Wrestling Podcasts

Monokne

Very good piece on Bruce Prichard & his podcast by the Houston Press, with info on the growth of the podcasting business in general too:

http://www.houstonpress.com/news/brother-love-bruce-prichard-finds-redemption-through-podcast-9909295

The show does a minimum 400,000 downloads per week and they've hit the magic 1,000,000 weekly downloads multiple times. Also of note, 80% of the audience does listen to the entire show. I figured it would be lower than that because it's so damn long. Was interested to know that can be measured as well as I always figured ad sales for podcasts were based strictly on how many downloads they got. They also mention that the advertising revenue from the show is in "the low five figures on a weekly basis" so maybe 20 grand or so.

I wish there were were more info out there on the revenue podcasts generate. Guys like Ross, Jericho and Austin aren't doing it for peanuts, but given Bischoff just got out, it can't be as easy as doing a show and watching the money print. It's a very undercovered aspect of the business, as is prowrestlingtees and the money that generates. But I am off on a tangent now

A Rogue Hobo

Bischoff's podcast was pretty poor though the few episodes I listened to. He didn't really ever seem truly engaged, often would be very safe with questions and answers.

leggo

I've nothing against STWW, in fact I really enjoyed this week's episode and next week looks good too, but I'm really skeptical about the figures they put out. I have a ton of wrestling mates in my life now and I'm the only one I know who listens even semi-regularly, there'd need to be a massive penetration to pull those kind of figures. You're telling me they pull in a good chunk of the Raw audience on USA and a 'big' episode can go by without me getting one text in the 4-5 wrestling group chats I have? Not to mention we can tweet about it off our business account and get no mentions (when we'll get tweets for talking about any show generally)? Sorry, not buying it.

Even when they ran Woolshed, I had a person I know there (and no that doesn't contradict my earlier point) and he said that some of the live shows we pulled in for our own podcast in Woolshed drew more (and we'd have a fairly modest listenership in comparison to name podcasts). They had very little interest on social media and it didn't even sell out with a max capacity of 100 in Ned's, though they did break the requirement of 80 to get the room for free.

The thing is, podcast figures are easy to work. There's no rating system in place or regulation, and all the statistics are held behind people who have a vested interest in working them to be as high as possible.

I'm not having a go at them, given the amount of work they do and merch they put out - as well as the fact they could run a show in Ireland to begin with - they're clearly doing well. But the figures they boast just sound a bit WrestleMania 3 to me. Not to mention...it's only Brother Love and the other guy from the Ric Flair podcast!

Monokne

I would assume there are accurate ways to track podcast figures, or else advertisers wouldn't bother since the figures could be completely faked.

The author of the article mentions an app which he browsed that showed him the figures. So either they're committed to the work or there's some truth to their claims.

I don't doubt they have hundreds of thousands of listeners per week. I also wouldn't be shocked if they exaggerated at times, particularly Prichard given what a worker he is.

It would seem strange that Conrad would publicly claim the Schiavone show has such a much smaller listenership mind. Why not just lie about that as well?

A Rogue Hobo

If it helps I have a few friends who would have watched wrestling when they were younger and now.would only watch Rumble and Mania and they listen to it most weeks.

leggo

I dunno, maybe it's just the skeptic in me that assumes everything old timey wrestlers say is a work until proven true. :pac: Especially when I hear them talk about how BIG it all is, it all sounds a bit carny to me, like if I was to depict traits wrestlers do when they're lying it'd be pretty much identical to how they carry on.

In terms of apps for finding figures, I know that can be the case with certain carriers of podcasts, but I also know with my own show that nobody could have access to figures aside from me. And even then there are a million different ways you can spin figures, for example reach is different to hits which is different to plays vs downloads which is different to length of time listened, and so on. People will take the figure that suits them best and sell that to advertisers as part of a package. It's the exact same in radio, look at every radio station in Ireland claiming to be number one after each new JNLR book. Advertising is basically spreading and hedging your bets based on the BS and spin you're given, and that's before you even take pricing/timing of slots etc into account. You'd think there's a clear cut way but there's actually not because there are so many ways to go about it.

Monokne

A Rogue Hobo wrote: »

If it helps I have a few friends who would have watched wrestling when they were younger and now.would only watch Rumble and Mania and they listen to it most weeks.

Every little helps.

In seriousness, I don't have many fans into pro wrestling but they all like it, and the live show in the Woolshed was full. I'm not the type to estimate a crowd but having been to both the Low Blows quizzes & PPV parties and the STWW show in the woolshed, both just felt crammed to me.

leggo

Monokne wrote: »

Every little helps.

In seriousness, I don't have many fans into pro wrestling but they all like it, and the live show in the Woolshed was full. I'm not the type to estimate a crowd but having been to both the Low Blows quizzes & PPV parties and the STWW show in the woolshed, both just felt crammed to me.

Ah I wasn't comparing to be fair. STWW is a completely different league to most wrestler podcasts much less fan ones, it was just another random metric to weigh up with everything else.

briany

A Rogue Hobo wrote: »

If it helps I have a few friends who would have watched wrestling when they were younger and now.would only watch Rumble and Mania and they listen to it most weeks.

That's the way to watch wrestling. Let's be honest, here - the week-to-week is mostly filler, and always has been. It's the same even if you go back and watch old episodes of Superstars or RAW. Digest format all the way, for me. Highlights, plus the big shows.

jaykhunter

A Rogue Hobo wrote: »

Bischoff's podcast was pretty poor though the few episodes I listened to. He didn't really ever seem truly engaged, often would be very safe with questions and answers.

