This Is The Most Expensive Mistake WWE Ever Made
Pay-per-view wasn't dead as a model, either; WWE was simply fading as a pro wrestling promotion. There was a mentality that WWE had to do it. It was the direction everything was trending towards.
Since the advent of the Network, several events across boxing and mixed martial-arts have broken a million-plus buys. The record set in 2012 by Floyd Mayweather Vs. Miguel Cotto has been broken four times following the 2014 launch. The paradigm had shifted, yes, but even in the pro wrestling arena, AEW has proven, with a minimum of 100,000+ buys for every pay-per-view it has promoted thus far, that it remains a viable revenue stream. WWE thinks everything else is the problem, remember.
NXT just introduced the Capitol Wrestling Center because it was felt the absence of fans has helped AEW win a ratings war it was already winning handily pre-lockdown. Pressed by shareholders on the same topic, Vince McMahon shrugged and said "It's new" as an explanation that did not also explain the failure of NXT UK, incorporated in 2018. Ratings problems? We've had unfortunate luck with injuries plaguing our 200+ strong roster. We are reimagining our content with two new Executive Directors. We are now firing one of them because it was actually his fault. I can't be in the weeds any longer. Ah, sh*t, ratings are down again. Best get back in those weeds.
The same can arguably said of pay-per-view. Fans didn't want to pay all that money...was cited as the motivation behind the move.
...for WWE, was the detail WWE no-sold.
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