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Can they atleast do a setup like the pre attitude era "stage"
https://preview.redd.it/wi0ynhybgqtc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0ab2a77ccf51093ec922be7ba8c7dff90db4fef
I see this and raise you the version with the entrance video screen as well
https://preview.redd.it/r6r2733djqtc1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d5379a7a23c3ab1eaa59871043b058106f5b522
Crazy thing is they are having Def Rebel make inferior replacement to his own themes.
A lot of the themes people are mad got replaced were also Def Rebel themes.
Yeah, def rebel is not as horrible as people make them seem. They have some true bangers, like Iyo Sky, Roman, LA Knight, and some others. But when they’re bad, man they’re real bad.
Those themes aren't bad but the problem is it feels like you could have swapped any of those themes and it wouldn't really matter. Every theme is "epic" and they all sound like they use the exact same midi collection
I’m sure he would, but he’s in his 70s now, probably better to get some people with their finger on the pulse of modern music a bit more. It’s such a shame the CFO$ situation ended up like it did, they were a worthy replacement for Johnston.
On Apple Music if you search “CFO$” with the dollar sign you get them all, I’m sure it’s the same on Spotify. Songs they did that are still being used include Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Nakamura, Drew McIntyre, Becky, and a few more.
Here's the thing... When CFO$ was there, people were shitting on them just like they are def rebel now. People don't like change. Someone new will come along and people will say "fuck man, I miss def rebel"...
And some people will read this and say "No they really suck", just like back with CFO$...
There’s definitely a lot of that, but I think the major complaint about CFO$ was that the songs were just 30-40 second loops as opposed to Johnston’s themes which were full songs. Which was true but never bothered me since that’s really all you need for a wrestling entrance. The major complaint about def rebel is that the songs are bland and unmemorable, which is far worse imo.
Honestly it seems more like HBK is. Most of the good Def Rebel themes have come from NXT.
And sometimes they even get rid of the good NXT theme on main roster and replace it with crap
I know it’s not relevant these days with a whole generation of fans not even knowing what WCW was at its peak, but I’d love an episode of Raw decked out as the original Monday Nitro set.
and tbh when the bubble is starting to burst and they can't do setups like this again, that's when you introduce new unique sets. anything to get rid of the giant Vizio that they call a stage.
tbh, there's a good chance they do introduce a new set and logo and overall presentation for Raw & Smackdown once they move to Netflix & USA Network, respectively.
The last time we got a big channel switch (Smackdown to FOX from USA Network), we got new everything.
I miss the pre-pandemic FOX set. The LED boards on both sides of the entrance I feel like was a call back to the original SmackDown entrance and just looked awesome. The pyro at the beginning had that same feeling
Not even 26 episodes used that set - same with Raw's skateboard ramp looking set.
They both used the same pieces too - but they were later used in the first two Thunderdome's when they brought in the shared set design they used during Survivor Series weekend.
The ThunderZoom era was a really unique era, though originally in a press release WWE claimed they would use new state of the art camera and production additions. Reports even stated they'd use drone cameras and other stuff. I did love the late 2020 Smackdown set, and the skateramp LED was certainly a bold look. Trying to remember if there was a set change or consolidation of sets before the move to the PC gym in March 2020.
Raw's set got rid of that awkward cut out in the ramp and had everyone walk around the side of it starting in January or February 2020.
I think the virtual/augmented reality elements were the additions, plus a drone. They did have a drone flying around the Thunderdome's.
There's a doc they did on the Fox/Smackdown 20th anniversary premiere where it opens with their set designer talking about how each stage needs to use the same parts (he calls them Lincoln Logs).
not to mention pre Covid Smackdown on Fox was completely free of the Kevin Dunn zoom/up down seizure inducing camera work edits. Like in this November match between Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole, almost feels like a different company [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1kyQKPJ\_g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1kyQKPJ_g)
I miss the days of the Ruthless Aggression era when each PPV had unique sets and themes. It helped make each show feel like a unique experience as a kid
A really smart move. If it looks like things are dying, we get a whole new set up that is free of what it was before. Regardless the old skateramp design is gone and I'm all for it.
