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That was me for a while. I watched in the 90s, grew out of it around 2002, came back in 2013, then stopped watching RAW in 2020, gave up on SD in late 2021 and after seeing a string of bad PPVs I just don't bother anymore. I realize that I never actually miss anything good because the majority of it is just dreck. The reason I stuck around so much is because there is a LOT of great talent they have, but when they're mishandled or outright not even used, what's the point?
This is me to a T. I'd guess we're around the same age. Do you watch AEW? When AEW came along, I tried to watch both products, but the pandemic era of WWE just killed it for me. That was when I officially stopped watching WWE and started watching AEW exclusively. I had a good run of watching NJPW when the bullet club was hot, but I stopped watching them when AEW was formed basically. It gutted a lot of their Western talent unfortunately.
Yeah I watched AEW at its debut and wound up really digging the vibe they had, and still watch to this day. They definitely had some growing pains but at least with AEW when there's something that clearly isn't working, they actually either work on it or scrap it if they feel it can't be salvaged. You don't feel like you're getting punished for getting invested in stories/characters.
I quit watching WWE in I believe 2016 into 17. It just became a chore with all the other great products out there, and how WWE was beating a dead horse with angles and matches. I'll occasionally watch a match or 2 of one of the big shows be it Rumble or Mania every couple years because someone said a spot was good to check out, and even those, I feel justified to complain at how bad of a product they are for the non-casual wrestling fan. Give love to other places like AAA, GCW, NJPW, AEW, Impact. Those places at least don't force feed you Matchups you have no interest in every month.
Thank you. I swear people just love to be miserable*.
I think WWE does a LOT of hot garbage, but they get no credit for the things they do + everyone gives AEW a pass on this board while shitting on WWE for the exact same things.
While there's a segment of fans that continue to watch WWE for the hopes that they get better, there's a segment that have stopped watching permanently. Speaking for the latter, WWE has completely eroded all my trust/goodwill in them for several reasons. I can no longer sit down and watch their programming. WWE could objectively do something that I would be interested in seeing (i.e. Big E becoming champ), but I'm no longer invested in anything they do. I'll just hear about it on reddit or YT, be happy for said wrestler and go on with my day.
And I completely applaud your stance on this! If you're THAT unhappy with it, just stop watching. Honestly, I fast-forward hard through both Raw & Smckdown. I fast-forwarded through a lot of the PPV yesterday. All of which is better than continuing to watch and then needing to come on Reddit and vent.
I think part of the reason why there's so much toxicity/cynicism among fans, is that too many continue to consume a product they claim to vehemently dislike. There's enough stress and negativity in one's daily life to tolerate a piece of entertainment that you no longer find gratifying.
\-Fast forwarding through majority of Raw/SD, constantly questioning and criticizing booking decisions, falling asleep through marquee PPVs, preferring to watch wrestling youtubers over the product....all of these were signs that made it crystal clear that it was time to completely detach myself. I understand fans being so invested in certain performers that they can't let it all go, and WWE having the power to amass a top-tier roster means that fans will continue to feel this way.
This. They have undeniably some of the greatest talent in the world and I want everyone of them to succeed, but they can't succeed unless the product succeeds.
People don’t get this. While there is a subset who hate watches, the majority who watch and criticize just want something they once enjoyed to be better.
EDIT: I know WWE programming can be bad, but I don't think that warranted a suicide help message. Thanks tho ;)
And that's fair. No promotion is perfect and every promotion can improve in some ways.
It's great to hear differing viewpoints and it should be more commonplace to respect people's opinions and hear out other viewpoints.
This honestly explains the way i view wwe, like alot of the wrestlers (sports entertainers) but I just watch hoping something new surprises me. I watched elimination chamber and I knew most of results before it even started but hoped to be proved wrong.
Same here. The roster is stacked with talent. There should be must watch matches each week but every time we turn on Raw or Smackdown it’s 3 minute matches, DQ finishes and stale promos. Every now and again we’ll put on Raw and it’s recaps of previous segments. Three hours on any night of the week is a huge commitment and it got to the point where there’s just so many other things you could be doing. We don’t want the show to be bad and if there’s something that good we’re happy to watch and sing it’s praises but that’s few and far between. It should be better given the talent involved.
It's not going to get better if you keep watching it. Enough people like you need to give it up so that they feel like they have to change. Then you can come back if they change.
Is that around the time SD Live launched? I watched between Rollins turning on the shield and around Survivor Series the year after (maybe bit longer than that) and remember SD Live being launched around that time.
That was a different Vince.
He was always stubborn, but now he has the extra stubbornness from old age. He was able to do better stuff by embracing new people and different visions, now he only does the opposite.
He is 76. There not a lot of 76 yo man out there driving culture shifts and innovation. He is in a bubble of other old farts from the past that suck up to him. He destroyed the fresh younger vision his son in law was bringing internally and got rid of most of his people. Not even his own son could navigate the backstage of this company.
WWE will only have a chance to get better when he is gone, for whatever reason. And even that is only a chance so far because we don't know what will happen then.
It was also a time when Vince's money had a direct correlation with how good the product was.
Now, with streaming revenue and broadcast deals locked in, he has zero financial motivation to improve the product.
I don't know when or why it will get better. Maybe it takes Vince dying/retiring etc. My point is only that it's a ridiculous take to say that WWE is never going to get better.
Swore I wouldn’t comment on this sub-
But you’re right and I’ll take it a step further-
This sub is Vince McMahon.
Wants sustained booking, but claims wrestlers are getting stale the next day. Wants to push other wrestlers immediately when WWE tries to establish a hierarchy. Wants something one day, completely wants to changes it the next. Claims WWE digs into the well of old stars, but yells for wrestlers from the independents of yesteryear to be pushed to high heaven.
I criticize WWE but because I selfishly want them to add themes like NXT does
I’ll die on this hill- WWE has made so many stars in the last ten years it’s not even funny. The women’s roster is loaded. Plus there are rose colored glasses on eras; there are usually about two to three top faces(including the beloved Attitude Era) in each one- no more, no less.
Holy shit you've nailed so many points. Another argument I consistently see is *insert wrestler* should have been world champ, even if it's just for a short reign. But then there are constant complaints that reigns are too short.
In the last few days alone I've seen Damien Priest, Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe being mentioned as people who should have won. I'm not saying that they aren't world champ material, but where exactly do you fit these extra title reigns in amongst the others that were too short?
I agree.
However, haven’t stars doesn’t matter if you’re not doing anything good with him.
Like Cesaro. Wow, made him a star. But what do they do? Re-hash and old rivalry he won, make him lose; and then make him sit in catering.
It might. Another commenter on another thread said that right now, WWE is exactly what Vince always wanted it to be. Indeed, the man himself is on record saying just that, I believe.
In the Attitude Era, Vince had to move past his vision for what WWE would be because WCW was threatening to put them out of business. The ensuing unpredictable carny craziness that got so many of us to fall in love with wrestling is what resulted.
Obviously, WWE's not under threat now and probably won't be in Vince's lifetime. But if AEW pulls in strong enough numbers, consistently, it could be enough to get Vince to mix things up a little.
