Reason For WWE Network’s Lack Of Classic Footage

This is actually, with all due respect, old news. Fans, like myself, have known this for a while. WWE is centered on mobile users now, hence the Graves and Young shows. 2 things: 1) Who is the "Nobody" who doesn't watch it? Mobile users? CPU users? Cable based (Canada and the like)? App users? Old? Young? They don't know. Until they actually do more in-depth surveying, which they have begun doing in the alst few months, they will NOT know. Mobile fans just don't consume long-form content of ANY degree, especially PPVs. 2) An actual clue that this MIGHT be true is the addition of the Attitude Era subsection that moved RAW's from the per-designated section on replays to the new Attitude section. This indicates 2 things. First, a section of the audience is having trouble navigating the archive and finding what they want. (Which would indicate a "Tags" section may be in order in the search section so as to tell fans "Attitude Era", "PPV", "Championship Match", like news sites often offer. By design a click on any one of the highlighted "Tags" would bring up another slew of content suggestions narrowed down even further.) Second, and perhaps most important, the layout of the Network sucks. It's terrible. The home scree can have the Live steam, I don't care, but the sections should NOT be simply, "Pay Per View", "In Ring", "Originals", and "Vault". It should, instead, be "WWE", "WCW", "ECW", "WCCW" (going by what is available on the Network now). Hovering or clicking on one of initials should then bribng down a menu of "Weekly TV", "PPV", "Home Video", "Supercards" (non-PPV big events), "Classic Live Events" (in the case of PRISM and MSG Network shows), and "Rarities" (music videos, shit like that). For monthly things like "12 Days of Attitude" or "Black History Month", a subsection should be added. If the content of a new territory or promotion is being added for good, add it to the list, if not, keep it in it's own sub-section as described.

A layout such as the one I have described would pull the viewer in and lead them int he right direction, not get them lost like I was the first day I bought into the Network. And TV would have to be categorized. Like your pictures and videos are divided by dates, so the TV/PPV should be divided by era. Have the "Attitude Era" separated by some form or distance to give those looking a chance to find it.

Fans are having a hard time connecting to the Vault because the Network does a lousy job putting the vault over. They should use the Live stream and the "Throwback Thursday" gimmick to highlight content in the vault and why watching it makes the viewer a better fan, meaning they better understand the history or reasons behind certain things, and they better understand the nuances of the business. When they fail to properly commemorate Verne Gagne, a true GIANT of the wrestling world, of the SPORT of wrestling, they can not simply blame the fans for not watching when they are not the ones producing. It is a two-way street, as my mother used to say.

Just a few thoughts.

In closing, I wouldn't be so rash to let this article be the tipping point of whether you keep the service or not. I can imagine int he next 10 or 12 months running out of content to watch. Then I may consider dropping the Network. But an article that has really nothing new in it is not reason enough for me.

/r/wwenetwork Thread