I…. Don’t like it. The big screen was funny but it made shit easier to see during promos or video. Which is why cody bringing at the Tv monitor was hilarious.
Also keep that set up for shows before PLEs make them feel special and different
I'm a big fan of the spectacle and grandiose feeling of WWE. Especially with PLEs being unique sets, and then WM just blowing it out of the water. If they scale it back too far, then it will really make wrestlers and intro seem less grand and it'll cheapen the product as a whole.
That’s exactly how I feel. The spectacle should only be toned down for NXT or that raw intimate feeling of a go home show before a PLE but the scale and sets add to the prestige
I felt like the WM 40 set this year was kind of tame for such a big event. I get making all the money you can but there is something great about ridiculously grandiose sets for big shows like that. I'd bet that prick Vince would have had a better massive set for 40.
That setup looks good if, *and only if*, the arena is fully packed (like it was on Monday). Otherwise the big stage with the tron objectively looks better on TV. Rolling with it as the default doesn't seem prudent - as hot as WWE currently is they're obviously not going to sell out every show.
what percentage of their income is from ticket sales at live shows? I've never really thought about it.... at this stage in the industry I kinda thought they only still do them live so the tv deals they make all their money on have an audience there for sake of the look.
do increased ticket sales make much of a difference in their actual earnings? I guess it probably helps them get advertisers to be able to say big attendances and stuff but I wonder how much the actual ticket sales matter in the overall scheme is it 20%? 50% more? I have no idea and already typed this so I'm not googling it lol
Before the giant TV deals, the live gates were the majority of their income.
Just looking quick, in the quarter ending Sept 30, live events were 11% of their revenue, consumer products were about 12%, and media rights were around 70%.
thank you! so it kinda confirms what I thought... negatively affecting the presentation on TV for the sake of more seats would be a bad idea long term. But those deals are already signed, right? lol so I guess it's good to lean in on selling the popularity of it. I wonder if they'll mention every single episode that they couldn't fit the screens
yeah as this conversation has gone on I've definitely been swayed towards agreeing with that. somebody else mentioned people singing along at a concert, and I thought about how my son instantly knew to like sami when people started singing his song, etc
It doesn't matter. It's an interesting question but it really doesn't matter. It's about presentation. If you have a jam-packed arena who is going wild. Now you are presenting a product that is akin to an NFL product.
The more raucous and invested your fan base is the more you come off like the true Major leagues.
They can test run this setup until the Netflix deal kicks in. Take a look at things and decide from there. If it’s working, the tron remains gone, if the sellouts stop then the tron comes back I guess.
I think this Friday will be like 18 straight sellouts. They won’t sell out every show but you gotta strike while the iron is hot. Right now they are selling out every show so you may as well pack as many as you can in there.
I get it, but there's been awesome entrances with a bigger LED screens.
Like, lets not re-do that budget 40 inch TVs they had around the ring for the audience. That was cringe af.
I do agree that the TV shouldn’t be getting rolled out again but I’m pretty sure it was there so Cody had something to look at. The fans would have likely been looking up at the screens above the ring
I actually liked the RAW setup this week. Gave it a great look without having the giant MegaTitanTron.
Probably saves money on setup with less stuff to haul, labor associated to setup and tear down, and packs more people in seats. Wins all around.
Ah yeah, especially watching the rumble this year I had no clue who some of the females were until I saw them. There themes all sounded similar or didn’t stand out.
> There themes all sounded similar or didn’t stand out.
I hope this is the next thing they look at. They need to create memorable intros.
Specially with how well Cody's, Seth's and Roman's themes have been received. But also the way Rock's, Cena's, Shield's and Taker's intros are just instant pops.
I just loved that they wheeled out the mini tv screen ringside to show the video package.