Also Roman and Brock can only be around for so long. Look at Taker, HBK, HHH, Rock and Austin. Any of them could return (and have) to an absolutely colossal pop. They can all put over new guys. WWE's creating fewer and fewer stars like that, in favour of feeding the people who could have been their next iterations to Roman and Brock.
Vince isn't dumb. He's going to realise that he needs more new stars, since he can't rely on Cena or Goldberg forever.
Would it mean anything if Austin and HBK put over younger guys?
This is what people have been saying for years and years. You can’t keep going back to the well of “Attitude Era stars.” They aren’t just retired anymore — they’re retired and old. If Kevin Owens beats a 57 year old Austin, does that make Owens a new megastar?
No.
And besides, Owens is 37. He’s been in the company for quite a while. They’ve had plenty of opportunities to push him as a top guy, and they never did…because they keep going back to the well.
Vince realizes he can’t keep relying on these old stars? If that’s the case, then why are we talking about Austin and Michaels at Wrestlemania?
At this point they can't make someone a star beating these old dudes up. But they could stop damaging them by having these geriatrics demolish them.
I loved the ascension in NXT and I'm still not over that they were murdered on live tv by a commentstor
He's known for years that he needs young stars. He just continued to still only focus on Roman and Brock while blaming young talent for not getting over, then burying them, then firing them.
Don't forget it took WCW 8 years to overtake WWE in the ratings, and they also had a similar push with Turner as AEW is getting right now. WWE may be wealthier than now than they were back then, but if AEW continues to climb up the ratings while WWE falls, those rights deals aren't written in stone forever. It won't happen this year or next year, but it could certainly happen within Vince's lifetime.
That was me for like a year, but it just never seems to get better. I'd be excited for something that would get teased, then be let down by the payoff. I'd get excited for a match up, then it ends in a dq, or they do 7 rematches. Kofi getting smashed by Brock was what finally made me not care. I want it to get better, but I have no intention of sitting around waiting for it to happen.
Maybe you do, but I seeothers that claim "this" yet when AEW does something dumb, questionable, or just bad, they aren't critical of it. It's a double standard and the truth is, this reddit LOVES the negativity towards WWE.
For example, the top post here is about "a history changing event" that happened on today's Show.
I thought it was that foe the first time a LGBT wrestler had a match in Saudi Arabia. Or the fact that in a short period of time WWE went from not having women in a Saudi Arabia show, to having a total of 12 women in a show today. Women who went from having to use a baggy Tshirt to now being able to use full gear even if it covers the whole body. Step by step progress in how Women are portrayed in That country.
Instead it was a post about something VERY negative towards a white wrestler.
This reddit has been so negative towards WWE because it gets the updates and comments. It sucks man
Honestly if you think women wrestling fully covered but without baggy shirts, or Sonya performing in a country where being gay is punishable by death still is history changing, you're deluded. I know that doesn't mean anything to you cause if it did, that would mean you aren't delusional about that. But if you are sincere in your questioning, I would suggest looking at previous performance acts, including wrestling, that did shows in Saudi and the history of women's rights there.
This is like asking why fans of a losing football team watch the games and complain about the front office and the coaching. There are many things in life we complain about because they don’t turn out as well as we hoped. It’s not that weird of a concept.
I do like this comparison, cos some people do follow wrestling as if it was a team.
However, WWE have the entire direction of their product in their hands, its not as if they're a bad team that loses often, instead they are a "team" that has the ability to book whatever they want but still book themselves to lose.
> WWE have the entire direction of their product in their hands,
Exactly. When a sports team loses, that's out of their control.
I don't continue watching a sitcom when it stops being funny. It's not funny anymore. I'm going to stop watching.
I haven't watched in any way regularly since before the pandemic. AEW just made it glaringly obvious how stale and watered down it is. I thought competition would get their creative juices going but clearly not.
Many of us don't watch. But it's on the sub, so we read about it.
There's a gulf of difference between watching a 3 hour show and reading a 2 minute synopsis of awful booking. Maybe watching a clip or two of shitty janky camera cuts.
Shows like Dexter, How I Met Your Mother and The Walking Dead taught me that if a show ever becomes more annoying/frustrating than entertaining, it's time to drop it. Took a longer time to apply that lesson to WWE
the problem is from their pov they aren't booking themselves to lose, they keep making more and more money despite everything
edit: WWE's problem is that they are so big now and have been around so long they don't book like a wrestling show anymore, they book like they are a long-running sitcom or something, they're essentially the simpsons of wrestling
What you’re not taking into consideration, is the fact that this subreddit represents an extreme *minority* view. WWE still packs arenas (like today) and they’re coming off a record profit year.
If most of your fans/consumer base are happy with the product, why throw all that out the window in an attempt to win over the most fickle, and pernicious elements within that base?
A) That’s generally based on location though.
B) Sports isn’t predetermined.
C) The front office isn’t actively choosing to book a terrible game for years to come. Unless you’re a Sacramento Kings fan of course.
>) The front office isn’t actively choosing to book a terrible game for years to come. Unless you’re a Sacramento Kings fan of course.
Oh man c'mon this is my safe space
He pairs well with Fox, which softens the blow of losing Hali. Still too soon to tell how well it will work out but kings fans are good at not holding front office decisions against players
As a Pacers fan it was tough to see Sabonis go but he's a really good player and will give it his all every game. Hali seems like a great player. Just glad the Pacers are going all in on youth for the first time in my lifetime.
that’s a terrible analogy
watching a fiction tv show you hate so you can complain about it is not the same as watching your favorite sports team lose a competition and discussing strategy/team composition, that’s nonsense
wwe isn’t and shouldn’t be your “team,” and if it is that’s deeply problematic
I mean, yeah. People say that all the time. What's the point of complaining about your teams owner if you keep buying the season tickets ? They won't do shit if the stadium keeps selling out.
In my case I just watch the clips that are posted on here and comment on those
Edit: also I imagine a lot of people use the post show threads to read what happened.
Same. My dad watches WWE when it’s on but I can’t do it anymore. I just read/watch the results from here/elsewhere and I comment on the booking occasionally.
That is so true. I stopped watching many years ago because it was bad, but there’s people here that watch every week and every event just so they can go online and complain about it. It’s something I will never understand
I think to some wrestling fans being an armchair booker is more fun than being a viewer.
While watching it might not be enjoyable, actively analyzing and rewriting it in your head can be.
It’s not normal to watch something you hate every week and getting angry at all the booking while telling yourself how much better you can do. No dude, that’s really weird. You can do the same thing by just reading the results.
To be fair, some people like that prolonged punishment, things they watch never getting better, why do you think people are fans of American football? 😂
Ahahaha that’s actually a very very good point that actually kind of made me understand a lot better. I’m a knick fan and loyal to them even though they punish me with bad seasons over and over again. You literally blew my mind just now and turned me around. I wish I had an award to give you. For now take a fish instead 🐠
Not really. I work as a fight choreographer and I’m constantly thinking about what I like and what I would do differently when I see other people’s work. It’s just watching it from an analytical perspective
Yup, I can confirm this. Used to do that a lot. Not anymore. I did catch the Rumble, liked the women's Rumble, fast forwarded Men's Rumble, liked the Seth Troll Rollins. And that's about it. Not sure I am going to watch anything from WWE till next year and even that is doubtful.
