RAW expanding to 3 hours EACH WEEK starting in July!

rovert

Major WWE News: Raw expanding to three hours
May 17, 2012 - 03:34 PM

USA Network announced that WWE Raw is expanding to three hours beginning July 23.

Powell's POV: Well, I guess this explains why WWE pushed back the start time for their upcoming Raw events to an hour earlier than usual. The switch to three-hours turned out to be disastrous for WCW Nitro, and I am definitely concerned that WWE is making a huge mistake by making the same move. Chris Shore and I will have a lot to say about this in the Dot Net Weekly audio show, which will be available to Dot Net Members later today. Join us on the ad-free version of the website by signing up now via Prowrestling.net/amember/signup.php.

MitchKoobski

COMEDY SEGMENTS FOR EVERYONE

Professey Chin

Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb

Did I mention dumb?

This is probably the revolution too -_-

Headshot

So the car crash can even go on longer now

Rjd2

Not sure about this they rarely are that good and can drag. Anyways, source is John Cena's twitter is the source.


https://twitter.com/#!/JohnCena


STARTING Monday Night July 23 @USA_NETWORK WILL BE ADDING A 3RD HOUR TO @WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW - PERMANENTLY

Lord TSC

Oh god -_-

I'm already struggling to get through two hours, and they already just ignore everyone outside the top two feuds. Now we get more filler and ignorance. Jesus Christ.

Rjd2

Missed other thread, I am ashamed.:(

Charisteas

Machismo Fan

1998 called, it wants it's complete failure of an idea back.

Cherry_Cola

So a three hour main show each week and they'll expect people to fork out monthly for 3 hour PPV's? Roflcopter indeed.

MitchKoobski

I wonder how many ex-WCW people who've become agents etc are banging their heads against the wall right now?

bobby_says_hi

this could be good for some of the forgotten people on the roster - the divas, the tag champs etc who either get super short segments or relegated to Superstars. this means more time for them while the main eventers can have their long segments without taking away as much from everyone else

BohsJohnny

This is a very very bad decision,you wonder if they know they are making such stupid errors or remember the downfall of wcw.

jaykhunter

Christ. I have enough trouble getting through 2 hours. I'll wear out my fast-forward button

GTR63

VOMITS uncontrollably

MitchKoobski

If it gives me more matches involving lower card wrestlers and proper tag teams I don't mind.

cena

3 hours is far too long. I already fast forward the 2 hours each week

the groutch

they already pad it out with multiple recaps and excessive ad breaks.
what's next, two squash matches a night for Brodus?

BohsJohnny

MitchKoobski wrote: »

If it gives me more matches involving lower card wrestlers and proper tag teams I don't mind.

DM_7

Even I can spin this one in WWE's favour.

Gob****es.

jaykhunter

Same booking team, same roster, stretched EVEN thinner. Imagine this week's RAW...with another hour of Cena's comedy and Brodus dancing. Dear God

Furious-Red

So

RAW: 3 hours
Superstars: 1 hour
Smackdown: 2 Hours
PPVs: 3 hours

Thats a lot of wwe

rovert

Furious-Red wrote: »

So

RAW: 3 hours
Superstars: 1 hour
Smackdown: 2 Hours
PPVs: 3 hours

Thats a lot of wwe

NXT/FCW: 1 hour
WWE NETWORK in the "Fall"

jaykhunter

I imagine WWE think the bump in ad revenue they get in the deal with USA Network for a third hour will justify the lower ratings and lower buyrates (stretched roster and so worse product)

What a week to announce the deal, after a terrible 2.9 rating and a horrific show.

Charlie Haughy

More on the new 3 hour Raw Supershow

“WWE is proud to celebrate this historic milestone with our partners at USA Network,” WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said. “Our new three-hour Raw represents the next generation in interactive television where our fans won’t just watch the show, they will help create it.”

Starting with the historic 1,000th episode of Raw on July 23, The WWE Universe will have new ways to get involved in the show through WWE.com and social media by deciding matches, stipulations, Superstar development and more.

“The WWE Universe is one of the most socially active and passionate fan bases in all of television,” Chris McCumber and Jeff Wachtel, co-presidents USA Network, said. “The powerful three-hour block of live TV truly makes USA the year-round destination for young male viewers on Monday nights.”

