10 Huge Mistakes WWE Have Made With The WWE Network
3. The YouTube Dilemma
WWE's current relationship with YouTube has resulted in just about every segment from Raw, SmackDown Live! and NXT getting a near-full airing on the site the next day, allowing many fans to pick and choose the bits they're interested in rather than facing the daunting task of watching over five hours of original first-run content every week.
It's naturally become a matter of a concern in relation to declining ratings, but the problem also extends to how regular users engage with the WWE Network.
Though the company works tirelessly in removing archive footage and limiting the content available to view on the biggest video sharing site in the world, YouTube remains the first port of call for the type of quick searches and segment snapshots the Network simply cannot provide. Stone Cold Steve Austin (himself an occasional WWE 'podcast' host) even recommends watching classic matches through it rather than directing fans to go to the trouble of tracking down the show and the match buried deep in the Network's archives.
Unfortunately, the mutually beneficial relationship with YouTube looks here to stay, which will continually render the Network a lesser option if fans go hunting for a quick fix. Only an enormous overhaul of the Network's search system would bring the services remotely closer together.