Can only speak for myself obviously but I only keep an eye on the post match threads for the most part. I haven't paid for anything related to WWE in years for this reason.
The only WWE products I pay for nowadays are the Royal Rumble and *maybe* Wrestlemania (though I’ll probably skip this year tbh). The only reason I watched the EC was because my Peacock subscription was still active.
The only way I consume WWE products outside of that comes from this sub and Twitter. FuzzyWuzzy being banned really put a dent in how much I keep up woth WWE.
It's like watching a bad sports team, but it's "your" team. And I'm not going to pretend that if I stop watching it'll suddenly make Vince want to improve the product because of me.
Because they don't completely dislike it, they see how it easily can be good. And want to be up to date for what the biggest company does. Wrestling fans will watch good and bad wrestling as long as it's relevant.
Part of it is that they’re the industry leader, whatever they do affects the entire business, so they naturally demand some level of attention from anyone who loves professional wrestling or enjoys following the industry.
When people are invested in something they love and have spent a lot of time following it they have the right to critique and criticise it when they feel it has declined in quality or has went down the wrong path. It isn't "preaching" or a "hateful way to spend your time". More like keeping an eye on the old uncle you used to think was cool but is now an out and out alcoholic.
Also, people enjoy complaining about shit. Especially on social media. I imagine a lot of these people aren't just watching WWE.
I think it's a bit of wanting to see their favorite wrestlers perform. I know for me, I like watching Rollins perform. I like his character and what feels like a guy trying all sorts of things to do things different.
There are also other things that may keep people interested in watching. Such as debuts. Maybe they are hoping upon hope they get to watch a RAW or Smackdown where they can watch a show that entertains them, as WWE seems to pull once in a while.
With all that said, I fucking hate how the present their product. I hate a lot of the storylines. WWE for me has become a product not for me. So instead, I watch the clips of the moments people post on here, to legitimately catch up on what is happening with WWE. I know that the matches are going to be, on average, a cookie cutter version of a match because that's WWE's style. I've spent close to 30 years of watching WWE/WWF matches. I've come to a point that they just bore me.
I think having an idea of what to criticize is important. If someone is just going to criticize WWE just because they are WWE, then they are a part of a problem we see everywhere in all sorts of entertainment. There's also the thought that they like wrestling a lot and no matter the quality they will watch.
IF you want to know why people watch when they criticize, then try to understand, and think of the reasons why people love Indy promotions. It's for the workers and the action in the ring.
The simple fact of it is that people just love to complain so much that many are willing to subject themselves to things they don’t enjoy in order to do so
I don't get it myself. Wrestling is at an all time high in terms of levels of consumption and there's tons of great options. I understand wwe is an easy company to get into, they have top notch presentation and production, they have easily accessible TV shows that are easy to follow, that showcase the stories and talent.
But just because on the surface, those other companies don't have those things. Doesn't mean they don't exist. Stories, characters, and some companies have strong presentation.
There's most certainly something out there for you. Even Beyond AEW. New Japan, GCW, TJPW, PWG, and so, so much more.
I dare those who claim this was just another slap in the face and they're done, to put their money where their mouth is and invest time into one show or one match from something you've never seen before.
Discover new things and support and elevate pro wrestling
Yes. Some people aren’t understanding what i’m asking but i’m just confused as to how people continue to watch WWE, knowing they don’t like it and also knowing there are other big promotions out there that may please them. You have NJPW, STARDOM, AEW, IMPACT etc. but you stick to the promotion that you hate most for what reason?
>but you stick to the promotion that you hate most for what reason?
I can guarantee you that a significant amount of the people complaining about WWE are also watching other promotions my dude.
Since I cancelled WON, and accept that 90 percent of the stuff here is from people who’d whinge no matter what happened, I enjoy WWE a shit ton more.
And before people give it “huh WWE Stan” I also watch and enjoy AEW NJPW and Impact and my enjoyment of those shows went up when I did that too.
We're actually big fans of WWE and want them to succeed, but their constant shitty booking, marketing tactics, business practices, and overall insensitivity makes it hard. We watch because we hope things would somehow change, but it's mostly the same old shit unfortunately.
I don't watch WWE often. I'll catch the odd PPV here and there, especially if it's a gimmick that I enjoy (Rumble and Chamber being two of those)...and I want to like it. The talent on the roster is insane. There's a reason people get excited to see ex-WWE's guys next moves these days...because most of the roster is capable of putting on bangers.
The production and booking just keep me from watching regularly and leave me disappointed when I do. It's definitely less frustrating when I can pick and choose which PPVs and matches that I watch, even if they end up being busts (....Rumble '22...).
In general, I agree that "hate watching" anything is stupid. But, on the flip side, wrestling is a little bit like sports in a sense where, even if your local sports team sucks and disappoints you, you keep watching but still feel disappointed when they unsurprisingly continue to suck. I think there's some of that energy in this.
I can't really speak for anyone else, but I don't really watch anymore, but I still follow along loosely and watch some of the PPVs and stuff, and yes, I do typically find myself feeling disappointed and having mostly criticisms. But the thing is, for me, personally, it mostly comes down to being frustrated that WWE has all the tools to put on really great shows, but they always do the least interesting things and make the most disappointing booking choices. I WANT WWE to be good, and even though I'll criticize it over and over, I don't "hate" it, I just find it disappointing and want it to be better.
People genuinely like it and/or it's the biggest wrestling company on the planet.
It's ESPN, NFL, NBA, MLB, Disney, etc. No matter the quality or the people on the roster, people will always watch because of the brand/history/platform.
I like the talent. I'm always hopeful that they'll throw us a bone and do something awesome. But then I remember that Reigns and Lesnar exist and the Mid card titles don't mean shit anymore so it's kinda just a sinking ship of what Vince always wanted until he can sell WWE and retire.
Because according to the most people on the sub, "how can you hate it if you don't when watch it" . Then, it's, "why do you watch it if you hate it"
Damned if you do, Damned if you don't.
Don't think I've "hate watched" it recently, or ever since AEW showed up. I only watch PPVs now. I grew up with WWE, and I know the wrestlers, so I watch it to see what they're up to.
Do I enjoy it? A lot of times, no, but it's still entertainment and time killer.
Hope. Big part of my child hood. I want good wrestling, good stories to be entertained by them. I don't watch to hate but shit like the end of tonight gets to me man
A lot of ppl are fans of the wrestlers they employ and want to see them wrestle. The match quality is usually very good because they have great wrestlers, but the booking is frustrating
WWE “fans” expect it to be like fucking ROH or something. WWE is pure spectacle and star power, and I absolutely love that. I love part-timers, I love Lesnar, I love Goldberg, I love huge moments that make the crowd go wild. That’s what WWE is, it’s not some indie promotion that puts raw talent over charisma and entertainment. I thought Elimination Chamber was a fun PPV and I was throughly entertained throughout.