Check WWE.com for more on this breaking news surrounding Monday Night Raw.

http://wwemedia.tumblr.com/post/23247902368/more-on-the-new-3-hour-raw-supershow


hmmmmmm Cyber Sunday type voting im guessing?

But im sceptical. Id wager a bet that the the 3rd hour will be recaps. LOTS AND LOTS of recaps.

At least when Nitro went to 3 hours WCW had a massive roster but that failed.

Strange decision with WWEs roster being so thin.

ricero

I'm looking forward to it. Finally the tag team division will get some proper time to shine and also the us and intercontenatal titles.

Machismo Fan

ricero wrote: »

I'm looking forward to it. Finally the tag team division will get some proper time to shine and also the us and intercontenatal titles.

You see in theory that should be the case but previous three hour Raw's have proved the opposite. It'll be the exact same formula where the midcard is treated as useless filler, just longer.

Fenian Army

who is powell?

When I watched a few years back I fast forwarded through most of raw

GTR63

Charlie Haughy wrote: »

I'd wager a bet that the the 3rd hour will be recaps. LOTS AND LOTS of recaps.

I really felt I wasn't reminded enough when Lesnar 'broke' HHH arm.

Hashtag_HEEL

OH GOODIE! More Time for "Commedy" Cena promos! :mad:

starviewadams

Booking team choosing the winner of matches by who's trending on Twitter first?!

Plus,if Vince is so keen on Twitter why doesn't he have his own account?

cocalolaman

Well as it currently is, the extra hour of 3 hour raw's is normally just longer ads spaced closer together. I hope it's not gonna be like that, but I expect it.

waltersobchak

I dont understand this in the slightest, if WWE's ratings are the lowest they've been in years, surely going to 3 Hours will decrease the ratings even further

GTR63

waltersobchak wrote: »

I dont understand this in the slightest, if WWE's ratings are the lowest they've been in years, surely going to 3 Hours will decrease the ratings even further

Going to get eaten alive when the NFL MNF kicks in too. Don't get it from a writer perspective either I mean they have done nothing with Punk and Bryan WWE title storyline wise only have AJ flirt a bit with Punk and a write up online, still looking forward to that match but how much of the viewing audience is.

waltersobchak

GTR63 wrote: »

Going to get eaten alive when the NFL MNF kicks in too. Don't get it from a writer perspective either I mean they have done nothing with Punk and Bryan WWE title storyline wise only have AJ flirt a bit with Punk and a write up online, still looking forward to that match but how much of the viewing audience is.

If WWE's ending the brand extension.. Ending the World Heavyweight and US Titles. Having a Decent Tag and Womans divisons. Pushing the youth and undercards, and having complelling Main Events that actually draw, then fair enough a 3 hour Raw is justified..

But none of that is likely to happen, and this could go down with te XFL and WWE Studio's level of fail, in my opinion. And 3 Hour Raw's will last as long as Impact on Mondays..

J. Marston

On the plus side, the Diva's division should get some much needed time and exposure.

Ha.

gnfnrhead

Now Triple H AND Cena can have half hours promos each week. No need to alternate them anymore :pac:

GTR63

My brother put it into perspective when I told him he just said 'cud be worse imagine a live smackdown every single week' perish the thought of that.

jaykhunter

I think SmackDown live each week would be a great idea?? You can still watch it Friday. But for Americans (where Vince is concerned) a live show is much more appealing that one in the can.

jaykhunter

Breaking it down money-wise, WWE get $700,000 from Spike every episode of RAW. Doing the maths, an extra hour of RAW should get them $18 million extra per year. Short-term wise, a great way to get cash.

The downside is that you WILL burn your audience out on your show, there's already 4 hours of main programming and a couple of lesser shows, not including PPV weeks. The fans that simply say "too much" and stop watching will never come back. They're also less likely to buy PPVs since they've already seen more than their fill during the week.

It's a different model, it'll probably be ok for the first while, but after 6 months or so of 3-hour shows, you'll definitely see a hit. Just like concept PPVs like Hell in a Cell or Elimination Chamber PPVs, grand starting off, then kept decreasing downwards each year.

Maybe WWE budgeted that they will still end up making more cash if (for example) RAW goes down to 2.5 and non-big PPVs drop to 150,000 buys worldwide.

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

oh well, i doenst mean that mcuh to me. Thanks to sky plus if get through raw in around 40 mins on a tuesday, and the same can be said with the 3 hour raws. There were times i actually forwarded past 20mins at a time.
Break -> extended ppv promo -> break -> womens match -> mid card promo -> break.

