Does the WWE listen to their audience?

The WWE network launched this week and it's estimated that a few hundred thousand subscribers have already signed up for it in just a few days. There have been some technical glitches, but it's a common problem with new technology that will probably be fixed during the free trial that the WWE is offering fans for the launch of the network. After the result of the Elimination Chamber and the subsequent announcement on Raw this past week, Randy Orton vs. Batista was confirmed for the main event of Wrestlemania. Speaking of the biggest event of the year on the WWE calender, it's included for the initial six month package of the WWE network at $9.99 a month so it seems like the fans will get their money's worth. However, if the WWE is going to give the fans their money's worth, I have to ask, why isn't Daniel Bryan wrestling for the title at Wrestlemania?

The crowd nearly booed Batista out of the building at the Royal Rumble, not because he won the match, but mostly because Daniel Bryan didn't win it and he wasn't even in the actual Rumble. Follow that with the crowd chanting "Bootista" at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and the reaction after the Chamber match, you have to wonder, does the WWE actually listen to the audience? Obviously, the crowd wanted to see Bryan in the main event of Wrestlemania, but the WWE has other plans. Despite the "Yes!" and "Daniel Bryan" chants on a weekly basis, the WWE seems like they will book Bryan vs. Triple H at Wrestlemania. Considering the outrage after the conclusion of the Rumble match and the reaction Bryan gets from the audience, you have to wonder why would the WWE continue to bury the wrestler getting the most reaction from the crowd?

Well, I don't know the answer and the crowd response to a Batista vs. Randy Orton feud will probably remain hostile. If I had to guess, I would say that pushing Bryan isn't in the WWE's plans and any amount of crowd response probably isn't going to change it. Again, this is just a guess, but a Wrestlemania main event might be apart of Batista's deal to return to the company so that could be another reason Bryan is being buried. This might be a case of  the WWE wants the stereotypical type of champion and Bryan doesn't fit the mold, which is very similar to the CM Punk situation from a few years ago. Punk left the company after the Royal Rumble , but at this point what can Daniel Bryan do to get the credit he deserves? He's the most over performer in the company and is one of the best in ring talents on the roster so what else can he possibly do to get the spot he deserves?

When there was the Triple H heel turn at Summer Slam, I mentioned that it was an angle that could make Bryan a bigger star and he could be a PG version of Austin vs. the corporation with Bryan chasing the title. However, instead of Daniel Byran getting the win to validate his status as a main event performer, the WWE booked a series of non finishes on PPV and then booked the Big Show in a title match at Survivor Series that had the crowd chanting "boring" during the show. As ridiculous as it sounds, it seems like the WWE is doing  everything they can to actually minimize Bryan's spot in the company because if he was going to be booked to finally get a title win, it would have happened during the Orton feud. There wasn't a come back or a major pay off for the heat and if anything, the conclusion of the Orton feud, demoted Bryan from the main event scene back to the mid card. At this point, you have to wonder if the Triple H feud is a way for the WWE to keep Bryan busy while Batista and Orton feud for the title.

There's a difference between heat for a heel and fans that are disappointed with the product. The heel heat was the swerve at Summer Slam where Triple H selected Orton as champion, but there was no come back or pay off for it. The reaction after the Rumble match was the fans that were disappointed that Bryan wasn't even in the match and it could sour a lot of fans on the product. At this point, even if the WWE would book Bryan into the title picture it won't have the same reaction as a Rumble win. The WWE had an opportunity to give Bryan a push and give the under dog get the credit he deserved, but it didn't happen.

Let's be clear here, Daniel Bryan is over with the WWE audience and it's not just a bunch of jaded smart marks complaining about the WWE on the internet. The WWE audience wants to see Bryan in the main event picture and he should be, but he probably won't get further up the card than the mid card. Again, you have to ask, why? This type of booking, where the WWE basically ignores the audience is the result of lack of competition in the wrestling business. The bottom line is, if people want to watch wrestling on national TV, they will watch Raw and the WWE can basically book anything they want because there's not another option. Do you think if WCW still had a show head to head with WWE, the most over performer in the company would be minimized? The Attitude era was a boom period for wrestling because each company had to present what the fans wanted to see or they would change the channel to the competition.

