstation? Huh?” They have no clue what that stuff is. As usual, I was right on the money. Viewers were told repeatedly they got Survivor Series FOR FREE, just by signing up to the WWE Network in November. However, more than 100,000 either did not get the hint (impossible) or had no idea how to do so. Thus, proving my point from earlier in the year. Like it or not, casuals just watch the product for a few hours each week and then buy a PPV on TV if interested. Have no clue on how to sign up for the WWE Network, no idea what a Roku even is, much less care to watch a 24/7 wrestling stream. Laugh all you want at Michael Cole doing the basic tutorials on how to download the WWE App, but it is necessary. Over 100,000 fans paying full price for Survivor Series is not good news for the WWE Network. If those fans have not caught on by now WITH THE FREE OFFER, they never will….

TRUTH: The report about Roman Reigns and his future plans is nonsense.

DANCE PUPPETS DANCE!

“WWE hates small guys, only pushes guys with a certain look, and Daniel Bryan is not their guy.”

Is that everything?

Now go run off to the online forums and complain. Go to your precious Youtube channel to rant. Hit the comment section to RAGEGEGGEGEGEGE! Oh, and tweet until your fingers bleed about your displeasure with WWE. That should cover it.

Or use your eyes and common sense watching the WWE/NXT product in 2014 to know it is another BS headline.

Remember folks, the easiest wrestling fans to work are the supposed ‘smart’ fans. Look no further than this latest story about Roman Reigns heading into 2015…as all the “It’s still real to me” fans eat it up with a spoon. Gotta love the little shots at the beloved internet darlings Dean Ambrose and Daniel Bryan just for good measure simply to get everyone all jazzed up in anger. Nice touch there, I must admit. Hook, line, and sinker…works every time…

Eventually, people learn.

Eventually.

Self Promoting Finale

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I live tweeted (is that a word?) during WWE Raw on Monday night for the fourth time ever. Not something I do regularly but is always interesting to interact with everyone during the looooong three hour show. Thank you to all who joined in the fun!

Follow me on Twitter: @JustinWatry

Thanks.