WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

[dubcity]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Also, SNME got about 1.5m viewers plus another 700k from Peacock. Almost as many tv viewers as Thunder vs Rockets. Not a bad number for them on a Saturday night on primetime network tv. It's probably why NBC is doing more SNMEs. Don't think they'd really have anything else to show on a Saturday night that would bring in anywhere close to over 2m viewers between tv and streaming.

Bryan Alvarez mentioned that 700k and wondered what it even meant compared to normal TV viewership, and also wondered how AEW's viewership will be counted when they start live streaming all their weekly shows on MAX. And then there will be whatever numbers we will get from Netflix on Raw.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Bryan Alvarez mentioned that 700k and wondered what it even meant compared to normal TV viewership, and also wondered how AEW's viewership will be counted when they start live streaming all their weekly shows on MAX. And then there will be whatever numbers we will get from Netflix on Raw.

For fans, it won't matter, for dirtsheets, they'll lose one of their easy articles for views.

Don't think any show/genres fanbase obsesses about tv ratings as much as wrestling fans. Glad those will be mainly gone with it just being streaming views.

[UFCMPunk]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Bloodline Bounty Hunter Drew McIntyre has so much intrigue, it needs to end with Drew vs Roman, Clash at The Castle 3 back at the same location as the first Clash at The Castle, but with Drew winning.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Gargano: I'm a real man. I made a kid.

Bloodline Bounty Hunter Drew McIntyre has so much intrigue, it needs to end with Drew vs Roman, Clash at The Castle 3 back at the same location as the first Clash at The Castle, but with Drew winning.

I wonder if McIntyre will ever get his "happy ever after" or not?

He doesn't get to walk out of WM with the title or leave Scotland with the title, what would be a satisfying ending for Drew?

[TheMatrix31]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

WWE confirms 3 hour SDs starting in 2025 and 3 hour Raws are back.

Commercial free, this will absolutely be overkill. I don't care how good the product is, 3 hour shows twice a week every week will feel like way too much.

****.

This is terrible news. The shows have been markedly better at 2 hours.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

I could see the McIntyre stuff setting up a WM feud with Drew and Solo.

McIntyre said he doesn't like Solo (another great part of storytelling where he hates Solo for that 1 specific moment over 2 years ago) but wants Solo to beat Roman Reigns to finish him once and for all, and then Drew will go after Solo.

But I see Roman winning on Raw which sets off Drew even more as Solo failed him and allowed Reigns to come back in to power.

That sets up their feud which eventually brings in Gallus on Drews side to even the odds against the Bloodline.

****.

This is terrible news. The shows have been markedly better at 2 hours.

Not just that, but 2 hours commercial free is about the same amount of show as a 3 hour with ad show is.

3 hours ad free will feel like watching a 4 hour show.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

You know you messed up bad when even Dominik Mysterio doesn't approve of the heel move you did. Speaking of which, even Kofis mom turned on him!? We need someone to speak to Woods too. You know what that means....somebody call his mama!

The Priest Raiders sound like a cool team name if they go that route.

That promo that aired..that has to be for Pentagon? A crossed out 0 with a pentagram behind it, it has to be him.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Never noticed this but apparently Lee Fittings name wasn't shown at the end of Raw last night.

There have been reports about why exactly he got fired from ESPN and if those reports are true, I could see WWE possibly going a different route with him too (someone didn't do a full background check when hiring).

He's done a great job since taking over, not that it was a high bar Kevin Dunn ever set. But if those reports are true about him, I don't see WWE wanting to keep him around since they obviously have tried distancing themselves from any sort of controversial figures. Or at the very least, they just won't publicly promote him as an executive producer for PR sake, but would still keep him on board.

[SmashMan]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Pretty sure Raw hasn’t had producer credits, just Smackdown and NXT. Maybe that changes for Netflix though.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

WWE again benefits from the other Netflix programming.

WWE promos airing during the NFL on Netflix broadcast.

[J_Posse]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

WWE again benefits from the other Netflix programming.

WWE promos airing during the NFL on Netflix broadcast.

We'll see if any of this cross-promotion makes any difference, but I personally doubt it.

WWE has had partnerships with NBC, FOX & ('unofficially') ESPN (they were all over ESPN programming before the WWE network and FOX deals, if I recall), yet none of that made a difference in improving/adding to viewership numbers.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

We'll see if any of this cross-promotion makes any difference, but I personally doubt it.

WWE has had partnerships with NBC, FOX & ('unofficially') ESPN (they were all over ESPN programming before the WWE network and FOX deals, if I recall), yet none of that made a difference in improving/adding to viewership numbers.

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

I don't think it'll impact numbers much if at all, but it at least is nice to see WWE being prominently promoted and not just brushed under the rug acting like it doesn't exist.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Final SD internationally on tv, it's sad to see.

One big reason I got in to WWF was because SD started at 8pm on Thursdays so I could watch it as a kid, especially if Friday was a holiday.

It's been on the same channel since, until next week.

[UFCMPunk]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Now Triple H booking one of Shawn's old classics that also involves a Kliq member. Cody Rhodes vs Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match at the Royal Rumble where both titles are above the ring and only 1 undisputed champion.

I thought for sure Orton would have been back to fight KO at the Rumble but does Orton win the to get the shot against Cody? Imagine if the Rumble's final two was John Cena & Randy Orton.

[Majingir]

Re: WWE RAW & Smackdown Thread

Now Triple H booking one of Shawn's old classics that also involves a Kliq member. Cody Rhodes vs Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match at the Royal Rumble where both titles are above the ring and only 1 undisputed champion.

I thought for sure Orton would have been back to fight KO at the Rumble but does Orton win the to get the shot against Cody? Imagine if the Rumble's final two was John Cena & Randy Orton.

So they're competing for Undisputed WWE Undisputed Universal Championship?


But I could see Orton coming out at the end of the match, people think he's there to attack KO, but he attacks Cody.