Another aspect of this is another star returns to the company and goes directly to the main event of Wrestlemania. Don't get me wrong, Batista has name value, but should he automatically main event the biggest show of the year? Regardless, if it draws money, why not? If the WWE is going to draw major money for the Batista vs. Orton main event at Wrestlemania, why wouldn't they book it? The bottom line is, until there's competition for the WWE or people don't match Raw, there will probably be similar storylines. I'm not saying that people shouldn't watch the product because it's ridiculous to think that if a few people don't tune into Raw that it will change the direction of the product and the smart marks that claim that won't watch the product until Bryan wins the title are probably the same people that paid for the WWE network. As long as Raw gets ratings and fans pay for a network subscription, why wouldn't the WWE book the product they want for the audience? If it draws money, there's no reason for the WWE not to book it so the crowd can chant "Yes!" but it doesn't make a difference what they chant, as long as they are buying tickets. The WWE has a lot of talent and mostly a good product, but it's somewhat disappointing that the WWE's monopoly of the wrestling industry keeps Daniel Bryan on the mid card when the audience wants to see him in the main event. Bryan vs. Triple H is the consolation prize for the audience and despite it being disappointing that he isn't in the main event scene, it should be extremely interesting to see the crowd reaction for the Batista vs. Randy Orton match at Wrestlemania.

Sting to WWE?

Recently, Sting was written off TNA TV and subsequently made two rare house show appearances to work the amount of required shows for his contract. A few years ago, the WWE aired vignettes that many fans thought were the arrival of Sting and there was a major buzz around the wrestling world about a potential Sting vs. The Undertaker match at Wrestlemania. The promos were actually the return of The Undertaker, but the fan response indicated that there's a buzz around Sting possibly debuting in the WWE. After years of speculation, will Sting finally sign with the WWE?

Sting mentioned during interviews a few years ago that one of the reasons that he didn't sign with WWE after WCW closed was that he thought the WWE minimized WCW performers, which seems to be an accurate view of the situation, considering the botched invasion angle and many former WCW wrestlers floundered in WWE. Even Booker T, who was probably at the peak of his career when WCW was sold, didn't get a major title run in the WWE until he was repackaged as "King Booker," which was a character started in the WWE. Obviously, Sting didn't want to risk tarnishing his legacy and signed a TNA deal nearly five years after WCW shut down. Sting had a decent run in TNA, which doesn't exactly say too much considering it's TNA and they've fumbled a majority of angles for the company, but Sting was paid major money during his TNA run so he doesn't need to sign with WWE for a pay check. If not for the major money of a WWE deal and merchandise, why would Sting decide to sign with WWE?

Ironically, it's for the same thing that Sting has protected for years, his legacy. During his career, Sting has been known as the performer that didn't go to WWE and he doesn't need a run in WWE because he's already considered a legend. The launch of the WWE network will also give fans more access to Sting's matches and he will continue to be recognized as one of WCW's biggest stars. However, it would be great if Sting was inducted into the Hall of Fame and he had a Wrestlemania match as a conclusion to his career. Sting also deserves a better conclusion to his career than a few appearances at TNA house shows in front of a few hundred fans.

I think Sting will eventually sign a WWE deal, but I don't think he will wrestle at Wrestlemania 30 and considering the Raw after Wrestlemania has become known for surprises the past few years, it's possible he could debut on Raw. That being said, Sting doesn't need an entire run in the WWE, but if he's on WWE TV for a few months, it would make sense to only have a few key matches, similar to the way Brock Lesnar is booked. If Sting only had a match with The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, it would probably still be a successful WWE run for him because what does he really have left to prove? Regardless, I hope Sting signs with the WWE and he gets a good run in the company because as I mentioned earlier, Sting deserves a better conclusion to his career than a TNA house show in front of a few hundred fans.

CM Punk quits WWE

There has been alot of discussion as reports suggests that former WWE champion, CM Punk quit the company prior to Raw and he told Vince McMahon he was going home. Punk didn't appear on Raw and was subsequently removed from live events that he was previously advertised. As with almost anything in pro wrestling, you have to consider, is it a work? It's possible that the "walk out" could be an angle to set up the rumored CM Punk vs. Triple H match at Wrestlemania, but considering that Punk almost left the promotion three years ago, I doubt they would try to use the same situation again for a storyline because it wouldn't generate the same type of buzz after he returned. So, if it's not a storyline, why would Punk quit just six months before his contract is set to expire?