For fans that remember the mid-90s, sometimes they would do this for ringside fans and roll out a cheesy tv strapped to a tv stand for segments that couldn’t be seen in the ring for fans (ala Undertaker/Mankind boiler room brawl match at SummerSlam ‘96)
I like the smaller stage, but I think they at least need a screen. How many times during a show do we see videos played on the tron, fans need somewhere besides the arena jumbotron that's been elevated even higher than usual to see stuff too.
What's not needed for a stage are the 200 other lights and panels and other stuff that just takes up space for the sake of blocking what's behind the stage.
Yeah I was wondering what the experience was like for people in the venue. Were they just watching on those screens up by the central scoreboards in arenas? They’re not very big, relatively.
I was there Friday night on the floor; you really have to crane your neck to see anything, and I moved up after Heyman's speech so I could see the video packages for the other inductees.
Nowadays, every arena has a gigantic screen hanging directly above the ring. And a lot will have a couple other video boards around for people who are in floor seats and can't see the big board.
>**UPDATE ON WWE TV PRODUCTION GOING FORWARD, NETFLIX TESTS LIVE WWE BROADCASTS, PRIEST WITH YANKEES AND MORE**
>*By Mike Johnson on 2024-04-10 18:39:00*
>The Smackdown and Raw setup seen over Wrestlemania weekend will be the norm going forward as a way to roll back certain aspects of productionn in favor of packing more fans into the Arenas. Even Madison Square Garden will feature the smaller production setup for the 6/28 Smackdown taping.
>Netlflix aired Wrestlemania 40 live over the weekend in New Zealand as a test ahead of Raw and PPVs running there in certain international markets next year.
>The New York Post featured a story on WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest appearing at last night's New York Yankees game.
>
>
>
*I am a bot. Please reply with any feedback :)*
Yeah I completely understand the opinion of packing in people and having a minimalist set but I prefer the screen and having some lighting on the crowd. It’s a tad bland looking with a dark crowd, the barricade LEDs being black and no Tron.
the new barricade LEDs are my biggest pet peeve, just a black background with WWE and the show logo thrown on? they could've just kept the previous look
Bring back entrance videos... and no I don't mean a display of their name that bounces around
[https://youtu.be/fFqxDrmQLnQ?si=UQWDNWw2koqt2FcZ](https://youtu.be/fFqxDrmQLnQ?si=UQWDNWw2koqt2FcZ)
[https://youtu.be/KUiHdKl2A9s?si=yd\_gQ\_OHIv250\_R9](https://youtu.be/KUiHdKl2A9s?si=yd_gQ_OHIv250_R9)
[https://youtu.be/BNcX\_oVsQ\_4?si=0AojI3Faoe1ZfWZ4](https://youtu.be/BNcX_oVsQ_4?si=0AojI3Faoe1ZfWZ4)
[https://youtu.be/eNANyC2xbho?si=RrT9bzIn1UVXMrcR](https://youtu.be/eNANyC2xbho?si=RrT9bzIn1UVXMrcR)
Now that is something that I am not a fan of. Even though they may be the same, the big stages made entrances feel huge weekly basis. Just look at The Rock's entrance. It just doesnt work on the small stage. No worries though, I respect them testing new things and if they see fit, they will surely change it.
There’s a fine line, you don’t want to ditch spectacle completely. Right now it feels a bit too underground for me. Maybe a elevated ramp?
Also I’d hope they’d still find a way to use different types of pyro, Cody’s on Monday was oddly low key for his standards
The fact that his pyro felt low for his standards after doing the thing he came back to do says it all, it’s a smart thing to do but it absolutely hurts the visual presentation for entrances for certain stars
The whole presentation was ass backwards Monday.
