Does anybody watch Raw or Smackdown just on YouTube?

[SirLucas]

Nowdays, anything of significance that happens on either show is posted to YouTube before the end of the night. I can't name the last time I watched a show in full, yet I am able to keep up with all the storylines via YouTube.  

It's amazing how far we have come, where back during the Monday Night Wars, you had to watch one live and tape the other to keep up with everything.  

[Martin: #TeamBella Treasurer]

I just watch the highlights of both on the WWE YouTube page. Feel like that is enough to keep me caught up for watching PPVs.

[King Devitt]

I started doing this since around January, and only watch the full show if it's something special (post WM / Superstar Shakeup).

Generally I just hop on here after the shows are over, see if anything cool happened and if so, search that part out.

Like the Fashion Police stuff with Breezango. Didn't watch SDL, but that sounded awesome so I just watched that.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

No but it's been smart of them to upload exclusive interviews and such so people go to the Youtube anyway. Including Talking Smack snippets and such.

[Deleted]

Me. I watch the clips on the channel and read a report of the show on 411mania, then watch the pay per views.

[mrtuesday]

I've been doing it for years. I've discovered much better shows to watch on Monday and Tuesday nights. Plus, it takes less than half of the time to get through Raw. About 45 minutes. Much easier to deal with.

[Fade is a CodyCryBaby]

Especially since the "shake-up"? Yeah. Never could get through RAW, but even SD is tough these days. But hey..ratings don't matter right?

[KevFalcön07]

I probably haven't seen a full episode of Raw or Smackdown since 2012, and for the last 2 or 3 years, I've only watched the highlights of either show on WWE.com or YouTube. Everything you need to see is condensed in to those 4 minute videos. I never feel like I've missed anything heading in to PPVs.

[Potayto Potato]

It's certainly more enjoyable...and you got more time for the really good shows to binge

[chronocross]

It's much easier to watch the important highlights of Raw these days on YouTube then to sit through a 3 hour show each week, plus the PPV preshows set the matches up nicely with the backstory for each match.

[aka Cthulhu]

Been doing this for two years or so, I think.

If there's anything interesting about the show, I'll check out longer bits of it when it airs on TV at a later time. Aside from that, I rarely every watch full shows these days. PPVs I'll watch when it airs on TV, if I feel like it.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

They've been doing this for many years now, right? Is it possible that enough people have become wise enough to the process that this may contribute a small part to the TV ratings decline? Nowhere near as much as general show quality and cable-cutting, sure, but this is basically picking, choosing and watching all the important parts of the show in a much quicker time than watching it live. It seems appealing for fans on the fence.

["American Cream" Dusty Loads]

Yeah, I don't have cable anymore but even when I did, I would just watch the clips on YouTube.

[Martin: #TeamBella Treasurer]

May 11, 2017 3:40:57 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

They've been doing this for many years now, right? Is it possible that enough people have become wise enough to the process that this may contribute a small part to the TV ratings decline? Nowhere near as much as general show quality and cable-cutting, sure, but this is basically picking, choosing and watching all the important parts of the show in a much quicker time than watching it live. It seems appealing for fans on the fence.

2009 I think is when they started uploading weekly highlights (and some full episodes of ECW and Superstars) on YouTube.

[eJm]

May 11, 2017 7:32:35 GMT -5 Martin: #TeamBella Treasurer said:

May 11, 2017 3:40:57 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

They've been doing this for many years now, right? Is it possible that enough people have become wise enough to the process that this may contribute a small part to the TV ratings decline? Nowhere near as much as general show quality and cable-cutting, sure, but this is basically picking, choosing and watching all the important parts of the show in a much quicker time than watching it live. It seems appealing for fans on the fence.

2009 I think is when they started uploading weekly highlights (and some full episodes of ECW and Superstars) on YouTube.

Yeah, it was well before any real concerns about ratings came about.

[Ricky Nightshade]

I watch on Youtube, listen to podcast reviews and check out cool spots that are gifs on Twitter.

[Rave]

When I wasn't watching, I'd grab show reports and check out interesting segments on Youtube. I like to rewatch stuff I liked, too.

There's one problem with WWE putting stuff up, though: they typically do not post it in full. Some stuff gets away with slight edits (Nakamura's Smackdown debut is an example), others are missing a large chunk of footage, up to a good half of it. It's annoying to have to look for a full clip.

[Lt. Palumbo]

Trying to watch the actual show just stresses me out. Raw is a three hour waste of my time. Even if I put it on it the background while I'm working or whatever, I'll notice myself getting more and more agitated, like "get to the f***ing point!"

Do highlight shows still exist? Like Superstars? Of course what WWE consider highlights these days might not match what I'm looking for

[ISO Mid Thigh Pull]

I get all my wrestling info from shy dudes talking over 2k17 footage.

[Martin: #TeamBella Treasurer]

May 11, 2017 9:35:46 GMT -5 Lt. Palumbo said:

Trying to watch the actual show just stresses me out. Raw is a three hour waste of my time. Even if I put it on it the background while I'm working or whatever, I'll notice myself getting more and more agitated, like "get to the f***ing point!"

Do highlight shows still exist? Like Superstars? Of course what WWE consider highlights these days might not match what I'm looking for

Main Event gives Raw and (sometimes) SmackDown highlights inbetween its exclusive Raw brand/cruiserweight matches, but availability of the show depends on where you live. Episodes are uploaded onto WWE Network two weeks after air.

This Week in WWE is a Network show that is uploaded on Fridays or Saturdays. Half hour long, highlights of TV and short segments on wrestlers "outside the ring" and on social media.