On this day in wrestling history, February 24, 2014, we were given the chance to see the history of the WWE and other promotions it had purchased over the years without having to break the bank on VHS tapes or DVDs, though those are still good ideas. Never have to worry about the internet or having something blurred out or deleted for whatever reason Vince McMahon thinks is important, right?
The beginning
At first, the network was teased as a pay-tv channel in 2011, but Vince McMahon eventually decided streaming was the way to go. He was always a step ahead when it came to the various medias he could use to push his product, and this was decision launched a 24/7 streaming service where we could watch our favorite matches from bygone years.
However, as seems to be the case with the WWE and technology, it wasn’t a fun start. Problems involved the typical ones like signing up and the video quality. The biggest and possibly most important one was it was only available in the United States. That’s not good for a global marketed company, but it does take time to implement the servers and all, so this is one we can give them a pass on. To a point.
Over the next few years, they’d expand the service as a pay-tv option in Canada, and to over 200 countries overall. This slow start, combined with the lackluster product we’vebeen complaining about for years now, eventually led to a fan revolt in the form of #CancelWWENetwork on social media. It trended for two days on Twitter in 2015.
Since then, it’s grown and is available in most countries, much to the delight of wrestling fans everywhere.
Pay-per-views for sale
With the WWE losing money on the stock market, firing presidents, and a product that’s somehow gotten worse over the years, it was recently announced that Vince McMahon is willing to sell the live pay-per-views subscribers get for free to another streaming service. So far, Amazon and ESPN are the most talked about, but there are bound to be others wanting a piece before everything is said and done.
What’s really interesting about this is the lackluster feeling fans have toward this move. We’re split nearly in half with those preferring to pay $9.99 a month to see the pay-per-views that cost upward of $60 or so, to others that simply want to watch the older content when wrestling resembled something fun instead of a living video game.
If or how this will affect the WWE is unknown, but the nostalgia factor is very real for many of us. If it wasn’t, the Undertaker, Goldberg, and others wouldn’t be dusted off from time to time for a quick cash grab.
Which side are you on? Do you want the pay-per-views or the older matches and shows with greats like Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, and the Rock?
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