41 Most Disgusting Promotional Tactics In Wrestling History RANKED

35. 2014 - WWE Insults The PPV-Buying Public

WWE Network Vince McMahon
WWE.com

Come on, this was nothing.

WWE finally launched the highly anticipated and long-delayed Network in 2014 for the low, low price of $9.99 in the United States. It was great. The cost of pay-per-view plummeted, and even if you were sick of WWE’s dismal, oppressive main roster output, NXT was on the rise. You were able to watch any historic WWE pay-per-view to relive better times. You also could relive the Monday Night Wars, by watching virtually every episode of Monday Night Raw and Nitro. If you were really inclined, you could explore, in not insignificant depth, the awesomeness of prime Mid-South Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions. In the end, the experiment was a noble failure. WWE ultimately generated more money for less interesting content by partnering with Peacock.

WWE sold the hell out of the Network on TV to an extent that, while understandable, was insufferable, and even went as far as to bury the geezers who weren’t tech savvy and chose to buy pay-per-view events the traditional way. This was a service WWE still offered.

Then again, perhaps the olds were right to order WrestleMania XXX and then think “I’m not committing to a full year of this, they’ve just put Kane against Bryan”.

WWE was actually doing its fanbase a favour for once, and they were insulting your intelligence constantly anyway. This wasn’t some appalling revelation.

In the runner-up spot, Dixie Carter tweeted “a storm is coming” during a typhoon that killed 11 people. Was this a more worthy winner? Or was it less a deliberate “tactic” and more “Dixie is too stupid to know what’s going on”?

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!