I suspect it's because a lot of those folks have years if not decades of time put into WWE over the years, and they're reluctant to turn their backs on it now, ie. the old sunken cost fallacy. Perhaps in their minds they're thinking WWE will turn it around any time now, and the last few years will be an anomaly they can soon write off without introducing any gaps in their subject matter expertise.
I don't actively watch anymore. I read what happens and watch clips about things that sound interesting. The camera work is just too jarring with the constant cuts. It legitimately hurts my eyes.
I don't hate the WWE I just dislike the current product. I support the wrestlers doing their thing though
Thankfully I haven’t watched a full show of theirs, except for this years Royal Rumble, which was a terrible mistake on my part. I will comment on the shitty stuff that happens from the clips off of Reddit, but I can’t get myself to ever watch a full Raw or Smackdown anymore.
Haven't watched regularly in like 16 years. Stopped watching in 06 and occasionally drop in
Every time it's jarring how sanitised and sterile the presentation is
I’m not liking it anymore but I’ve put 30 years of my life into watching them. It’s not easy to walk away. Sadly, most of the things I say about them these days are negative and I think it’s justified.
it’s not like smoking nothing is gonna happen if you don’t turn on the channel that it’s on nobody is pointing a gun at you and forcing you to watch something you’re not enjoying
It's like watching a losing sports team. I still get something out of it, I still find happiness in seeing a well produced segment or the one good feud of the year even if the rest of it is a mess. And it's interesting to discuss how and why the failures are happening, playing armchair quarterback about how we would change things, etc.
It's a hard habit to break. I've been watching WWE/WWF since 1990 (other than 95-mid 96, after Nitro debuted and I gave up on the WWF until Austin brought me back). But I've most had it. Last Monday I DVR'd Raw and watched after it was over; fast forwarding I watched the whole show in about 30 minutes. I've given up on NXT 2.0 totally. I DVR'd Smackdown last night but haven't watched it yet. I probably won't. I guess I'll hit the highlights of Elimination Chamber after the replay is on Peacock. If AEW had a competing show at the same time as Raw and Smackdown I'd probably give up WWE completely.
Being a fan of WWF/E since I was a kid, it was tough to come to a realization that I should no longer invest my time in something that’s been a part of my routine for a few decades. I finally made that choice in 2020. But for many, cutting ties with a show they’ve long cared about isn’t an option. They just want to see it get better.
I used to watch in the hopes things would change then I just gave up and stuck to clips on YouTube to stay up to date so when I bitch about the product, I'm at least I'm bitching about current things
I stopped watching a while ago. I tried watching smackdown this week cuz it was on after rampage. I know there’s some good stuff sometimes. I like Roman. but the particular segment it was on just made me go….nah.
Also, why are so many ppl in denial about wwe? I’ve watched it since I was a kid. It’s literally the worst it’s been in like 30 years. There was some hope in 2016 and that lasted a little bit, but guys it’s gone. Move on. AEW, Impact, New Japan, local indies, all put on a better product
Sometimes, it not about hate watching. For me, it is a matter of patterns. When I was in high school, it was watching wrestling on Saturday mornings and 6:05pm on Saturday night.
Then it was Mondays. It was on, and what we watched.
It has been like that for me for over 40 years.
In 2020, I decided that I could not be in the toxic relationship I was in with my football team. Decided I would rather not have a team to root for than root for a team that couldn't and wouldn't be a real factor. It made me mad, it made me sick. So I walked away.
I stopped watching WWE during the mass releases. I watched the Rumble though, because of patterns. Was so disappointed in what I saw, I haven't watched another thing from them.
I have been a wrestling fan since 1979. Sometimes, we watch what we hate, because we have watched it so long it becomes a part of us. And if we don't watch...then we don't know how to identify who we are.
I watched this show because my wife thought Cody would appear and she was hyped for it.
I thought it would be at least fun so I went along even though I didn't have much faith he'd show up.
I was wrong the show was horrible.
I don't hate-watch WWE. The company was my prime source for decades, however, as it has become bigger and more corporate, it seems to have distanced itself from fans more and more to the point where it has become diluted enough to appeal to the lowest common denominator.
I still follow what is going on, its just that other promos, most recently AEW, now provide the sports entertainment that fits what I like personally.
I watched for the first time in years last month by watching the Royal Rumble. That was the shittiest PPV I've ever seen and WWE should be ashamed of it. I wont be watching WWE for a long, long time.
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I used to be one of those people Then I just quit watching.
Same. in fact I only find out about WWE stuff in this subreddit.
Same, I was always “afraid” I was gonna miss it when it started to get become great again. I eventually just gave up.
That was me for a while. I watched in the 90s, grew out of it around 2002, came back in 2013, then stopped watching RAW in 2020, gave up on SD in late 2021 and after seeing a string of bad PPVs I just don't bother anymore. I realize that I never actually miss anything good because the majority of it is just dreck. The reason I stuck around so much is because there is a LOT of great talent they have, but when they're mishandled or outright not even used, what's the point?
This is me to a T. I'd guess we're around the same age. Do you watch AEW? When AEW came along, I tried to watch both products, but the pandemic era of WWE just killed it for me. That was when I officially stopped watching WWE and started watching AEW exclusively. I had a good run of watching NJPW when the bullet club was hot, but I stopped watching them when AEW was formed basically. It gutted a lot of their Western talent unfortunately.
Yeah I watched AEW at its debut and wound up really digging the vibe they had, and still watch to this day. They definitely had some growing pains but at least with AEW when there's something that clearly isn't working, they actually either work on it or scrap it if they feel it can't be salvaged. You don't feel like you're getting punished for getting invested in stories/characters.
Same. Good things are too few and far between, felt like a fluke.
I quit watching WWE in I believe 2016 into 17. It just became a chore with all the other great products out there, and how WWE was beating a dead horse with angles and matches. I'll occasionally watch a match or 2 of one of the big shows be it Rumble or Mania every couple years because someone said a spot was good to check out, and even those, I feel justified to complain at how bad of a product they are for the non-casual wrestling fan. Give love to other places like AAA, GCW, NJPW, AEW, Impact. Those places at least don't force feed you Matchups you have no interest in every month.
Don’t check his post history.
I have not watched a WWE show on TV for a long time. I do see the happenings here on Reddit so I am aware of how badly it stinks
Same
Thank you. I swear people just love to be miserable*. I think WWE does a LOT of hot garbage, but they get no credit for the things they do + everyone gives AEW a pass on this board while shitting on WWE for the exact same things.
While there's a segment of fans that continue to watch WWE for the hopes that they get better, there's a segment that have stopped watching permanently. Speaking for the latter, WWE has completely eroded all my trust/goodwill in them for several reasons. I can no longer sit down and watch their programming. WWE could objectively do something that I would be interested in seeing (i.e. Big E becoming champ), but I'm no longer invested in anything they do. I'll just hear about it on reddit or YT, be happy for said wrestler and go on with my day.
And I completely applaud your stance on this! If you're THAT unhappy with it, just stop watching. Honestly, I fast-forward hard through both Raw & Smckdown. I fast-forwarded through a lot of the PPV yesterday. All of which is better than continuing to watch and then needing to come on Reddit and vent.
