Reasoning Behind "Entrance Then Another Thing"

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

So Meltzer was asked about the whole "do an entrance and then there's an interview and then a commercial and then a recap video and then a segment and finally the match starts" trend that we've all noticed. He said that he's talked to people there and the reason is that they think if they have a star like Riddle or Bianca come out for a match that you'll be so excited to see them wrestle that you'll be willing to sit through all the commercials and segments for that match. And if they just did that stuff before or after the match, you'll just tune away so they need that hook to keep viewers. He noted he doesn't personally believe it works but this is their mindset.

[Chiral]

I figured it was something boneheaded like that. It's still simultaneously baffling and boring to watch.

[06vwgti]

Their mindset continues to baffle me

[This Player Hating Mothman]

Nobody who makes decisions in WWE actually watches WWE as a viewer. It's a big problem that persists through their decisions and hurts them greatly.

[Dub H]

I feel like the obvious is always jsut have a segment end and have a "UP NEXT RIDDLE VS WHOEVER" and then ahve you know, have it all after returning from commercial

if you are afraid people might skip something, it is more a sign that something sucks.

[sarkerpolseng]

It really sucks going to a TV/taping. Wrestler makes an entrance, and then proceeds to stand in a dark ring while 5-8 minutes of video play on the screen.

[Lizuka #BLM]

I get the sense no one making decisions on how WWE structures their TV shows has ever watched a TV show in their life.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

Dec 29, 2021 1:54:50 GMT -5 Lizuka #BLM said:

I get the sense no one making decisions on how WWE structures their TV shows has ever watched a TV show in their life.

Well, there's enough evidence that they don't watch wrestling, so why not?

[DSR]

I can't possibly speak for everyone, but for me, having an entrance and then another thing makes me feel like whatever that entrance was for is unimportant. Like, if I was supposed to care about a Dolph Ziggler match, they'd get right to the damn match. Showing me a bunch of other stuff makes me think you don't care about Dolph Ziggler standing out there, so why should I?

[Bo Rida]

Dec 29, 2021 1:45:08 GMT -5 sarkerpolseng said:

It really sucks going to a TV/taping. Wrestler makes an entrance, and then proceeds to stand in a dark ring while 5-8 minutes of video play on the screen.

Even worse, how do you time your piss breaks?

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

It's amazing the thing they're doing is actively encouraging people to turn the channel and keep the channel changed off for even longer. There's no excitement to be had, it's both tedious and makes the people waiting to have a match look outright boneheaded that they have to stand there and WAIT for someone to talk about shit that isn't even in relation to their current match or storyline!

Not really surprising it's ass backwards though, that's WWE in a nutshell these days, everything you think should be done or is normally done by human beings, they do the opposite and think they've figured out some galaxy brain metric to help the product, and they only actively take away from it.

[Oh Cry Me a Screwball]

Dec 29, 2021 1:13:55 GMT -5 This Player Hating Mothman said:

Nobody who makes decisions in WWE actually watches WWE as a viewer. It's a big problem that persists through their decisions and hurts them greatly.

Not only does no one making decisions in WWE actually puts on an episode of TV as a viewer when they are home, they don't even bother walking through the curtain when they are at the shows, or even asking the wrestlers what it is like to stand around while the lights are dimmed and commercials for WWE's action figures are playing on the 'tron.

[HMARK Center]

Dec 29, 2021 0:25:38 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

So Meltzer was asked about the whole "do an entrance and then there's an interview and then a commercial and then a recap video and then a segment and finally the match starts" trend that we've all noticed. He said that he's talked to people there and the reason is that they think if they have a star like Riddle or Bianca come out for a match that you'll be so excited to see them wrestle that you'll be willing to sit through all the commercials and segments for that match. And if they just did that stuff before or after the match, you'll just tune away so they need that hook to keep viewers. He noted he doesn't personally believe it works but this is their mindset.

[Bo Rida]

Remember the intensity when Stone Cold hit the ring? Like he could kick off at any moment?

Or maybe the aura of The Undertaker?

Would it be the same if they then just...stood there, doing nothing, for 10 minutes?
Of course not.

[asuka007]

That crap is annoying watching on TV. I can imagine how much worse it must be for people actually in the arena.

[xCompackx]

Says a lot when the mindset seems to be "Well we can't do this stuff after the match, people might leave". Like, that's not supposed to happen if your show is interesting, lol.

But I mean, reworking when commercials and boring promos happen is easier than being creative, so I get it.

[cosmo]

Dec 29, 2021 1:45:08 GMT -5 sarkerpolseng said:

It really sucks going to a TV/taping. Wrestler makes an entrance, and then proceeds to stand in a dark ring while 5-8 minutes of video play on the screen.

Or worse, sit around for half a f***ing hour like Sami Zayn did a few weeks ago.

[Deleted]

So let me see if I got this correct.

They do not want people tuning out so their solution to this problem is to trot out a star and then create 20hrs of padding with the hope they will stick around to see said star.

When they could idk...CREATE A COMPELLING SHOW! ensuring they stick around but I guess that is too easy.

The people that run this company are nothing short of quarter brained morons.

[Feyrhausen]

Dec 29, 2021 8:33:34 GMT -5 asuka007 said:

That crap is annoying watching on TV. I can imagine how much worse it must be for people actually in the arena.

The live audience is not a priority. It is there to provide a sports feel so they can justify their enormous tv rights fees.

As discussed in another thread awhile back the day may come where they provide a mostly if not all planted audience so they can completely control their reactions.

[Perd]

Oh Their logic is as torturous as their programming.