I prefered watching raw in the 90s when it wasnt live (we didnt have ad breaks every few mins), mid card got decent time on the show, and michael cole didnt review the opening 20 min promo severl times in the show. It was a packed 2 hours then!

newballsplease

Why watch the show?? Nobody here clearly enjoys it. If you did, you would be delighted it was been expanded. I read nothing but complaints on here every week at how bad RAW is!!

ricero

newballsplease wrote: »

Why watch the show?? Nobody here clearly enjoys it. If you did, you would be delighted it was been expanded. I read nothing but complaints on here every week at how bad RAW is!!

Bravo sir I totally agree. Also why do people on here talk about wwe in a buisness sense. It's not your buisness and who cares about the buyrates and ratings, at the end of the day vince is getting richer. Look at it as a tv show

rovert

newballsplease wrote: »

Why watch the show?? Nobody here clearly enjoys it. If you did, you would be delighted it was been expanded. I read nothing but complaints on here every week at how bad RAW is!!

Nah if a series I really liked say Mad Men or Games of Thornes increased the number of episodes by 50% I would have the same issues about quantity over quality. They barely have enough wrestlers and writers to cover material for two two hour shows as it stands.

ricero wrote: »

Bravo sir I totally agree. Also why do people on here talk about wwe in a buisness sense. It's not your buisness and who cares about the buyrates and ratings, at the end of the day vince is getting richer. Look at it as a tv show

A TV show which had a competitor die partly due to making the same move.

a7k10rf6z8buel

3 Hour Nitros were disastrous. But that was in a competitive market. I guess WWE are of the mind that when you "more or less" have a monopoly on the market you should milk it.

I can only imagine how many lame unfunny "comedy" segments there will be now. :mad:

a7k10rf6z8buel

waltersobchak wrote: »

If WWE's ending the brand extension.. Ending the World Heavyweight and US Titles. Having a Decent Tag and Womans divisons. Pushing the youth and undercards, and having complelling Main Events that actually draw, then fair enough a 3 hour Raw is justified..

But none of that is likely to happen, and this could go down with te XFL and WWE Studio's level of fail, in my opinion. And 3 Hour Raw's will last as long as Impact on Mondays..

Couldn't agree more. Would love to see an end to the brand extension. The World Heavyweight Championship has the same importance now as the IC Chamopionship pre WWE

Kolido

rovert wrote: »

Nah if a series I really liked say Mad Men or Games of Thornes increased the number of episodes by 50% I would have the same issues about quantity over quality. They barely have enough wrestlers and writers to cover material for two two hour shows as it stands.



A TV show which had a competitor die partly due to making the same move.

I think the point is, when reading the Raw treads every week, there are so many negative comments. If I didn't like a tv show (or product) that much, I wouldn't follow it every week.
As for Raw going 3 hours, I really don't mind as I never watch it live. I couldn't stay up that late on Mondays or bare the ad breaks.

rovert

Kolido wrote: »

I think the point is, when reading the Raw treads every week, there are so many negative comments. If I didn't like a tv show (or product) that much, I wouldn't follow it every week.

Read most threads in the Television forum. :pac:

There is merit to what you say but people here have been watching it since childhood so it is hard to cut rope and Raw is main show where all the big stuff happends to set the Pay Per Views shows - which are still very, very good.

Kolido

rovert wrote: »

Read most threads in the Television forum. :pac:

There is merit to what you say but people here have been watching it since childhood so it is hard to cut rope and Raw is main show where all the big stuff happends to set the Pay Per Views shows - which are still very, very good.

I can understand that, I first started watching it in the early 90's but took a long break from it untill last year. I'm currently watching back on the storylines which I missed out on and for me it was much more enjoyable back then. Mainly around the late 90's first half of the 00's
I still enjoy watching Raw now although there are some dodgy storylines but on the whole its enjoyable. I certainly wouldn't bash it every week and still watch it.
I would like to point out that I'm not saying everyone bashes it every week, but there are a lot of negative comments on those treads.I only watch Raw and ppv's as for me it's enough to follow the main storylines.
For what it's worth, I would rather Raw to stay a 2 hour show.

I don't read about any other tv shows as I watch very little on tv. I'm living abroad so any tv I watch is online of download.

JP Liz V1

Thank god for sky plus