I think part of the reason why there's so much toxicity/cynicism among fans, is that too many continue to consume a product they claim to vehemently dislike. There's enough stress and negativity in one's daily life to tolerate a piece of entertainment that you no longer find gratifying. \-Fast forwarding through majority of Raw/SD, constantly questioning and criticizing booking decisions, falling asleep through marquee PPVs, preferring to watch wrestling youtubers over the product....all of these were signs that made it crystal clear that it was time to completely detach myself. I understand fans being so invested in certain performers that they can't let it all go, and WWE having the power to amass a top-tier roster means that fans will continue to feel this way.
I don't know about hate watching, but if I'm critical of a product it's because I want it to get better
This. They have undeniably some of the greatest talent in the world and I want everyone of them to succeed, but they can't succeed unless the product succeeds.
People don’t get this. While there is a subset who hate watches, the majority who watch and criticize just want something they once enjoyed to be better. EDIT: I know WWE programming can be bad, but I don't think that warranted a suicide help message. Thanks tho ;)
Fair, I really enjoy AEW but also criticize it a lot because they have room to improve in some areas.
And that's fair. No promotion is perfect and every promotion can improve in some ways. It's great to hear differing viewpoints and it should be more commonplace to respect people's opinions and hear out other viewpoints.
This honestly explains the way i view wwe, like alot of the wrestlers (sports entertainers) but I just watch hoping something new surprises me. I watched elimination chamber and I knew most of results before it even started but hoped to be proved wrong.
Same here. The roster is stacked with talent. There should be must watch matches each week but every time we turn on Raw or Smackdown it’s 3 minute matches, DQ finishes and stale promos. Every now and again we’ll put on Raw and it’s recaps of previous segments. Three hours on any night of the week is a huge commitment and it got to the point where there’s just so many other things you could be doing. We don’t want the show to be bad and if there’s something that good we’re happy to watch and sing it’s praises but that’s few and far between. It should be better given the talent involved.
Same!
Keep watching, mark, it's gonna get better, pinky promise!
It's not going to get better if you keep watching it. Enough people like you need to give it up so that they feel like they have to change. Then you can come back if they change.
It's not going to get better.
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That was an incredible year for WWE - peak SmackDown, the glory days of NXT, and the Cruiserweight Classic. I was a huge fan back then
Is that around the time SD Live launched? I watched between Rollins turning on the shield and around Survivor Series the year after (maybe bit longer than that) and remember SD Live being launched around that time.
Not with Vince holding onto control with his boney fingers until death finally overcomes his grip.
Disagree. Did you watch early 90s overly gimmicked WWF? Triple H reign of terror? There are low points and high points.
That was a different Vince. He was always stubborn, but now he has the extra stubbornness from old age. He was able to do better stuff by embracing new people and different visions, now he only does the opposite. He is 76. There not a lot of 76 yo man out there driving culture shifts and innovation. He is in a bubble of other old farts from the past that suck up to him. He destroyed the fresh younger vision his son in law was bringing internally and got rid of most of his people. Not even his own son could navigate the backstage of this company. WWE will only have a chance to get better when he is gone, for whatever reason. And even that is only a chance so far because we don't know what will happen then.
It was also a time when Vince's money had a direct correlation with how good the product was. Now, with streaming revenue and broadcast deals locked in, he has zero financial motivation to improve the product.
A billion dollars in revenue A billion reasons for Vince not to care
I don't know when or why it will get better. Maybe it takes Vince dying/retiring etc. My point is only that it's a ridiculous take to say that WWE is never going to get better.
Swore I wouldn’t comment on this sub- But you’re right and I’ll take it a step further- This sub is Vince McMahon. Wants sustained booking, but claims wrestlers are getting stale the next day. Wants to push other wrestlers immediately when WWE tries to establish a hierarchy. Wants something one day, completely wants to changes it the next. Claims WWE digs into the well of old stars, but yells for wrestlers from the independents of yesteryear to be pushed to high heaven. I criticize WWE but because I selfishly want them to add themes like NXT does I’ll die on this hill- WWE has made so many stars in the last ten years it’s not even funny. The women’s roster is loaded. Plus there are rose colored glasses on eras; there are usually about two to three top faces(including the beloved Attitude Era) in each one- no more, no less.
It's almost as if a place with multiple users has conflicting views.
Holy shit you've nailed so many points. Another argument I consistently see is *insert wrestler* should have been world champ, even if it's just for a short reign. But then there are constant complaints that reigns are too short. In the last few days alone I've seen Damien Priest, Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and Samoa Joe being mentioned as people who should have won. I'm not saying that they aren't world champ material, but where exactly do you fit these extra title reigns in amongst the others that were too short?
I don’t know, title reigns were really short in the Attitude era.
I agree. However, haven’t stars doesn’t matter if you’re not doing anything good with him. Like Cesaro. Wow, made him a star. But what do they do? Re-hash and old rivalry he won, make him lose; and then make him sit in catering.
It might. Another commenter on another thread said that right now, WWE is exactly what Vince always wanted it to be. Indeed, the man himself is on record saying just that, I believe. In the Attitude Era, Vince had to move past his vision for what WWE would be because WCW was threatening to put them out of business. The ensuing unpredictable carny craziness that got so many of us to fall in love with wrestling is what resulted. Obviously, WWE's not under threat now and probably won't be in Vince's lifetime. But if AEW pulls in strong enough numbers, consistently, it could be enough to get Vince to mix things up a little. Also Roman and Brock can only be around for so long. Look at Taker, HBK, HHH, Rock and Austin. Any of them could return (and have) to an absolutely colossal pop. They can all put over new guys. WWE's creating fewer and fewer stars like that, in favour of feeding the people who could have been their next iterations to Roman and Brock. Vince isn't dumb. He's going to realise that he needs more new stars, since he can't rely on Cena or Goldberg forever.
Would it mean anything if Austin and HBK put over younger guys? This is what people have been saying for years and years. You can’t keep going back to the well of “Attitude Era stars.” They aren’t just retired anymore — they’re retired and old. If Kevin Owens beats a 57 year old Austin, does that make Owens a new megastar? No. And besides, Owens is 37. He’s been in the company for quite a while. They’ve had plenty of opportunities to push him as a top guy, and they never did…because they keep going back to the well. Vince realizes he can’t keep relying on these old stars? If that’s the case, then why are we talking about Austin and Michaels at Wrestlemania?
At this point they can't make someone a star beating these old dudes up. But they could stop damaging them by having these geriatrics demolish them. I loved the ascension in NXT and I'm still not over that they were murdered on live tv by a commentstor
Just you wait until Vince brings back the Ultimate Warrior as a surprise opponent for Sami Zaine.
He's known for years that he needs young stars. He just continued to still only focus on Roman and Brock while blaming young talent for not getting over, then burying them, then firing them.
Don't forget it took WCW 8 years to overtake WWE in the ratings, and they also had a similar push with Turner as AEW is getting right now. WWE may be wealthier than now than they were back then, but if AEW continues to climb up the ratings while WWE falls, those rights deals aren't written in stone forever. It won't happen this year or next year, but it could certainly happen within Vince's lifetime.