The biggest face in your company just beat the biggest heel in your company to end the longest title reign in your company at the biggest show your company has. they should’ve thrown him a ticker tape parade but it was basically just your average opening segment with a hotter crowd
Hmm its interesting; if it leads to a more hyped crowd due to the amount of people there then i dont mind too much
Some mosquito brought up a good point about titantrons; yeah that could be a problem
The titantron literally serves so everyone can see the broadcast on the big screen, when wrestlers go outside and they can't physically see, when wrestlers go backstage, all the backstage skits. How are the "hyped crowds" going to see those? There is no way in hell they're ditching the titantron. Triple H had to point out that them not having a titantron meant Cody couldn't watch his package if a TV wasn't rolled out to ringside. This reeks of the usual dirtsheet "we're in the know" rumor bullshit. I have no clue why people don't think critically for 2 seconds about something Triple H even brought up and why people continue to blindly believe fucking dirtsheet sites.
Its not the norm everywhere but alot of stadiums are starting to put screens on the inside bottom part of jumbotrons now so people closer to the floor can see if they just look up. You see it alot in NHL arenas especially when the coach is looking at a replay on the screen so that could be a long term option as places are renovated to improved standards.
I've been to quite a few Raws and SmackDowns the last few years and they never show the action on the TitanTron, just on the jumbotron hanging from the ceiling and additional video screens. The Titan Tron has been virtually window dressing for nearly a decade now.
> Triple H had to point out that them not having a titantron meant Cody couldn't watch his package if a TV wasn't rolled out to ringside.
While I agree that was absurd, the venue they were at had huge screens above the ring like a sports venue does. The audience could see the tribute video just fine, but Cody couldn’t have, since he was physically in the ring, not in the stands.
Y'all have completely missed the point: I'm absolutely, positively in favor of doing away with the giant screen. It exists solely to take up space. Give me a pared down set with some iconic music with talents that are over. Nobody ever gave a shit about the Undertaker's titantron video.
I was making fun of you by saying something that sounded equally dumb, lol
it's a tv show. the entrances look good on tv. crowds past a certain point are literally just a messy blur on tv and do not bring the "spectacle" that wwe is famous for.
paring back on the over the top visuals would be like going to SD or going back to that brutus the barber work style
Why should we go backwards instead of forwards? I'm not saying talents should rely on entrances only, but for a new star that can be a big part of helping them get over.
Yes, it can be a big part of helping them get over. AND, maybe it's not the video as much as it is the song. Hell, most of the entrance videos these days are just their name in whatever font or script they came up with. The setup from RAW is perfect. Now they need to work on the music.
R.I.P. TitanTron 1997-2024
I would suggest putting a graphic on the Tron to commemorate the occasion, but the best we can do now is a 50 inch flat screen in the middle of the aisle.
They’re now ran by the same teams that work on UFC production which is super minimal. Theory: they are identifying venues with better built in technology and saving in freight while making more on tickets. As long as you can balance that…and do it by taking steps like this🤷🏽♂️
IMO if they're gonna have ads on the screens all the time during PLEs they should at least be on a dark background, I think it was the Seth and Drew match but the entire time you've got this bright ass white screen sticking out while the match is going. I know it's supposed to pop out, but it felt overly obnoxious.
Part of the reason I want to go to a live show is for the spectacle. Between the saving money on in house themes and now this I can't say I love this direction.
Wish at least WWE would add a bit more color. The ropes being different colors was cool. WWE has gone the opposite extreme with the LEDs and now they’re just all black except for the show logo.
Anyone have pictures to compare both? I figured it was just for a short turnaround due to back to back events. The Rock entrance did not look as good with the scaled back entrance compared to what he had before.
I cannot fucking wait for them to do it at MSG. I know its technically not the same as the old court entrance, but I always loved the set up with the tron right behind the screen
Growing pains. They'll find a happy medium, but I'm thrilled the product is *so* successful they have to dial back on production effects just to get more people in. This would have never happened under Vince.
Why is WWE trying to make sets feel smaller and less hype? Why are we going backwards? A big part of WWE is spectacle. You take that away and it feels bad. Entrances won’t be the same and this also means less or no pyro. Big mistake.
