|
|
Post by swarm on Dec 18, 2011 11:40:59 GMT -5
Can't help but notice John Cena is not on tonight's TLC card. Is this a big test for CM Punk by the WWE to determine his buy rate power? Or pure coincidence? Or will HHH vs. Nash be booked as the Main Event as HHH's way of keeping Punk down?
I fear for both Punk and Daniel Bryan going into Wrestlemania season. Right now, both guys would be fighting for the WWE and World Titles respectively. Does anyone else think that sounds too good to be true?
If the WWE determines Punk is not Wrestlmania draw worthy (for whatever inane reason) they could flip the switch and get the belt back on Cena in time to defend vs. Rock. Scary.
If we get Punk Jericho and Bryan vs, Show (or Henry, or Show, Henry and Orton in 4 way) at Mania with the WWE/World titles on the line then I'll have to start cutting WWE some slack.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mynnotaur on Dec 18, 2011 22:55:43 GMT -5
A thought occurred to me...
What about Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk in a Title Re-Unification Match for 'Mania?
|
|
|
|
Post by Shon Maxx on Dec 19, 2011 6:30:06 GMT -5
A thought occurred to me... What about Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk in a Title Re-Unification Match for 'Mania? Considering it'd steal Rock/Cena's thunder, I doubt it. I'd love to see it though. |
|
|
|
Post by offspring515 on Dec 19, 2011 8:15:40 GMT -5
A thought occurred to me... What about Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk in a Title Re-Unification Match for 'Mania? Considering it'd still Rock/Cena's thunder, I doubt it. I'd love to see it though. There isn't a wrestling match on earth that could steal the thunder of Cena/Rock. It might be a better match, but it' wouldn't be a blip on the radar of the reaction that Cena/Rock will get. |
|
|
|
Post by chewey on Dec 19, 2011 23:29:10 GMT -5
Rumors of Mark Henry being injured notwithstanding, I think WWE put the title on Daniel Bryan in order to give themselves that "out" if Punk did in fact draw the lowest PPV buyrates of the year as WWE expected. Now WWE can easily put the WWE title on Cena in time for his match against the Rock without compromising the Royal Rumble winner's other title shot.
|
|
|
|
Post by euritar on Dec 24, 2011 10:19:58 GMT -5
Looks like he's failing. Wrestlezone is reporting that wwe may pull the belt from him due to poor ratings in his segments.
|
|
|
|
Post by Crimson Cross on Dec 24, 2011 10:32:45 GMT -5
Looks like he's failing. Wrestlezone is reporting that wwe may pull the belt from him due to poor ratings in his segments. I've seen this on other sites and 411 reported the samething, plus the beginning of the Main Event had a rating of 2.55 and only went up to 2.67 at it's ends. It's said that could be the lowest rating in 2011 for a Main Event and possibly the lowest since 1997. Anyway, I think most of us figured or feared if CM Punk's run fails before WrestleMania the belt will be on Cena for his match versus the Rock... |
|
|
|
Post by LWPD on Dec 24, 2011 18:59:58 GMT -5
The final quarter-hour usually gets an artificial bump because the Nielsen system adds up both the audience that is tuned in for the end of Raw plus 'fresh viewers' tuning in specifically for the next show that's starting (even if they didn't watch Raw, they would be captured by the system). So the last/strongest segment of Raw should get a noticeable spike on top of having retained steady viewers throughout and drawing back people who will tune in based on the opening segment selling the main event. When that number is a historic low, everyone involved (talent, writers, etc) all have to take their share of the blame for not delivering the numbers.
The fact that the average was lower 'without' John Cena speaks more to his value than anything else. He's worked a final QH with most of those six in the past and has drawn respectable ratings in just about any format (ie. close out match, in ring promo, backstage skit, etc). Take him out of the equation, and the WWE Universe tunes out in large numbers. It is what it is.
Wrestling Observer did a quarter-hour break down on viewers tuning in/out of last week's show.
