6 Reasons WWE Network Lost Record Subscribers This Summer

by Jamie Kennedy

1. Fans Are Drifting Towards Alternatives

Kenny Omega Okada
NJPW

WWE's product becomes more and more uniform the more it is analysed. Perhaps that's unfair; superhero movies, to use another pop culture example, also follow the same format, so it's tricky to blame WWE for sticking to what they know. That rigid template may have led to wrestling fans seeking something new though.

By running shows in North America and taking steps to make their own NJPW World on-demand service more accessible to English-speaking customers, New Japan Pro Wrestling are making strides in the Western world more than ever before. At last, wrestling fans who have grown bored of WWE's inflexible product have an alternative.

NJPW World's customer base has grown in 2017, so perhaps some of those cancelling the Network have defected from WWE. It's possible, because New Japan put on an exciting brand of in-ring focused wrestling and names like Kenny Omega have created significant online buzz.

WWE can't hide behind Vince McMahon's ancient claims that the company are 'Sports Entertainment, not pro wrestling' forever, especially not when their three-year old Network still hasn't hit the lofty 2 million subscriber mark and is in fact shedding customers.

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Why else do you think the WWE Network subscriber count has dropped off this Summer? Let us know down in the comments section below!

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.