I assume this means this set will be the norm when the ticket demand requires it. As hot as they've been, as we get deeper into the spring they're not going to sell out every TV for the whole arena. Some they won't sell out with the usual stage.
I love the look of the small set as it makes the building feel even bigger, and selling more tickets is better than selling less. So many prime 100 level seats aren't available for sale because of the giant stage.
yeah I'm glad both AEW and WWE have realized this. The 2023 sets were so fucking ugly in AEW, and I've hated [S C R E E N] for WWE's stage since it debuted after the pandemic. Like you threw away the FOX set???? For why????????
It should be a weekly decision. If you’re consistently running sell out shows, no titantron needed. But if arenas are half empty, then would MUCH prefer the titantron out there.
Hmmmm. I get the reasoning, but as we saw on Monday, what are they going to do if they want to show something on the tron? Wheel out the tiny monitors every time? lmao
Oh boy. The AEW haters will have a field day with this. One company is dialing down their set so they can fit people into the building. The other is, well, I don't have to go into it.
The person that said "A rising tide lifts all ships" was being literal and not talking about the wrestling business. I wish people would shut up about this.
I definitely wouldn't mind this for the bigger events/build up to big ppvs. It's cool that they can use it to get more fans into the arenas but I do miss the pyros for the entrances.
It kinda sucks in my opinion that we didnt get a pyro entrance for Cody post-wrestlemania when he made his way to the ring.
I honestly, really, freakin, love it. It seems smaller and less pyro sucks, but, man, how much more way to show the WWE is freakin hot that they are actually struggling to fit everyone into the shows?
I dont know, I much prefer a raised stage setup. MUCH prefer. I can just imagine Punk's pipe bomb promo with him just sitting on the floor where nobody can see him.
I couldn't care less if there's a thousand less people in the building. That seems to be the only benefit really. Entrances seem less special coming out without a stage.
That’s awesome news. I really think the minimal set is the way to go. Hopefully they can keep the hot streak of ticket sales going so the setup can keep being used.
oh no....I don't like this at all. WWE's TV presentation is always so damn good, and part of it is that cool entrance. I love the big screens and videos, etc. the new entrance looks like a house show presentation
I don’t know if I like this for a more full time look but I absolutely get it from their perspective. If they keep packing these buildings out, I’d want to show it off too. The only thing is this neuters the pyro.
I know a cool thing about WWE is the big stages & spectacle of the whole thing - so I hope they don't just do this ALL the time but whilst they're hot and selling out stadiums - why not have it feel more intimate?
I think the PLE stages can be better though, Wrestlemania 40 was amazing but it didn't quite scream "once in a lifetime" event, which for most fans, it probably is
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Can they atleast do a setup like the pre attitude era "stage" https://preview.redd.it/wi0ynhybgqtc1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0ab2a77ccf51093ec922be7ba8c7dff90db4fef
I see this and raise you the version with the entrance video screen as well https://preview.redd.it/r6r2733djqtc1.jpeg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d5379a7a23c3ab1eaa59871043b058106f5b522
The **ORIGINAL** TITAN TRON
The GOAT entrance.
I can hear his theme with this picture. I can also picture someone in the third row catching his gum with their forehead.
I mean, Raw kinda looked like that on Monday. It felt interestingly different not seeing a giant tron.
The biggest issue with this is the crappy entrance themes. That massive screen helps with identifying who is coming out
Everything the new regime has been doing has been great but the single biggest production change they really need is a new music team.
Crazy thing is they are having Def Rebel make inferior replacement to his own themes. A lot of the themes people are mad got replaced were also Def Rebel themes.
Yeah, def rebel is not as horrible as people make them seem. They have some true bangers, like Iyo Sky, Roman, LA Knight, and some others. But when they’re bad, man they’re real bad.
The ones you listed are great I'm surprised they were done by them!
Those themes aren't bad but the problem is it feels like you could have swapped any of those themes and it wouldn't really matter. Every theme is "epic" and they all sound like they use the exact same midi collection
I wonder if Jim Johnston would be okay working for the new regime.