Last week, there was an MMA Fighting interview where Punk mentioned that he didn't know if he would resign when his current deal expires and he also said that one of his remaining goals is to main event Wrestlemania. One of the possible scenarios is that Punk decided to quit after the Royal Rumble because Batista won it and as a result, Punk wouldn't be in the main event of Wrestlemania. If Punk wasn't going to resign, Wrestlemania 30 would have been his opportunity to headline the show before he retired and if he wasn't booked for his remaining goal then maybe he didn't think another six months on the road was worth it. Punk might have a reason to quit, as he has been a work horse during his time in WWE and he has worked injured in recent months, but a returning former star that will promote a movie is booked in a title match at the biggest show of the year. This is really similar situation to when The Rock sporadically returned to the WWE and it was one of the reasons for the infamous "pipe bomb" promo from a few years ago. After the promo, Punk said he wanted to change the WWE and it seems like he tried, but three years later, it's basically the same situation, as a former star was automatically given a top spot. Punk's attempt to better the sport is notable, but if recent events prove anything, it's that the WWE will book their product based on seemingly trying to tell the fans what they should want to see and unless there's competition for them or the fans don't watch Raw, the WWE will probably continue to book similar storylines.

The other aspect of this situation is if Punk wasn't going to resign later this year, why would the WWE book him in the top spot of the biggest show of the year? If Punk wasn't going to resign then from a business prospective, why would the WWE want to promote him in a top spot when they could invest the TV time for another star that will still be under contract after Punk left the company? Also, if Punk wasn't going to resign, it wouldn't be too surprising if he was booked to job to Triple H at Wrestlemania, considering that he was jobbing at almost every PPV prior to him almost leaving the company a few years ago.

If Punk actually quit, you can't really blame him, as he has been injured and if a Wrestlemania main event was his only goal before retiring, there's no reason to risk further injury. At the same time, the WWE has the right to book their product how they want and if it continues to draw money, why not? However, it's certainly a statement about the company when one of the top performers would rather quit and decline a major pay check for Wrestlemania than work for the company for another six months. There were some fans on Twitter that mentioned TNA or ROH as options for Punk after his WWE contract expires, but I think Punk will retire. Punk made major money in the WWE and there's really no reason for him to wrestle for a different promotion. TNA is bush league and ROH probably couldn't afford to sign Punk so it's possible he will retire after the WWE contract expires. Regardless, Punk had a good run in the WWE and he provided the audience with some good TV during the past few years. It should be extremely interesting to see if the WWE acknowledges Punk's decision on TV and if it will be used for a storyline.

The Wolves debut on Impact

Last week on Impact, former Ring Of Honor champions, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards debuted for TNA during a backstage segment with Dixie Carter. There has been much speculation about the duo for the past few months after they did a few tryout matches for the WWE at an NXT taping, but they weren't signed to deals and continued to make appearances on the independent scene so it was somewhat surprising that they would show up on Impact. It's somewhat ironic that two former ROH champions debut for the company just a week after AJ Styles' seemingly last match for the promotion aired on TV and he's already wrestling for ROH, but that's another column for another time.

As for the Wolves, the signing itself is good for the company, as Davey and Edwards are two of the top talents on the independent circuit, but considering all the turmoil that currently surrounds TNA and their track record for minimizing independent talent they've signed previously, it seems doubtful that the Wolves will be a major team in the company. If anything, I wouldn't be surprised if Richards eventually quits the promotion after they fumble booking the team, which is something he has a history of doing in ROH. Davey also tends to be outspoken at times when perhaps he shouldn't be, which is what led to his most recent dismissal from ROH. Basically, as rocky of a road as ROH has been in recent years, TNA isn't exactly stable either so I don't know if TNA will be an upgrade for Davey, aside from potentially more money, but that really depends on the contract structure. However, the contract the Wolves signed probably isn't for major money, simply because of the amount of wrestlers TNA has recently released to cut the budget. So if it's not for just money, why would the Wolves sign with TNA?

Richards and Edwards are the only ones that know the answer, but if I had to guess, I think they Wolves decided to sign with TNA specifically because they weren't signed to WWE contracts. Davey was dismissed from ROH and if WWE isn't an option, where is he going to work? Sure, Richards can probably make decent money on the independent scene, but someone with his skills should be on a major stage and TNA could at least guarantee a certain amount of money for a contract and exposure on national TV, which is something that smaller promotions don't offer. For Davey, unless he wants to return to Japan, which is slightly rebounding after years of decline, TNA is his only option for main stream exposure in the United States. He mentioned during interviews that he has other goals besides wrestling, which makes sense, but with other career options on the table, will Davey retire after a TNA run?

