What is AEW going to do for PPVs/Special Events?

[SirLucas]

So, there has been all this hype as of late surrounding AEW and how it will compete with WWE on the level that WCW did back in the 90s. The biggest challenge I see facing the company is with their pay per views. 

Back in the early to mid 90s, you had like 4 to 6 PPVs a year in each company, charging around the same price point and they would usually be on opposite months from each other. For example, Survivor Series would run November and then Starrcade would be next month in December. Then in the late 90s, also known as the Monday Night Wars period, both companies ran a PPV each month. This forced fans to choose which PPV they were going to buy, or if they had enough money, they would order both that month. And they were always the same price. 

Fast forward to 2019, and the way we pay for entertainment has changed drastically with the advent of subscription services like Netflix and Hulu. And with those changes, WWE has evolved in the way they market special events. The last I remember, WWE PPVS in the pre Network era were like $50 standard and $60 HD. It could have been a bit more with fees and such. But now, for a significantly reduced price point, fans get every monthly Main Roster PPV, NXT, NXT UK, originally programming, the classic footage and more. With the WWE offering SO MUCH for only $9.99, I don't see how the traditional PPV model will hold up for AEW if they want to go head to head on a mainstreem level with WWE. 

Sure, AEW will get buys from the hardcore fanbase like ROH or DragonGate. But if they want to be the next WCW, they need to appeal to what Al Snow calls "Mr. and Mrs. Walmart." Heck, I was in Walmart yesterday, and I saw plenty of Network subscription cards next to iTunes and Google Play and everything else.

AEW may have great quality wrestling with Omega and the Young Bucks and whoever else, but if WWE is offering so much good stuff that appeal to indy wrestling fans like NXT and NXT UK for only $9.99, even as a hardcore fan, I am not enticed enough to drop additional money on AEW shows every month. AEW is not just going head to head with WWE or Monday Night Raw, they will need to go head to head with the Network. At the moment, they don't have enough footage for an entire streaming services. What they should do is say partner with Amazon Prime, just like NFL Thursday Night Football does. So when someone subscribes to Prime, they get all the Amazon features plus live football on Thursday plus AEW PPVs once a month or whenever. 

Again, I don't see them reaching the heights of WCW if they tend to rely on an outdated business model of ala carte PPVs. 

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Probably make at least four big PPVs a year, depending on how they want to spread things out, and have them on their own Network based subscription like whatever they're doing with Double or Nothing?

I highly doubt they're gonna do old style PPV's

[SirLucas]

Paul Heyman said three things are essential for a wrestling company to survive: talent, finance and distribution.

Apparently, they have the financial backing and can potentially afford to sign any top talent not under contract with WWE.

But they need distribution. What is going to bring them to the heights of WWE? They can have all the great wrestling they want, but if they are only a company that the IWC knows about, they aren't going to making any footprints.

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

I think six supercards/PPVs a year on some kind of subscription network would be great. Who knows though, they might get the likes of amazon, Netflix or something similar to air all their shows.

[OVO 40 hunched over like he 80]

Feb 11, 2019 8:57:04 GMT -5 SirLucas said:

Paul Heyman said three things are essential for a wrestling company to survive: talent, finance and distribution.

Apparently, they have the financial backing and can potentially afford to sign any top talent not under contract with WWE.

But they need distribution. What is going to bring them to the heights of WWE? They can have all the great wrestling they want, but if they are only a company that the IWC knows about, they aren't going to making any footprints.

Daddy Khan is gonna need to go deep into his pockets and get them on a real network, because without real distribution they’re nothing.

[Deleted]

I think around eight PPVs a year is the perfect number. The five or so NXT does is too few, the like 14 main roster WWE does is too many.

[SirLucas]

If AEW does 5 to 8 PPVs a year, they will get some buys from the die hard fans. But will the average wrestling fan be buying those PPVs when WWE already provides SO MUCH content for only $9.99 a month?

If AEW is going to be considered serious competition to WWE, and a #2 North American promotion like WCW was, somehow they got to find a way to complete with the WWE Network, just like Hulu competes with Netflix.

Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Go all have their original programming for a monthly fee. But if a new entertainment company launched with original programming, but the catch was you had to pay per show, how likely are you to watch those tv shows in addition to what you are already watching on the services you already have?

The quality of wrestling that AEW produces is immaterial if they can't match WWE's price point for entertainment.  

[corndog]

Didn't they do PPV for All In? I imagine that is the route they go, at least for the first show. But you would think eventually they would move to a streaming service. Although, there is a while until Double or Nothing, so they could set that up in time.

[JIMBOB]

They might do what they did with All In. Air live on ROH HonorClub and FITE TV pay per view. As others have said though partnership with a more mainstream service would be better.

[SirLucas]

Have they even announced what the cost is for All or Nothing?

[Error]

As long as they focus on quality over quantity they'll be fine. The vast majority of WWE's special events are garbage but are given a pass because of the Network. Focus on 4 to 5 PPVs and a couple of TV specials. If the can make the major cards feel major people won't have much of an issue ordering them, IMO.

Feb 11, 2019 13:33:36 GMT -5 corndog said:

Didn't they do PPV for All In? I imagine that is the route they go, at least for the first show. But you would think eventually they would move to a streaming service. Although, there is a while until Double or Nothing, so they could set that up in time.

Yeah, I think All In was in the $40 to 60 range, can't remember for sure though. With this becoming a regular occurrence with AEW now in existence and not out the wallets of Cody and YBs,I can see the price dropping.

I can't see them creating a streaming service now simple because they have nothing to show. More likey they'd jump on the FiteTV service.

Feb 11, 2019 14:52:30 GMT -5 JIMBOB said:

They might do what they did with All In. Air live on ROH HonorClub and FITE TV pay per view. As others have said though partnership with a more mainstream service would be better.

ROH HonorClub is out with them being competitors I'd think. ROH does own All In though so maybe they work something out.

Hulu and Netflix would be interesting but I think they'd still need a traditional TV home as well.

[Can you afford to pay me, Gah]

They likely be on FiteTV for Double or Nothing, the price depends on what kind of TV deal they get and if they have one locked up between now at the day of the event. If they do PPV on a traditional standpoint will be tough to sell enough to cover cost of fees, running the event, if they had to charge the 50 to 60 price tag.

The Network idea can work but they don't have content to do that. They would need at less a years worth of content to start it and fill it with stuff from there partners to get people to pay for that.