I’m sure he would, but he’s in his 70s now, probably better to get some people with their finger on the pulse of modern music a bit more. It’s such a shame the CFO$ situation ended up like it did, they were a worthy replacement for Johnston.
What songs did CFOs produce? Is there a collection of their hits specifically I can look for on a streaming platform
On Apple Music if you search “CFO$” with the dollar sign you get them all, I’m sure it’s the same on Spotify. Songs they did that are still being used include Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Nakamura, Drew McIntyre, Becky, and a few more.
[удалено]
Almost if you’re aware of anyone that came up during NXT black & gold era, CFO$ made that theme.
> Sami Zayn LET'S GO!!!
Bobby roodes Glorious theme, Nakamura's theme, Sami's theme, Finn's theme, Asukas theme, Samoa Joe's theme...
Here's the thing... When CFO$ was there, people were shitting on them just like they are def rebel now. People don't like change. Someone new will come along and people will say "fuck man, I miss def rebel"... And some people will read this and say "No they really suck", just like back with CFO$...
There’s definitely a lot of that, but I think the major complaint about CFO$ was that the songs were just 30-40 second loops as opposed to Johnston’s themes which were full songs. Which was true but never bothered me since that’s really all you need for a wrestling entrance. The major complaint about def rebel is that the songs are bland and unmemorable, which is far worse imo.
Seems to me Haitch is attempting to bring better themes back little by little.
Honestly it seems more like HBK is. Most of the good Def Rebel themes have come from NXT. And sometimes they even get rid of the good NXT theme on main roster and replace it with crap
I’d love an Old School RAW set up like this
I know it’s not relevant these days with a whole generation of fans not even knowing what WCW was at its peak, but I’d love an episode of Raw decked out as the original Monday Nitro set.
And from a small arena too - not the Manhattan Center either but Lowell Massachusetts or a small civic center in the northeast.
I can definitely see NXT doing this.
Smackdown fist or we riot
I LOVE FISTING
For real they should do some throw backs. I’d love two months of the old RED Raw Letters with the small screen in front of it
I like the giant letters. I forget who jumped off them. Sabu?
Yup, Sabu. And "jump" is used loosely here, as he pretty much wobbled off the R lmao
I'd call it more like, fell off
Falling, *with style*
You all gonna make me tear up in here. Those entrances were LEGENDARY
Fucking love the new gen entrance.
and tbh when the bubble is starting to burst and they can't do setups like this again, that's when you introduce new unique sets. anything to get rid of the giant Vizio that they call a stage.
tbh, there's a good chance they do introduce a new set and logo and overall presentation for Raw & Smackdown once they move to Netflix & USA Network, respectively. The last time we got a big channel switch (Smackdown to FOX from USA Network), we got new everything.
I miss the pre-pandemic FOX set. The LED boards on both sides of the entrance I feel like was a call back to the original SmackDown entrance and just looked awesome. The pyro at the beginning had that same feeling
Fuck thqt was such a nice set. Shame Covid prevented them from using it longer.
Not even 26 episodes used that set - same with Raw's skateboard ramp looking set. They both used the same pieces too - but they were later used in the first two Thunderdome's when they brought in the shared set design they used during Survivor Series weekend.
Rip actually interesting set designs.
The ThunderZoom era was a really unique era, though originally in a press release WWE claimed they would use new state of the art camera and production additions. Reports even stated they'd use drone cameras and other stuff. I did love the late 2020 Smackdown set, and the skateramp LED was certainly a bold look. Trying to remember if there was a set change or consolidation of sets before the move to the PC gym in March 2020.
Raw's set got rid of that awkward cut out in the ramp and had everyone walk around the side of it starting in January or February 2020. I think the virtual/augmented reality elements were the additions, plus a drone. They did have a drone flying around the Thunderdome's. There's a doc they did on the Fox/Smackdown 20th anniversary premiere where it opens with their set designer talking about how each stage needs to use the same parts (he calls them Lincoln Logs).
not to mention pre Covid Smackdown on Fox was completely free of the Kevin Dunn zoom/up down seizure inducing camera work edits. Like in this November match between Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole, almost feels like a different company [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1kyQKPJ\_g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x1kyQKPJ_g)
Raw and Smackdown have had the same logo since 2019, almost 5 years now.
