Everyone that is reading most likely has the WWE Network, if you don’t then what are you waiting for? The WWE Network has a lot of positives going for it with all of the WWE, WCW and ECW pay-per-views, throw in current PPV, NXT, Superstars, WWF, WCW, ECW, Old School and WCCW programming.
Yes, I understand that the WWE Network is good, and could always improve on the content. Also, you can name other content that they have on there which is good stuff.
For me, when I heard that the WWE Network was coming out a few months ago, I was excited to go back and watch all the old Raw’s. Soon after I got it, I soon realized that I wanted something that the WWE Network does not offer right now. And that is Raw is War, WCW Nitro, ECW TV, AWA and even NWA programming.
Everyone on the internet side of wrestling, always says that they wanted the attitude era back. Well folks, that is not going to happen. Sorry about your damn luck. However, what is so bad about going back and reliving the product in its original form?
Of course, that era will never be produced again. Not just because of the stars, language, sexuality and storylines, but the feel that you get when you watch it. The product that is grainy, a bit rough to watch. The feel of the overall presentation of the product.
When you compare 1998 to 2014, we are in a whole different world. Due to the content, how people react to things and this kindergarten country we live in.
What made the product so good, from the 1980’s through the 1990’s was the presentation, product and the feel when you are watching the show.
Yes the WWE Network has some old Raw’s, Smackdown and ECW. However, they are far and in between from what they have with the pay-per-view content.
Pay-per-views are great, they have great wrestling and that is what Wrestling should be. However, when watching the actual television of the product that leads, creates and has the fallout of those great pay-per-views is what made the product so good at the time.
Yes the NWO was a great thing in Wrestling history, but instead of watching the PPV where they were featured on, I want more, I want to see how we got to this point. What lead to this, what happened after this. You simply do not get that with just PPV’s.
The best example I can give is this, Stone Cold Steve Austin – Mr. McMahon storyline. Yes, they had matches on PPV, but the magic, the real good stuff was on Monday Night Raw.
You wanted to see what the hell Stone Cold was going to do next. He was unpredictable and it made for an exciting program to watch.
I am subscribed to the WWE Network and love it. However, I wanted more. I wanted to go back and see what happened on the shows. So I went and looked up the old Raw’s from 1997, WCW Nitro from 1996. Of course you have to find it yourself, I was having fun watching the show. I enjoyed the show.
People will have different opinions on whether or not they like the actual TV product or the PPV product, which is fine. For me, I enjoyed the stories being told, the matches unfolding, the unpredictability of the shows.
This is not just about the Attitude Era, it can go for any era. The WWE Network has a program called “Old School” where they show old MSG footage and other arena footage. That is what the WWE Network is lacking.
The bottom line is this, WWE has this huge library of content from all of these other promotions that they have bought over the years. Let’s use it, let it be something to bring in more viewers. Have WWF Raw and WCW Nitro air on Monday nights, start the shows from when they started going head to head and add a new episode of each show on a weekly bases.
On Thursday’s have a new episode of Smackdown be added to the WWE Network.
On Saturday’s at 6:05 PM. EST air the old NWA content. After that, have WCW Saturday nights.
Add WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Make it feel different, make it feel like back in the day. I believe, if you add a new show each week instead of just giving it all away, it will bring back viewers more often. With NXT and Legends House, they have to wait a week to see the next show, it brings intrigue to the product and they keep coming back. That is a reason they are ranked so high on the weekly WWE Network shows that are most watched.
If you make people wait for a good product, they will come back and make them excited to see the product.
Anyways, I am going to wrap this up, go and find an older show that is not on the WWE Network, watch it and see if your interest is not higher than what you see on the WWE Network. Eventually, WWE will add these programs. I would just suggest to do on a weekly bases, not all at once.
Like it, disagree with it or have suggestions, let me know down below. Thanks for reading.
