WWE RAW scored a 4.0 rating last night, down from a 4.5 last week.
This is obviously not a good sign for the company that had high hopes for Steve Austin's return sparking a ratings bump, but after just one week, numbers are back down to pre-Austin levels.
The show also featured the Rock as well as a well built Rock/Hurricane match. That, coupled with the usual WrestleMania bump, does not bode well for the 4.0 rating.
Before everyone starts stating the obvious, yes, I realize that Rock (and to a lesser extent HHH) have to share in the "blame" in the drop in rating, but it just goes to show that no one man can draw people back, but of course, Vince will prove us wrong when he signs Goldberg and gives him creative control of his character.
By the way, Storm's gimmick includes 1.) telling the audience to shut up, and 2.) occasionally making everyone stand for the Canadian national anthem. You know they don't know what to do with a wrestler when he's making fans stand for a national anthem. It's like waving a white flag and saying, "This guy has no personality -- we give up."
Perhaps the bait and switch tactic of the headlined Booker T vs. Rock turned off the casual fan. The smarks may agree with the decision but people were denied their PPV worthy matchup.
*But* as soon as I saw they were switching from a Rock/BookerT main event to a Rock/Hurricane main event I decided I could afford to tape the show instead of watching it live (I had been on the fence already due to a heavy workload, but the switch sealed the deal.)
Austin had nothing to do with my decision to watch/not watch.
Wasn't the second-to-main-event "match" just Lawler making orgasm sounds while looking at Stacy Keiber's rear-end?
The whole last half hour was a waste for me.
Tribal Prophet
Wrestling exists in the eternal present. What is, has always been, and when it no longer is, it never was. It has no past and no future, and sometimes even today is in question. - Madame Manga
Austin had nothing to do with my decision to watch/not watch.
This is exactly what the problem is. Austin should be making more people decide to watch. You're saying that he's a non-factor either way, which proves the point stated originally.
Maybe Kevin Nash can save RAW, anyone but Goldberg.
(edited by Lord of the Manor on 11.3.03 1533) "The queen is dead"
What this should make people realise is that one individual does not have the power to affect ratings positively in the long term. The only way ratings are going to come back round is if the writing and matches are of a consistently high standard. Sounds easy when you say it fast.
"You dont appreciate a lot of stuff in school until you get older. Little things like being spanked every day by a middle aged woman: stuff you'd pay good money for these days."
I take this as a very large warning sign for the WWF/E. The Austin return bump only lasted one week. Now, they are getting a half point drop in the ratings with less than a month to go until Mania. Remember, the time period between Rumble and Mania has been the period of ratings growth historically for the WWF/E, so ratings being where they were around Rumble is a danger sign.
I'll pay $49.95 for the Execute Bin Laden PPV. And I'll buy one of the lottery tickets at 10 bucks a pop to be the executioner.
I'm not surprised. The planning and set up of this show was totally messed up.
They took the 2nd best feud Jericho & Michaels and put them out in segment one and not to be seen or talked of since. They set up a match with 2 women with tons of history and give them 20 seconds.
But lets have a lame wet t-shirt contest in the second hour that will take away a 15 minute chunk of our program, 3 weeks before WrestleMania. Set it up and talk about it more then Jericho/Michaels or Trish/Jazz/Victoria... Whenever Raw goes this direction the ratings always slip, but atleast Lawler got his jollies off. Thank god for that.
Was mentioned Three times, 3X, 3X. In the "Great Wieners" thread!
Austin had nothing to do with my decision to watch/not watch.
This is exactly what the problem is. Austin should be making more people decide to watch. You're saying that he's a non-factor either way, which proves the point stated originally.
Maybe Kevin Nash can save RAW, anyone but Goldberg.
(edited by Lord of the Manor on 11.3.03 1533)
It doesn't help that they really haven't had Austin do much yet. Personally speaking, my brother and 3 cousins are back watching again soley because of Austin, and they've been disappointed that he hasn't been "raising hell" much. When they start giving him something that the Austin fans want to be seeing, then you'll see how fast one person will affect the ratings. It's been done before, it can be done again. They're just off to a slow start with his return.
Hmmm...it seems like I was the only one who liked watching Stacey and the other girls getting hosed down...what's wrong with you guys?
In all seriousness, though, I agree that that segment should have been a wrestling one, with it being this close to Mania. The GGW PPV is over now, so we hopefully won't have to deal with it anymore. However, Stacey shaking her butt like that is always welcome on my TV!
The fact that ratings are still up should be a positive sign, even though it was a subpar show. But come in, its not like Austin alone was going to keep ratings high week after week.... At least they're building to a few things right now (Austin/Rock, HHH/Booker, Michaels/Jericho). That's good enough for me to stay tuned...
``With Duggan, taking a shower is a high risk maneuver." -- Bobby Heenan
I don't watch wrestling because of just one wrestler. Well, that is a lie. I watch RAW because of Chris Jerico and maybe Booker T and a coupla others. SmackDown has much better matches, IMHO. RAW is on the decline, Bischoff and Vinnie Mac need to do something, and I don't think Goldberg will do it. He has what... the Jack knife, big deal, a spear?? Edge does the spear too, no biggie. Oh wait, I know, he stands in his pyro, woopdy doo. RAW needs something, and I don't even know what.. oh wait. CRUISEWEIGHTS!!!! Bischoff knows how to market them, he knows how to match them up, he practiclly brought them into mainstream wrestling as a competive force. Let Bischoff have the Cruiserweights and give the women to Stephanie on SmackDown.
Sorry, got WAAAAYYYY off topic...
"As I walk through the valley of death I fear no one, for I am the meanest mother f**ker in the valley!" General George S. Patton
Originally posted by Sultan_of_SubmissionRAW is on the decline, Bischoff and Vinnie Mac need to do something, and I don't think Goldberg will do it. He has what... the Jack knife, big deal, a spear?? Edge does the spear too, no biggie. Oh wait, I know, he stands in his pyro, woopdy doo.
for some reason that reminded me of when they had "gillberg," and they held sparklers out for his pyro. hahaha. oh, man. quality.
I would love to see on WWE.con(NOT a typo!) that they have hired Goldberg, and on the SMACKDOWN or RAW after that announcement, they start the music, do the pyro, have tons of smoke so you just can't read the 'tron and Dwayne Gill comes walking out again. This would SO rule. Then, the following week, they can do the same thing, only THIS time, announce that Goldberg will be at the show. You'd have all these pissed off people at first, but then have Goldberg come out and destroy Dwayne Gill after he comes out first. This would be the ONLY way I'd enjoy seeing Goldberg on my screen. I'd go back to NOT liking him after this was over.
Cerebus: Barbarian, Prime Minister, Pope, Perfect House Guest.
"Graft is as necessary as throwing up when you drink too much."
I don't know what the point of that nonsense with Sting's music and entrance was. I mean, if he's not actually going to come out and help those guys, why play the music? "Sting is sending a message!