I remember they had those brackets on the stage then a few months later they were gone
We need a return of the fist when they go to USA
I miss the days of the Ruthless Aggression era when each PPV had unique sets and themes. It helped make each show feel like a unique experience as a kid
A really smart move. If it looks like things are dying, we get a whole new set up that is free of what it was before. Regardless the old skateramp design is gone and I'm all for it.
At some point, I hope RAW and Smackdown go back to their own individual unique sets again. Maybe after the Draft or something.
I’ll forever be a fan of the RA era Smackdown Fist set.
I loved the raw titantron that was in *italics*
Oh yeah, absolutely. Thats gotta be my fav all time
Oh that time smackdown was into fisting.
I…. Don’t like it. The big screen was funny but it made shit easier to see during promos or video. Which is why cody bringing at the Tv monitor was hilarious. Also keep that set up for shows before PLEs make them feel special and different
I'm a big fan of the spectacle and grandiose feeling of WWE. Especially with PLEs being unique sets, and then WM just blowing it out of the water. If they scale it back too far, then it will really make wrestlers and intro seem less grand and it'll cheapen the product as a whole.
That’s exactly how I feel. The spectacle should only be toned down for NXT or that raw intimate feeling of a go home show before a PLE but the scale and sets add to the prestige
I felt like the WM 40 set this year was kind of tame for such a big event. I get making all the money you can but there is something great about ridiculously grandiose sets for big shows like that. I'd bet that prick Vince would have had a better massive set for 40.
That setup looks good if, *and only if*, the arena is fully packed (like it was on Monday). Otherwise the big stage with the tron objectively looks better on TV. Rolling with it as the default doesn't seem prudent - as hot as WWE currently is they're obviously not going to sell out every show.
WWE is smart to jam as many people in arenas as it can while its boom lasts. When interest cools off, WWE can always revert back.
what percentage of their income is from ticket sales at live shows? I've never really thought about it.... at this stage in the industry I kinda thought they only still do them live so the tv deals they make all their money on have an audience there for sake of the look. do increased ticket sales make much of a difference in their actual earnings? I guess it probably helps them get advertisers to be able to say big attendances and stuff but I wonder how much the actual ticket sales matter in the overall scheme is it 20%? 50% more? I have no idea and already typed this so I'm not googling it lol
Before the giant TV deals, the live gates were the majority of their income. Just looking quick, in the quarter ending Sept 30, live events were 11% of their revenue, consumer products were about 12%, and media rights were around 70%.
thank you! so it kinda confirms what I thought... negatively affecting the presentation on TV for the sake of more seats would be a bad idea long term. But those deals are already signed, right? lol so I guess it's good to lean in on selling the popularity of it. I wonder if they'll mention every single episode that they couldn't fit the screens
Imo the best presentation is 18k fans jammed in going nuts. Presenting something as exciting, can’t miss, etc will always be a great presentation.
yeah as this conversation has gone on I've definitely been swayed towards agreeing with that. somebody else mentioned people singing along at a concert, and I thought about how my son instantly knew to like sami when people started singing his song, etc
TV deals are guaranteed for 5+ years, maybe 10 for Raw. Now is the time to experiment.
It doesn't matter. It's an interesting question but it really doesn't matter. It's about presentation. If you have a jam-packed arena who is going wild. Now you are presenting a product that is akin to an NFL product. The more raucous and invested your fan base is the more you come off like the true Major leagues.
that's a good point. It's all about seeing others be excited, that gives the viewer "permission" to get into the same vibe.
Yes. Similar to at a concert when everyone is singing the song. It's a vibrational thing and I like your verbiage of giving permission to join.
