WWE has revealed more details on the upcoming WWE Network. The most recent teaser video shows that programming will be a mix of live events, classic matches, and reality shows. I’m especially excited by the prospect of watching legendary matches from the NWA, WCW, and WCCW days. Sports Business Journal Daily claims that WWE Network will launch on April 1, 2012 — the same day as WrestleMania XXVIII — and that most PPV shows will be moving to the network.
Although I’m not into reality television and I was never too into Tough Enough, I’m intrigued by the Legends’ House show. In my head, making anyone live with the Iron Sheik will result in hilarity. Abdullah the Butcher would also be an interesting roommate. Mae Young would be the den mother, of course. Making WWE Legends live with each other and filming it sounds like it could be fun, especially if the show focuses on Iron Sheik ranting about making people humble.
I’m also curious about the pricing. Will it be part of a channel bundle? Or will it be a premium network? Let’s assume the latter. As an example, my crap-bag provider Time Warner Cable charges $20 a month for every flavor of HBO and Cinemax combined. Let’s say WWE is in that price range and it costs $10 to $15 per month. Even though that’s only one channel, it’s still cheaper than paying $45 a month for PPVs.
I’m still waiting for more details, but I’m pretty sure I’m on the hook for WWE Network. Between the classic matches and “most” PPV events, the cost will be worth it to me. Legends’ House could end up being a pleasant surprise. How about you? Are you interested in the channel? Are you a potential WWE Network subscriber?
Not a potential customer but your right about the channel being cheaper than a PPV.
It will be awesome if they include it in my sports package that I already got from Comcast but I think it will be like HBO so I'll have to think about it but if ppvs are available it will be a clincher for me and I will get it.
No. I barely watch Smackdown on Sci-Fi as it is. I catch Raw every now and then, but definitely not enough to justify the price.
I've never bought a PPV event in my life, either. Any event I want to see is always playing for free at some local bars. The food and atmosphere is a plus. Things like Wrestlemania and headline boxing matches are things you want to watch with a crowd. It makes it more fun.
-M
If I got this channel… I don't know if my son would watch anything else.
That would be awesome. He needs to learn about the classic Flair vs. Steamboat matches.
We've come a long way from watching a scrambled PPV just to hear the results, haven't we?
Anyway, he knows who both Flair and Steamboat are. I know he has watched the Macho Man DVD's that are on Netflix as well as the Rock's.
However… when I showed him the Undertaker/Mankind Hell in the Cell (which was in Pittsburgh… and I almost got tickets)…. he was at a loss for words. I'm pretty sure that's when Undertaker became his favorite.
I remember doing this with the No Holds Barred PPV after that terrible Hulk Hogan movie came out!!
I was watching Over The Edge 1999 scrambled when Owen Hart died.
The first one I remember insisting on watching like that was This Tuesday in Texas. Undertaker was coming up and tore through everybody. He got to Hogan, Tombstoned him, and pinned him clean, 1, 2, 3. Jack Tunney announced a rematch that coming Tuesday in Texas (hence the name). There was no way I was missing that.
I had school in the morning… but so what.
I remember watching that PPV with my friend Justin Killian. We were so confused at the time. We thought it was a work until JR cleared things up. Crazy, crazy stuff.
Confused is an understatement.
I was basically listening to it scrambled while I was cleaning. It was weird because the match was going on, it was loud, then all of a sudden the commentary stopped and the crowd was silent. I then looked at the TV thinking the cut off my scrambled access but I could tell that something was still going on. Then JR came on, and I too thought it was a work. At that time in particular (the Attitude era) it wasn't even a stretch for WWE to try and pull an angle like that. But I also remember thinking right after that "Owen is already in a good angle, why would they switch it to this now?" Ater about 5 minutes of hearing the undertone of shock in their voices (King especially), I realized that it really happened. I made some calls.
I then remember thinking how hard it must have been for the wrestlers in the 2 matches after that. There's literally still this pool of blood in the corner that belonged to their friend and colleague. Those performances right there redefined my respect for the showmanship involved.
It's interesting that some people felt that the show should have been stopped. Others felt that the show must go on and that's what Owen would have wanted.
I'm not nearly the wrestling fan I used to me, so there wouldn;t be enough value here. Mind you, forcing people to live with the Iron Sheik does sound hilarious.
As I mentioned to Ray on FB, I used to listen to Live Audio Wrestling before it became the Fight Network. It was weekly show on some radio station in Toronto, and I used to listen to it online when I still watched a lot of wrestling. But then they started to get into a lot of MMA and Boxing, when they became The Fight Network, neither of which were ever my cup of tea.
But they used to do a skit called "Where's Sheiky now?" with one of them doing a really good impersonation of the Iron Sheik randomly popping up in all sorts of places, Like working as a bagger in grocery store, or driving a greyhound bus through Atlanta. He would usually end up going completely crazy and would usually end up blaming it all on Hulk Hogan for stealing his belt. Truly some of the funniest wrestling humor I've ever heard.
If you're not familiar with Sheik's rants then check out this video. Skip to the 1:10 mark to hear what he's like when he's talking about making people humble.
[youtube 9K-wEUCCvE0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K-wEUCCvE0 youtube]
I'd like to make an abridged list of living wrestlers (aside from the Iron Sheik) that I would not want to room with:
Scott Hall
X Pac
Chyna
Lex Luger
Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Jeff Jarrett
Haku
Batista
and probably more.
Haku/Meng would be a great roomie! That's your security system right there. He was one of the true legit tough guys in wrestling. I remember seeing him at Starcade (Sting vs. Hogan) and accusing him of using the Tongan Beer Grip.
I'd room with Jarrett so we could do nightly (bad) acoustic jams…until Road Dog wrecks the whole thing.
Haku truly was a badass. Didn't he take someone's eye out once? Like, for real?
True story. I was Jesse Barr. He was being a dick and bullying a construction worker. Meng told him to stop, but he didn't. Barr lost an eye.
I also like the story with Beefcake. Brutus complained to the bookers than Meng slapped him too hard. When Meng found out, he ran to find him and lifted him by the neck with his hands. Nobody wanted to get in the way and Hogan had to be called in to talk him down.
In a topical non-sequitur, "Where's Randy Savage" featured the Macho Man with a Shake Weight today. Just thought you all should know (R.I.P. Randy).