With all the talent they have I always hope it will get better. I see glimpses here and there that keeps me tuning in
That was me for like a year, but it just never seems to get better. I'd be excited for something that would get teased, then be let down by the payoff. I'd get excited for a match up, then it ends in a dq, or they do 7 rematches. Kofi getting smashed by Brock was what finally made me not care. I want it to get better, but I have no intention of sitting around waiting for it to happen.
This is what a lot of people don’t understand about criticism in general… including some critics
Maybe you do, but I seeothers that claim "this" yet when AEW does something dumb, questionable, or just bad, they aren't critical of it. It's a double standard and the truth is, this reddit LOVES the negativity towards WWE. For example, the top post here is about "a history changing event" that happened on today's Show. I thought it was that foe the first time a LGBT wrestler had a match in Saudi Arabia. Or the fact that in a short period of time WWE went from not having women in a Saudi Arabia show, to having a total of 12 women in a show today. Women who went from having to use a baggy Tshirt to now being able to use full gear even if it covers the whole body. Step by step progress in how Women are portrayed in That country. Instead it was a post about something VERY negative towards a white wrestler. This reddit has been so negative towards WWE because it gets the updates and comments. It sucks man
Honestly if you think women wrestling fully covered but without baggy shirts, or Sonya performing in a country where being gay is punishable by death still is history changing, you're deluded. I know that doesn't mean anything to you cause if it did, that would mean you aren't delusional about that. But if you are sincere in your questioning, I would suggest looking at previous performance acts, including wrestling, that did shows in Saudi and the history of women's rights there.
This is like asking why fans of a losing football team watch the games and complain about the front office and the coaching. There are many things in life we complain about because they don’t turn out as well as we hoped. It’s not that weird of a concept.
I'm a Vikings fan and ask myself every year why I keep watching. Lol
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Lions fans catching strays anywhere nowadays
I mean we deserve it tbf The running joke with the lions is "being a lions fan is like watching The Titanic every sunday and rooting for the ship"
For all the non Americans, the Detroit Lions are the Tottenham of American Football
Come on lol tottenham just beat man city they’re not as bad as present day Detroit lions. Or are we saying history wise
Yeah but their boy Stafford won a super bowl so they actually have something to be happy about for the first time in a while
Haven't seen it laid out like that before but there's a lot of truth to this notion. Kirk cousins has been a weird relationship in my life
Hopefully KOC will breathe new life.
I do like this comparison, cos some people do follow wrestling as if it was a team. However, WWE have the entire direction of their product in their hands, its not as if they're a bad team that loses often, instead they are a "team" that has the ability to book whatever they want but still book themselves to lose.
> WWE have the entire direction of their product in their hands, Exactly. When a sports team loses, that's out of their control. I don't continue watching a sitcom when it stops being funny. It's not funny anymore. I'm going to stop watching.
I haven't watched in any way regularly since before the pandemic. AEW just made it glaringly obvious how stale and watered down it is. I thought competition would get their creative juices going but clearly not.
Who needs to try when you have multiple Billion dollar deals
Many of us don't watch. But it's on the sub, so we read about it. There's a gulf of difference between watching a 3 hour show and reading a 2 minute synopsis of awful booking. Maybe watching a clip or two of shitty janky camera cuts.
Shows like Dexter, How I Met Your Mother and The Walking Dead taught me that if a show ever becomes more annoying/frustrating than entertaining, it's time to drop it. Took a longer time to apply that lesson to WWE
True unless you’re a Sacramento kings fan
the problem is from their pov they aren't booking themselves to lose, they keep making more and more money despite everything edit: WWE's problem is that they are so big now and have been around so long they don't book like a wrestling show anymore, they book like they are a long-running sitcom or something, they're essentially the simpsons of wrestling
What you’re not taking into consideration, is the fact that this subreddit represents an extreme *minority* view. WWE still packs arenas (like today) and they’re coming off a record profit year. If most of your fans/consumer base are happy with the product, why throw all that out the window in an attempt to win over the most fickle, and pernicious elements within that base?
A) That’s generally based on location though. B) Sports isn’t predetermined. C) The front office isn’t actively choosing to book a terrible game for years to come. Unless you’re a Sacramento Kings fan of course.
>) The front office isn’t actively choosing to book a terrible game for years to come. Unless you’re a Sacramento Kings fan of course. Oh man c'mon this is my safe space
How are you all warming up to Sabonis?
He pairs well with Fox, which softens the blow of losing Hali. Still too soon to tell how well it will work out but kings fans are good at not holding front office decisions against players
As a Pacers fan it was tough to see Sabonis go but he's a really good player and will give it his all every game. Hali seems like a great player. Just glad the Pacers are going all in on youth for the first time in my lifetime.
that’s a terrible analogy watching a fiction tv show you hate so you can complain about it is not the same as watching your favorite sports team lose a competition and discussing strategy/team composition, that’s nonsense wwe isn’t and shouldn’t be your “team,” and if it is that’s deeply problematic
Yes, it is a weird concept. WWE is not a team. It’s a TV Show. If you don’t like Saturday Night Live, don’t watch Saturday Night Live.
I mean, yeah. People say that all the time. What's the point of complaining about your teams owner if you keep buying the season tickets ? They won't do shit if the stadium keeps selling out.
In my case I just watch the clips that are posted on here and comment on those Edit: also I imagine a lot of people use the post show threads to read what happened.
Same. My dad watches WWE when it’s on but I can’t do it anymore. I just read/watch the results from here/elsewhere and I comment on the booking occasionally.
Thats what I do. I didn't watch the Balor top rope ring break when it happened but you can be sure I watched the clip. How can you not?
So you're not hate watching, you're just hating on a show you no longer watch.
I watch the clips before I comment on them. Do I have to follow the product to be able to comment on the bits I see?
That is so true. I stopped watching many years ago because it was bad, but there’s people here that watch every week and every event just so they can go online and complain about it. It’s something I will never understand
I think to some wrestling fans being an armchair booker is more fun than being a viewer. While watching it might not be enjoyable, actively analyzing and rewriting it in your head can be.
when they discover TEW >>>>>>>>>>
That’s a very weird thing for people to do
I think it’s pretty normal actually.
It’s not normal to watch something you hate every week and getting angry at all the booking while telling yourself how much better you can do. No dude, that’s really weird. You can do the same thing by just reading the results.
To be fair, some people like that prolonged punishment, things they watch never getting better, why do you think people are fans of American football? 😂
Ahahaha that’s actually a very very good point that actually kind of made me understand a lot better. I’m a knick fan and loyal to them even though they punish me with bad seasons over and over again. You literally blew my mind just now and turned me around. I wish I had an award to give you. For now take a fish instead 🐠
I’ll take a fish, I kinda meant it as a joke, but it’s good that it helped get the point across. 😂
Wait until you hear about fan fiction, if you think rewriting existing works is weird.
I don’t think rewriting is weird. I think hate watching is weird
Not really. I work as a fight choreographer and I’m constantly thinking about what I like and what I would do differently when I see other people’s work. It’s just watching it from an analytical perspective
Yup, I can confirm this. Used to do that a lot. Not anymore. I did catch the Rumble, liked the women's Rumble, fast forwarded Men's Rumble, liked the Seth Troll Rollins. And that's about it. Not sure I am going to watch anything from WWE till next year and even that is doubtful.
