Jim Ross has posted his latest blog online. Check out the
highlights:
On the WWE Network: “I’m still of the
belief that, in time, the WWE Network will be a good investment for WWE but it
likely will continue to evolve for the next 2-3 years as it relates to garnering
a consistent number of subscribers and how the Network will be accepted and
subsequently grow outside North America. By lowering the company’s overhead,
cutting the fat, so to speak, WWE will have more realistic numbers in place that
will positively affect the Network’s financial impact on the
company.”
On what fans want from the network: “My
observations of the Network are that the younger fans want new programming to
compliment what they are currently watching on WWE TV while many displaced fans,
if they can be located in a reasonable, marketing manner, likely are going to
like the content from the vault or programming that relates to the past the
best. In other words, WWE has two, distinctly different audiences to market the
network to and that cannot be done exclusively within WWE
programming.”
On how WWE can better promote the
Network: “Plus, things like having their stars talk about what they
watched this week on the WWE Network goes a long way in promoting the future of
WWE which is the WWE Network. We rarely hear that. Same goes for the announcers.
Organic promotion from all talents is easy to produced and to insert into any
broadcast WWE produces. I’d suggest that WWE is under utilizing their powerful
social media network to promote the WWE Network. For example, a tweet from John
Cena, for example, on what he’s watching goes a long way.”
On
what WWE should be producing for the Network: “When budgets allow for
such, producing new programming for the network is imperative and one would
think that there are endless ideas that could be utilized without incurring
exorbitant costs. I’m not talking about major productions like Legends House but
instead timely, one hour shows that create a platform for WWE talents to expand
their skill set and to perform in a different arena. I’d love to see WWE produce
more Legends Roundtables as they were fun and informative plus I think that the
show, depending on the subject matter, could bridge the gap between today’s fans
and displaced fans of a generation ago. It’s hard to navigate one’s future if
one doesn’t understand the past.”
On the staff cuts:
“Cutting the fat, whether it be to our own bodies or to a company’s overhead, is
never a bad idea and it appears that through trial and error in a public forum
of being a publicly traded company that WWE seemingly has a better handle on
what they should and should not be doing from an infrastructure standpoint
within the corporate world. Perhaps some executives might have to wear multiple
hats in this all hands on deck state of their business. Hopefully, those that
remain employed with WWE will do all they can to gain more product knowledge
because it’s impossible to adequately market to your consumer base if one
doesn’t know them, can’t identify with them to some degree, etc. I used to say
it all the time when I was in WWE, how does one have a successful career in WWE
in any role if one is not a fan of the genre and is merely watching the product
because they feel that they ‘have to’ or that Vince McMahon might ask them what
they liked this week on RAW. I feel badly for those that have lost their jobs
but hopefully they will land on their feet and positively move forward. That can
be done as I can attest through personal experience. As far as the talent roster
is concerned, if someone isn’t evaluating the roster on virtually a daily basis
as to who is on the bubble, who needs to improve in specific areas, etc then the
job isn’t being done as it should. It doesn’t take long to determine what the
likely ceiling is on any talent in the on going evaluation to find the next main
event player at WrestleMania. Managing a talent roster means one is always in
‘crisis mode’ and WWE doesn’t have a more valuable commodity or asset than their
talent.”
