10 Reasons Why WWE Live Event Attendances Are Shrinking

1. The "Super-Serving" Dilemma

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Wrestling has never been more accessible than it is today. The WWE Network means that fans are only ever a few seconds away from watching anything from classic territorial content to the latest WWE pay-per-view, all for the bargain price of $9.99 a month. This is brilliant from a fan's perspective, and wrestling's increased accessibility stretches beyond the streaming service, with WWE's comprehensive YouTube uploads often negating the need to watch Raw or SmackDown.

This creates its own set of problems, though. While watching WWE programming through a tiny smartphone screen can't compare to the live experience, this new technology means it has never been easier for fans to scratch their pro-wrestling itch. They don't need to attend live shows, because they have instant access to an immediate dopamine hit, so why bother?

Instant access can lead to overindulgence, which, in turn, leads to waning enthusiasm and falling levels of demand. As such, it's safe to assume that WWE's single-minded focus on "super-serving" their audience by flooding their streams with as much content as possible isn't just damaging their TV ratings, but hurting their live event business too.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.