That's a shame, a guy that dealt with all the biggest names in the business, working in every aspect of wrestling, he'd have some fantastic insight and stories. Sad to hear he's reigned it in, same as his book then. "Some say there were faults, not mine though"

Jerichoholic

Last few Tony Schiovanni shows have been bad, they are just pressing play on the network and talking about they see. I preferred when they both watched seperately and talked about it that way. The new format is just lazy as sh1t and it really shows.

spektorfive

Hate that format, I like to listen while walking or driving, so I just ignore those ones altogether.

The L.A.W is gone. John Pollock, Wai Ting, Jason Agnew & Dan "The Mouth" all let go.

John & Wai seems to be keeping the show going, here a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt6KgAWAZSA

The L.A.W will leave a big hole in my podcast. Inside the ropes is crap except for the power-slam report, but they spend too much time on Raw & Smackdown.
Wrestle talk is behind a paywall and is also a bit crap. I was just getting into British Audio Wrestling. Hopefully, these shows will keep going in some form.
Best of luck to all of them.

Monokne

Jerichoholic wrote: »

Last few Tony Schiovanni shows have been bad, they are just pressing play on the network and talking about they see. I preferred when they both watched seperately and talked about it that way. The new format is just lazy as sh1t and it really shows.

Conrad explained that the reason he does these shows is the download figures are better for them than the regular type where they just discuss an event.

I am completely with you. Podcasts are great for a commute or if I've down time waiting around my kids or I'm cooking or cleaning & want something to listen to. If I have 3 free hours to watch TV, I am not giving it to Halloween Havoc 95 while listening to a podcast.

Jerichoholic

Yeah, I've only listened to about 20 minutes of them, Tony starts trying to be funny by "announcing" the match, it's just annoying and not fun.

Agent Coulson

The Big Bossman was on a Tony or Brother Love poll recently and Austin won over and the other names which kind of pissed me off as 99% of wrestling fans know all they need to know about him by now sometimes I think just Conrad would forget about the polls.



Talking about someone like The Big Bossman would be a new and fresh listen.

Jerichoholic

New Age Outlaws won a poll too, I could care less about them.

Monokne

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The Big Bossman was on a Tony or Brother Love poll recently and Austin won over and the other names which kind of pissed me off as 99% of wrestling fans know all they need to know about him by now sometimes I think just Conrad would forget about the polls.



Talking about someone like The Big Bossman would be a new and fresh listen.

I agree with the idea that certain topics (Rock, Austin, DX, ATTITUDE ERA) are over-covered in the podcast world, but you sell what people will buy. If that's what they want it makes more sense to do a show on Austin and get 750,000 downloads than Bossman and get 450,000.

LeeJM

This would be Edge and Christian that don't watch NXT and had no idea who Asuka was. They are WWE lifers and IMO even when as you say they don't stick to the company line I feel like they almost certainly are because if they weren't they wouldn't still be getting current WWE guys as their guests. It's just that in 2017 WWE have realised that they can control the "dissenting voices" and appeal to a certain type of fan while keeping them in the universe.

And I am not knocking you for enjoying it just I refuse to believe they aren't on the payroll.

sky88

Pretty sure they dont have even ledgends contracts i know they didnt for a good while edge more so but that could have changed as there very linked even without contracts

Monokne

Christian is under a deal. Because they forced him to retire they're probably going to be paying him for life, ala Tyson Kidd.

Lord TSC

spektorfive wrote: »

Hate that format, I like to listen while walking or driving, so I just ignore those ones altogether.

The L.A.W is gone. John Pollock, Wai Ting, Jason Agnew & Dan "The Mouth" all let go.

John & Wai seems to be keeping the show going, here a link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt6KgAWAZSA

AH HERE!

Since I've started trying to lose weight, I go walking three or four times a week, and ALWAYS listen to Pollock and Wai. They've kept me amused when trying to do this. Got a real fright when I saw they had been sacked. Glad to see they're doing a Youtube show, but is there an audio podast version?

ERG89

http://www.johnandwai4.life

leggo

Can someone with more patience than me tell me if this week's STWW is worth a listen? I'm not giving them 4 hours unless it's fairly spectacular...

beakerjoe

Currently on The Doink episode, so no can do.

Id like to know more about Billy Gunns early days but besides that I wouldnt rush to listen to it.

Monokne

ERG89 wrote: »

http://www.johnandwai4.life

This doesn't look like something you can download through a podcast app, sadly.

ERG89

Monokne wrote:

This doesn't look like something you can download through a podcast app, sadly.

No but I was easily able to listen to both of them through my podcast app. Considering the first one was done on the day they were let go I don't think people should lift their noses at them not being on an iTunes search

Monokne

ERG89 wrote: »

No but I was easily able to listen to both of them through my podcast app. Considering the first one was done on the day they were let go I don't think people should lift their noses at them not being on an iTunes search

I don't think anyone is lifting their noses. I think people, like myself, are just commenting so we all know where it's up to.

Lord TSC

You can download the episodes as an MP3 and then use iTunes to put them on. Not ideal, but I guess it will take them a little bit to get the infrastructure in place.

Monokne

Exactly. All in good time.

leggo

I don't listen to those lads but do they have an RSS feed there for the podcast? Most modern websites would have one of some kind. If you get the feed address, go to your Podcasts app, go to the + sign in the top corner and add the address it should update when there's a new episode.