On Pay-per-view and focus

When I was a much younger lad, back in the early 1990s, a wrestling Pay-per-view event was a big deal.  Neither major company produced more than one PPV every few months.  In 1993, WWF produced five, the same number they produced in 1991.  At the time, five events was astonishing.  A mere six years prior, they fact that they got people to buy WrestleMania III was an accomplishment.

Shortly after Eric Bischoff took over the reigns at WCW,  he began adding PPV events to the schedule.  WWF followed up by selling two hours of a house show for less money than the big five shows.  By the time my first hiatus from wrestling ended, both companies were running one PPV per month.

This was 1998.  ECW was doing PPV as well.  Some months, there were three PPV events.  By 2000, ECW had a cable show and a syndicated show, WWF had a cable show and a network show and WCW had three cable shows.

With all that wrestling, how do fans decide what to watch? How do you drive them to give you big ratings and PPV buys? While trying to keep your house show business buoyed?

Only one company survived the boom.  In 2001, they absorbed both competitors and became the only national wrestling product.

I'm referring to WWF, of course.  Throughout the period, they maintained good storytelling, engaging characters and, to a lesser extent, a quality in-ring product.  They borrowed concepts perfected by both WCW and ECW and added the same flair they used in the Hulkamania era to keep fans watching.  One show built to the next.  By the time the PPV rolled around, you know everything that was going to be on it, and most of it had a reason.

I can't really explain how it works, as I've never had the responsibility of actually booking wrestling.  But if you have the opportunity, 1998-2001 WWF is the product to watch to see how to draw ratings, make money and please fans.

Thus I have this sticking point: if you're doing something that doesn't get you ratings or PPV buys, you've wasted your time.  If it does't maintain the status quo, you've not only wasted your time, but you've failed.

Something as simple as having good wrestling can draw viewers, but you'll need a hook to get people to buy the PPV.  This is where strong, logical storytelling comes in, but you can tell a great story that starts to go nowhere.

That's why focus is so important.

When you know where you're going, you have something to aim for.  You have a target, a terminus.

You have an ending to your great story.

I don't have a really great ending to this post.  This all came about as I needed to explain what's rubbed me the wrong way about TNA's latest PPV.  With this background, you can now enjoy my next post.