Despite not being signed a few months ago, I think Eddie Edwards still has the potential to eventually sign a WWE developmental deal. Edwards is the more well rounded wrestler and his style might be more adaptable to the WWE. The reasoning for Edwards to sign with TNA is probably similar to Richards, if he wasn't going to sign with the WWE then TNA offers the most exposure instead of the independent scene. Dixie Carter and the Wolves on the same show probably had the smart marks heading for a bridge, but wrestling on national TV for some type of guaranteed money is a better option than wrestling for a crowd of a few hundred fans on the independent scene.

The WWE Network

After several months of speculation, the WWE announced the launch of the WWE network, which will feature a 24/7 schedule and on demand events streaming online. Basically, the entire video library will be accessible to subscribers for $9.99 a month when purchased as a six month package, including pay-per-view events. Obviously, the WWE is using the emerging technology of online streaming to attempt to advance distribution and in the process offer more content at a cheaper price. Sounds great, right? As with anything in wrestling, time will tell, but there's a lot of potential for this new business venture.

The major plus for anyone that subscribes to the WWE network is that it will include PPV events, which cost $45 using traditional distributors. The video library access is a perk, but the current PPVs offered are the major selling point because without the PPVs being offered, the WWE network would be a streaming version of WWE 24/7 On Demand that was available on different distributors for a few years. Reportedly, the WWE 24/7 service had around 100,000 subscribers and was deemed profitable, but not necessarily a major success.

As mentioned, the PPVs being offered at such a cheap price is the major selling point of the network, but it could also be the major risk of it. Various news outlets have reported that the WWE has spent $40 million dollars on the network and it would need 1-2 million subscribes to cover the cost of the launch of the network. The cable companies that offer WWE PPVs get a percentage of the buy rates so doing things more "in house" so to speak would allow the WWE to make more of a percentage of the network sales, but they are using the same company that streams MLB so there's probably a percentage deal for them as well. The bottom line is for the WWE network to be a success, there would need more people to subscribe and get access to PPVs at a lower price than the buy rates that they get for people that order PPVs for $45 dollars. Basically, they will need enough subscribers to cover the traditional revenue lost if people subscribe to the network. Obviously, there has to be more of the WWE audience that will pay for the network than order the PPVs. If the projected 1-2 million subscribers is correct for the WWE network to become profitable, the WWE would need 30-40% of the weekly TV audience to pay for the network, which is significantly more of the audience than those that by traditional PPVs. It's more than possible, but there's certainly risk involved when launching a new business model, considering that traditional PPVs have generated millions for the company.

Some fans might be in the "wrestling bubble" and not realize that a major portion of the WWE audience are causal fans with a variety of entertainment options so just because they watch Raw, it doesn't necessarily translate to them paying to watch a 24/7 wrestling network. If 24/7 accessibility to wrestling was a major draw, the On Demand service would've had more subscribers. The other major draw back is that the WWE could indirectly cost themselves money because with the amount on content that is being advertised for the network, will it effect potential DVD sales?

As was mentioned earlier, the WWE network is a cheaper option for PPVs than the cable companies, which isn't exactly good news for them, as the WWE generates major PPV money. Dish network released a statement that implies they might drop WWE PPVs, but it's a bluff. WWE is a proven brand and it will probably still be profitable for them.

The question here is, why would the WWE risk traditional PPV and potentially sabotage one of their most profitable revenue streams? Anyone that tries to tell you that the pay-per-view business is declining is incorrect, as UFC 168 did an estimated 1 million PPV buy rate. If you have a product people want to watch, they will pay to watch it, but the WWE has had some sub par PPVs the past few months, which is why there were lower buy rates. Will the more affordable price translate to more subscribers? A cheaper price makes it an easier sell, but there's no guarantee that fans will pay to watch it if there's lackluster PPVs. As for the potential of the network, I think that initially, the WWE will get the subscribers they project to cover the cost of the launch because the subscription includes Wrestlemania, but the success of the network will be if the fans renew the subscriptions  after Wrestlemania. There's business risk, but there's potential for major money and it will be extremely interesting to see how many people pay for the network.

Batista and Lesnar return

 This past week on Raw, Brock Lesnar returned to the WWE and seemed to be set to start a major angle for Wrestlemania in a few months. First, let's address the recent rumors of Lesnar's potential return to the UFC, which caused much speculation online that he would meet with UFC President, Dana White after the UFC 168 pay-per-view. It amazes me how often this subject continues to get press online and it's even more amazing that some people actually put stock into the reports about it. No, Brock Lesnar isn't going to return to the UFC, as he's under contract to the WWE and signed a two year deal after Wrestlemania last year, which prevents him from signing with another company during the duration of the contact. However, as I mentioned in a previous column, even if Lesnar wasn't under contract to the WWE, he would not return to the UFC because there's major money and easier money to be made in sport entertainment. Lesnar will make a handful of appearances for WWE this year, get a pay check, and make easier money with an easier schedule in sports entertainment than mixed martial arts. Don't get me wrong, the UFC is a very successful, global brand, but as far as Lesnar goes, he did what he could there and if he returned, it seems extremely doubtful he would be successful for a variety of reasons.