Courtesy of Wrestling Observer
The big story here was the main event. The overrun for the C.M. Punk & Zack Ryder & Daniel Bryan vs. Alberto Del Rio & The Miz & Dolph Ziggler match gained 59,000 viewers. That’s almost impossible given people tune in to see the following show, which basically meant wrestling fans must have been tuning out in droves (they were during the first half of the match but then started gaining at 11 p.m., but hardly gained anything). The main event did a 2.67 rating (2.55 for the first half of the match) which had to be, probably by far, the lowest rated main event on Raw of this year and maybe the lowest since 1997 for a non-holiday show in the regular time slot.
In the key demos, teenagers males from start to finish (and this includes whatever gain the next show is getting in the last few minutes) went from 3.0 to 3.0, Males 18-49 from 2.5 to 2.6, Women teenagers from 0.8 to 0.6 and Women 18-49 from 1.1 to 1.0.
The show opened at a strong 3.36 rating so there was the bump at the top that you would expect for the show after a PPV. Randy Orton vs. Wade Barrett fell 721,000 viewers. Beth Phoenix vs. Alicia Fox 277,000 viewers so it was a rare women’s match that did well. Sheamus vs. Jinder Mahal lost 247,000 viewers. The John Cena promo which also included Mark Henry and Kane gained 428,000 viewers and did a 3.18 quarter.
The gain is about normal for that time slot. Primo & Epico vs. Usos and Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes lost 719,000 viewers. Backstage segments with the Bella Twins and John Laurinaitis, Hornswoggle kissing Vickie Guerrero and a Show interview lost 56,000 viewers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Pete on Dec 24, 2011 19:41:33 GMT -5
A pretty informative letter to the Observer illustrating how the blackouts on Monday Night Football may have affected Raw. I tend to chalk stuff like this up to excuse-making but this is pretty detailed and backed up with hard facts.
"RAW RATING
I listened to the show and read this weeks observer about the RAW main
event rating. A couple things you did not talk about. As someone who
is a football fan first and occasional viewer of RAW (despite 20+ year
of hardcore fandom from the 1980s to early 2000s) there are some
things I picked up flipping back and forth.
The MNF game drew just under 17 million viewers (they picked up 7
million viewers from last week.) This was the 4th time in NFL History
that two teams with 10+ wins and winning pct above .750 were playing
each other so some drop off would be expected considering how horrible
overall MNF games have been this year. The vast majority of games are
decided by second half this year so the competition has been
abnormally weak against the WWE.
Since there were two major blackouts during the MNF game where all
power was lost in the stadium and the game was delayed, the ratings
may have been for skewed. For example instead of 49ers-Steelers
starting at 8:35, it started about 9:10 - giving a ratings boost to
the first segment. Then Orton-Barrett tanks because the game starts
and everyone flips over.
Then there was the second blackout when I switched back over to RAW
and noticed the Alicia Fox/Beth Phoenix match - another segment you
noted gained a number of viewers. I think those close to 17 million
viewers were flipping channels when the stadium went dark and were
waiting for the power to return.
With the delays, approximately a half hour the first time, and another
twenty minutes the second time, the entire pattern of the MNF game was
thrown off. Thus instead of the usual having half-time at 10 PM when
I flip over to RAW to watch the 10 PM angle/match - the game was still
going on. Half-time hit at about 10:30 and they returned to action at
10:45 or so right as the main event was kicking off the second half of
the game, a very close game at that point between two of the best
teams in the league was kicking off.
Anyway - just putting the thoughts out there as RAW was up against
abnormally strong opposition that was in a different pattern than
usual. There is a disconnect between seeing the six-man tag set up as
doing well but then the match itself tanking. Though no one can
disregard the fact that the WWE has made Bryan and Ryder out to be
jobbers and one night of giving them titles doesn't make up for months
of Michael Cole burying them.
Take care,
Ryan Kabacynski"
|
|
|
|
Post by vx on Dec 24, 2011 19:56:31 GMT -5
Though no one can
disregard the fact that the WWE has made Bryan and Ryder out to be
jobbers and one night of giving them titles doesn't make up for months
of Michael Cole burying them.
The last paragraph there probably says more about the state of WWE than the rest of the entire write-up.
|
|
