Pay-per-view buys in WWE have always been a reflection of what does and doesn't work in pro wrestling. The numbers show what wrestlers matter, and what concepts will draw. It is the measuring stick, proving to Vince McMahon what to run with and what to jettison. Even with the advent of the WWE Network, PPV buys are still teaching WWE lessons. Surprisingly, the traditional buyrates are much higher than WWE originally anticipated, with many fans still choosing to watch via their provider rather than the digital platform. What's helpful about the buys is that they give the most accurate numbers available to show what fans did and didn't buy into. In contrast, the Network number is a subscriber number, not an actual number of viewers for the specials. With that in mind, here's a ranking of the PPV buys from the last year, with analysis on what the numbers show about wrestler popularity and booking strategy. These are the worldwide buys, inclusive of North America.
12. TLC - Buys Unavailable
Unfortunately, there won't be buyrate information for TLC 2015 until February. However, traditionally, it doesn't fare well. That could be down to the December placement and the fact that WWE are usually on autopilot during that period. You'd think the gimmick would help draw, but no - last year's event only did 21,000 buys in the US. That's the second bottom US only number from the past twelve months. Presumably, this year's event will follow that pattern, as it isn't as if there was a really attractive match or megastar on the card.