As for the Raw appearance, the WWE continues to book Lesnar very wisely, as they reestablished him as a monster right from the start with the attack on Mark Henry and the promo seemed to give some indication of potential storylines for Lesnar leading into Wrestlemania. Despite Lesnar mentioning the WWE World Heavyweight title, I doubt Lesnar will be in the main event picture, but it depends on how many appearances he's signed for and how many of those appearances the WWE is willing to use for this particular storyline. If Lesnar would actually win the title at some point, he would probably appear on Raw on a weekly basis, which is something that he hasn't done since he returned to the company a few years ago. The other aspect of the Lesnar situation is that he doesn't really need to be in the title picture to boost the ratings or the buy rates. Lesnar's name vaule is enough to sell a show so that along with the limited appearances he's signed for, he probably won't be in the main event scene prior to Wrestlemania.

It was also announced that Batista will return to the WWE in a few weeks and there are rumors he could win the Royal Rumble to set up a main event match with Randy Orton at Wrestlemania. Before the discussion of Batista's return, it should be noted that he did the best work of his career with the heel run prior to his departure from the company. The heel turn and the subsequent program with Rey Mysterio, who can make people look good in the ring, gave Batista's character substance, instead of the generic presentation from previous years. Batista taking time off for a few years will generate buzz for his return and while an angle with Orton is possible at some point, I doubt it will be a match at Wrestlemania. While Batista had his best run from a character stand point, his work is somewhat limited and it's doubtful a Batista/Orton main event could live up to the hype of Wrestlemania. That's not to discount Batista because his name value will draw for the WWE, but the fans that are assuming that he will automatically win the Rumble might be putting too many stock into online reports before Batista actually returns to the company.

Chris Hero Returns

A few weeks ago, it was reported that NXT star, Kassius Ohno, was released from the company and he already returned to the independent circuit. Ohno, who was known as Chris Hero prior to being signed, was under contract for almost two years and many people thought he would debut on the main roster at various points during his NXT stint, which included some good matches with William Regal.

Before signing with the WWE, Hero was a journey man on the independent scene and he worked for every well known independent promotion in the United States. He also wrestled in Europe and Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan. Obviously, Hero has the skills to wrestle on a major stage and he evolved his style from a traditional Europe style to a Japanese style, thus led to the initials in NXT to incorporate his style into a gimmick.

The reports of Hero's release sparked outrage from smart mark fans, claiming that the WWE "doesn't know talent" but the company makes millions of dollars a year so obviously they are doing something right. That being said, Hero has the skills to be a star in wrestling and he can still be relevant despite being released from the WWE. As far as the reason behind Hero's release, he and the WWE management are the only people that know the answer, but there has been much speculation online. Reportedly, the WWE wanted Hero to improve weight training and it could have been one of the reasons he was released. Some fans might claim that Hero's skill is enough for him to get a spot on the main roster and they might have a point, but the WWE isn't a pro wrestling company, it's a sport entertainment company. Anyone that has watched Hero's work, knows that he's a tremendous pro wrestler, but that doesn't necessarily translate to being a sports entertainer. Some fans can complain about sports entertainment, but it draws millions a year and that's not to say that the WWE product couldn't be improved because there could definitely be improvement. However, there's a different standard for the WWE and it's a global product, which includes ratings, merchandise, etc. The bottom line is, the style that made Hero a star on the independent scene and the WWE style are apples to oranges so being a star on the independent scene doesn't automatically get a competitor a spot on the main roster.

As for Hero's career, the NXT run has generated buzz for his return to the independent circuit and he will an asset to any promotion. It will be interesting to see if Hero debuts for New Japan Pro Wrestling, as the company has generated some buzz with the expansion of iPPV shows and they have also booked more foreign talent. The question is, did the WWE miss the boat with Hero? Probably not because he's 33 years old, he didn't really evolve his style for the WWE, and there's an entire NXT roster that could potentially be stars for the WWE, but as mentioned earlier, Hero will continue to be successful.