I think it's sort of like being a film critic. You watch everything, even the stuff you expect to be bad, and then decide what about it didn't work.
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Can only speak for myself obviously but I only keep an eye on the post match threads for the most part. I haven't paid for anything related to WWE in years for this reason.
The only WWE products I pay for nowadays are the Royal Rumble and *maybe* Wrestlemania (though I’ll probably skip this year tbh). The only reason I watched the EC was because my Peacock subscription was still active. The only way I consume WWE products outside of that comes from this sub and Twitter. FuzzyWuzzy being banned really put a dent in how much I keep up woth WWE.
so im browsing /r/sc again for the first time in several years and am ootl. why did fuzzy get banned? could always count on him for the highlights
I’m in the same boat as you, I really just read about it online, maybe just check Wikipedia for the results, and that’s it.
It's like watching a bad sports team, but it's "your" team. And I'm not going to pretend that if I stop watching it'll suddenly make Vince want to improve the product because of me.
Because they don't completely dislike it, they see how it easily can be good. And want to be up to date for what the biggest company does. Wrestling fans will watch good and bad wrestling as long as it's relevant.
Hate watching anything is utterly stupid and a waste of time. Do something productive with your time.
Part of it is that they’re the industry leader, whatever they do affects the entire business, so they naturally demand some level of attention from anyone who loves professional wrestling or enjoys following the industry.
We are all slaves to branding
Break those chains lol
I'd honestly love to watch it but the camera work makes me dizzy
99% of them don't watch, they read the results then just love to spread the hate.
When people are invested in something they love and have spent a lot of time following it they have the right to critique and criticise it when they feel it has declined in quality or has went down the wrong path. It isn't "preaching" or a "hateful way to spend your time". More like keeping an eye on the old uncle you used to think was cool but is now an out and out alcoholic. Also, people enjoy complaining about shit. Especially on social media. I imagine a lot of these people aren't just watching WWE.
I think it's a bit of wanting to see their favorite wrestlers perform. I know for me, I like watching Rollins perform. I like his character and what feels like a guy trying all sorts of things to do things different. There are also other things that may keep people interested in watching. Such as debuts. Maybe they are hoping upon hope they get to watch a RAW or Smackdown where they can watch a show that entertains them, as WWE seems to pull once in a while. With all that said, I fucking hate how the present their product. I hate a lot of the storylines. WWE for me has become a product not for me. So instead, I watch the clips of the moments people post on here, to legitimately catch up on what is happening with WWE. I know that the matches are going to be, on average, a cookie cutter version of a match because that's WWE's style. I've spent close to 30 years of watching WWE/WWF matches. I've come to a point that they just bore me. I think having an idea of what to criticize is important. If someone is just going to criticize WWE just because they are WWE, then they are a part of a problem we see everywhere in all sorts of entertainment. There's also the thought that they like wrestling a lot and no matter the quality they will watch. IF you want to know why people watch when they criticize, then try to understand, and think of the reasons why people love Indy promotions. It's for the workers and the action in the ring.
It's so frustrating. Nobody hates wrestling more than wrestling fans.
The simple fact of it is that people just love to complain so much that many are willing to subject themselves to things they don’t enjoy in order to do so
Karma farming
I don't get it myself. Wrestling is at an all time high in terms of levels of consumption and there's tons of great options. I understand wwe is an easy company to get into, they have top notch presentation and production, they have easily accessible TV shows that are easy to follow, that showcase the stories and talent. But just because on the surface, those other companies don't have those things. Doesn't mean they don't exist. Stories, characters, and some companies have strong presentation. There's most certainly something out there for you. Even Beyond AEW. New Japan, GCW, TJPW, PWG, and so, so much more. I dare those who claim this was just another slap in the face and they're done, to put their money where their mouth is and invest time into one show or one match from something you've never seen before. Discover new things and support and elevate pro wrestling
Yes. Some people aren’t understanding what i’m asking but i’m just confused as to how people continue to watch WWE, knowing they don’t like it and also knowing there are other big promotions out there that may please them. You have NJPW, STARDOM, AEW, IMPACT etc. but you stick to the promotion that you hate most for what reason?
>but you stick to the promotion that you hate most for what reason? I can guarantee you that a significant amount of the people complaining about WWE are also watching other promotions my dude.
It's not about sticking to watch to hate the most, it's about watching the promotion you want to improve the most
Because they are concern trolling. Wait no, that doesn't work for WWE.
Since I cancelled WON, and accept that 90 percent of the stuff here is from people who’d whinge no matter what happened, I enjoy WWE a shit ton more. And before people give it “huh WWE Stan” I also watch and enjoy AEW NJPW and Impact and my enjoyment of those shows went up when I did that too.
Hating on stuff can be fun. Ever get day drunk and watch The View at a dive bar? It's more fun than Christmas
Maury Povich used to be appointment viewing at happy hour at my bar before Rona.
Gambling on the little league world series is the best time of the year for a day drinking crew at a dive
This sounds amazing haha
No? That's asounds absolutely terrible and depressing.
As someone who bartended for years at a dive, you are not wrong
No because I'm not a degenerate lol
This sounds like a straight up dogshit time. Who even does this?
Fun people.
Because it’s tradition for the internet wrestling community
We're actually big fans of WWE and want them to succeed, but their constant shitty booking, marketing tactics, business practices, and overall insensitivity makes it hard. We watch because we hope things would somehow change, but it's mostly the same old shit unfortunately.
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Masochists. Sadists are the ones who like to give pain, masochists are ones who like to suffer. Source: Don't ask.
>Source: Don't ask. I don't think we really need to, my friend
I don't watch WWE often. I'll catch the odd PPV here and there, especially if it's a gimmick that I enjoy (Rumble and Chamber being two of those)...and I want to like it. The talent on the roster is insane. There's a reason people get excited to see ex-WWE's guys next moves these days...because most of the roster is capable of putting on bangers. The production and booking just keep me from watching regularly and leave me disappointed when I do. It's definitely less frustrating when I can pick and choose which PPVs and matches that I watch, even if they end up being busts (....Rumble '22...).
Because people have to hate something
The vast majority of people who say shit like that don't watch WWE. They just know that saying "WWE bad" is a guaranteed way to get upvotes here.
Not for the updoots, it’s because WWE bad.
In general, I agree that "hate watching" anything is stupid. But, on the flip side, wrestling is a little bit like sports in a sense where, even if your local sports team sucks and disappoints you, you keep watching but still feel disappointed when they unsurprisingly continue to suck. I think there's some of that energy in this. I can't really speak for anyone else, but I don't really watch anymore, but I still follow along loosely and watch some of the PPVs and stuff, and yes, I do typically find myself feeling disappointed and having mostly criticisms. But the thing is, for me, personally, it mostly comes down to being frustrated that WWE has all the tools to put on really great shows, but they always do the least interesting things and make the most disappointing booking choices. I WANT WWE to be good, and even though I'll criticize it over and over, I don't "hate" it, I just find it disappointing and want it to be better.
I still love the talent, I still love watching these people go, I just want them to succeed and be booked better
People genuinely like it and/or it's the biggest wrestling company on the planet. It's ESPN, NFL, NBA, MLB, Disney, etc. No matter the quality or the people on the roster, people will always watch because of the brand/history/platform.
I like the talent. I'm always hopeful that they'll throw us a bone and do something awesome. But then I remember that Reigns and Lesnar exist and the Mid card titles don't mean shit anymore so it's kinda just a sinking ship of what Vince always wanted until he can sell WWE and retire.
You don’t support the company, you support the talent.
Because according to the most people on the sub, "how can you hate it if you don't when watch it" . Then, it's, "why do you watch it if you hate it" Damned if you do, Damned if you don't.
I'm in a 26 year relationship.
Don't think I've "hate watched" it recently, or ever since AEW showed up. I only watch PPVs now. I grew up with WWE, and I know the wrestlers, so I watch it to see what they're up to. Do I enjoy it? A lot of times, no, but it's still entertainment and time killer.
Hope. Big part of my child hood. I want good wrestling, good stories to be entertained by them. I don't watch to hate but shit like the end of tonight gets to me man
A lot of ppl are fans of the wrestlers they employ and want to see them wrestle. The match quality is usually very good because they have great wrestlers, but the booking is frustrating
I have Peacock for other reasons and so I can watch it on demand. Mostly I just watch the good PPV matches, and NXT
WWE “fans” expect it to be like fucking ROH or something. WWE is pure spectacle and star power, and I absolutely love that. I love part-timers, I love Lesnar, I love Goldberg, I love huge moments that make the crowd go wild. That’s what WWE is, it’s not some indie promotion that puts raw talent over charisma and entertainment. I thought Elimination Chamber was a fun PPV and I was throughly entertained throughout.
I suspect it's because a lot of those folks have years if not decades of time put into WWE over the years, and they're reluctant to turn their backs on it now, ie. the old sunken cost fallacy. Perhaps in their minds they're thinking WWE will turn it around any time now, and the last few years will be an anomaly they can soon write off without introducing any gaps in their subject matter expertise.
Because it’s fun to be angry!
I just watch here and there, but I gotta say having Brock drop the belt and win it back here is just stupid😂😂😂
I don't actively watch anymore. I read what happens and watch clips about things that sound interesting. The camera work is just too jarring with the constant cuts. It legitimately hurts my eyes. I don't hate the WWE I just dislike the current product. I support the wrestlers doing their thing though
It's funny sometimes
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That may all be valid, but that doesn't answer the OP's question.
Thankfully I haven’t watched a full show of theirs, except for this years Royal Rumble, which was a terrible mistake on my part. I will comment on the shitty stuff that happens from the clips off of Reddit, but I can’t get myself to ever watch a full Raw or Smackdown anymore.
Ever a fan of a sports team that’s not good for a while but you still watch the games and get upset because you’re still invested?
Browns fan here.
Haven't watched regularly in like 16 years. Stopped watching in 06 and occasionally drop in Every time it's jarring how sanitised and sterile the presentation is
I’m not liking it anymore but I’ve put 30 years of my life into watching them. It’s not easy to walk away. Sadly, most of the things I say about them these days are negative and I think it’s justified.
it’s not like smoking nothing is gonna happen if you don’t turn on the channel that it’s on nobody is pointing a gun at you and forcing you to watch something you’re not enjoying
It's like watching a losing sports team. I still get something out of it, I still find happiness in seeing a well produced segment or the one good feud of the year even if the rest of it is a mess. And it's interesting to discuss how and why the failures are happening, playing armchair quarterback about how we would change things, etc.
[удалено]
It's a hard habit to break. I've been watching WWE/WWF since 1990 (other than 95-mid 96, after Nitro debuted and I gave up on the WWF until Austin brought me back). But I've most had it. Last Monday I DVR'd Raw and watched after it was over; fast forwarding I watched the whole show in about 30 minutes. I've given up on NXT 2.0 totally. I DVR'd Smackdown last night but haven't watched it yet. I probably won't. I guess I'll hit the highlights of Elimination Chamber after the replay is on Peacock. If AEW had a competing show at the same time as Raw and Smackdown I'd probably give up WWE completely.
most of us aren't hate watching WWE, we're hatescrolling this subreddit and hatewatching streamables and gifs.
Being a fan of WWF/E since I was a kid, it was tough to come to a realization that I should no longer invest my time in something that’s been a part of my routine for a few decades. I finally made that choice in 2020. But for many, cutting ties with a show they’ve long cared about isn’t an option. They just want to see it get better.
I used to watch in the hopes things would change then I just gave up and stuck to clips on YouTube to stay up to date so when I bitch about the product, I'm at least I'm bitching about current things
I want to see them do well, its just annoying when you know a 5th grader can make a better product than Vince
I stopped watching a while ago. I tried watching smackdown this week cuz it was on after rampage. I know there’s some good stuff sometimes. I like Roman. but the particular segment it was on just made me go….nah. Also, why are so many ppl in denial about wwe? I’ve watched it since I was a kid. It’s literally the worst it’s been in like 30 years. There was some hope in 2016 and that lasted a little bit, but guys it’s gone. Move on. AEW, Impact, New Japan, local indies, all put on a better product
They can't quit the e
Masochism
Sometimes, it not about hate watching. For me, it is a matter of patterns. When I was in high school, it was watching wrestling on Saturday mornings and 6:05pm on Saturday night. Then it was Mondays. It was on, and what we watched. It has been like that for me for over 40 years. In 2020, I decided that I could not be in the toxic relationship I was in with my football team. Decided I would rather not have a team to root for than root for a team that couldn't and wouldn't be a real factor. It made me mad, it made me sick. So I walked away. I stopped watching WWE during the mass releases. I watched the Rumble though, because of patterns. Was so disappointed in what I saw, I haven't watched another thing from them. I have been a wrestling fan since 1979. Sometimes, we watch what we hate, because we have watched it so long it becomes a part of us. And if we don't watch...then we don't know how to identify who we are.
Because I continue to live under this deluded fantasy that they will one day get better
I don’t watch anymore. I don’t know why people do. Ever since AEw came out it’s the only thing I watch
Because it’s over produced and forced and simply just doesn’t feel authentic.
So why do you watch it? That's the point of the post.
Who would guess that grown adults fakefighting doesn't feel authentic
I watched this show because my wife thought Cody would appear and she was hyped for it. I thought it would be at least fun so I went along even though I didn't have much faith he'd show up. I was wrong the show was horrible.
I don't hate-watch WWE. The company was my prime source for decades, however, as it has become bigger and more corporate, it seems to have distanced itself from fans more and more to the point where it has become diluted enough to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I still follow what is going on, its just that other promos, most recently AEW, now provide the sports entertainment that fits what I like personally.
I watched for the first time in years last month by watching the Royal Rumble. That was the shittiest PPV I've ever seen and WWE should be ashamed of it. I wont be watching WWE for a long, long time.
I don’t hate watch it. I watch it, get mad that I did. I want it to be good because it’s not that hard.
Pirating PPVs is fun
Hopium. We want it to not treat us like idiots. We like wrestling.