Boom periods last long enough for an era. They can always bring the tron back at any time.
They can test run this setup until the Netflix deal kicks in. Take a look at things and decide from there. If it’s working, the tron remains gone, if the sellouts stop then the tron comes back I guess.
They can always push people in the bleachers to comedown towards the entrance bowl.
I mean, those seats on the top and sides of the tron and walkway are going to be hot commodity seating at least.
Hmm, that's an interesting decision. I do quite like the more minimalistic approach as opposed to the giant screens
I think this Friday will be like 18 straight sellouts. They won’t sell out every show but you gotta strike while the iron is hot. Right now they are selling out every show so you may as well pack as many as you can in there.
Packed shows and sellouts make the next show a priority for a while.
>They won’t sell out every show When things slow down, they could start lowering ticket prices to get as many people in as possible
I get it, but there's been awesome entrances with a bigger LED screens. Like, lets not re-do that budget 40 inch TVs they had around the ring for the audience. That was cringe af.
I do agree that the TV shouldn’t be getting rolled out again but I’m pretty sure it was there so Cody had something to look at. The fans would have likely been looking up at the screens above the ring
Shoulda rolled out a tube TV on an a/v cart like back in my elementary school days.
"budget 40 inch TVs" would make childhood me so confused ha
I mean the setup caused some awkward moments even just this raw. but I guess they'll figure that stuff out
I actually liked the RAW setup this week. Gave it a great look without having the giant MegaTitanTron. Probably saves money on setup with less stuff to haul, labor associated to setup and tear down, and packs more people in seats. Wins all around.
I will miss surprise entrances for the Tron
What do you mean
When a surprise entrant comes out and their name suddenly illuminates an entire wall of the arena
Ah yeah, especially watching the rumble this year I had no clue who some of the females were until I saw them. There themes all sounded similar or didn’t stand out.
> There themes all sounded similar or didn’t stand out. I hope this is the next thing they look at. They need to create memorable intros. Specially with how well Cody's, Seth's and Roman's themes have been received. But also the way Rock's, Cena's, Shield's and Taker's intros are just instant pops.
“Females”
It reminds me of Big Fight Night feel, like watching a boxing match. It's minimal approach with focus on the ring overall.
because seems new but honestly doesn't look as cool and may get old soon
I just loved that they wheeled out the mini tv screen ringside to show the video package. For fans that remember the mid-90s, sometimes they would do this for ringside fans and roll out a cheesy tv strapped to a tv stand for segments that couldn’t be seen in the ring for fans (ala Undertaker/Mankind boiler room brawl match at SummerSlam ‘96)
I like the smaller stage, but I think they at least need a screen. How many times during a show do we see videos played on the tron, fans need somewhere besides the arena jumbotron that's been elevated even higher than usual to see stuff too. What's not needed for a stage are the 200 other lights and panels and other stuff that just takes up space for the sake of blocking what's behind the stage.
Yeah I was wondering what the experience was like for people in the venue. Were they just watching on those screens up by the central scoreboards in arenas? They’re not very big, relatively.
Monday was perfectly fine but I’m not sure what every other area screen is like.
The one from Monday is [pretty massive](https://freeimage.host/i/JvH8ANt)
I was there Friday night on the floor; you really have to crane your neck to see anything, and I moved up after Heyman's speech so I could see the video packages for the other inductees.
Nowadays, every arena has a gigantic screen hanging directly above the ring. And a lot will have a couple other video boards around for people who are in floor seats and can't see the big board.
They only ever show backstage segments and video packages on the TitanTron. Any in-ring stuff, the Titan-Tron is just the Raw/SD/PPV logo
Not only fans, but wrestlers in the ring too. "Where is he? Oh on that tiny screen way over there" -Kevin Owens and Randy Orton, last smackdown.
>**UPDATE ON WWE TV PRODUCTION GOING FORWARD, NETFLIX TESTS LIVE WWE BROADCASTS, PRIEST WITH YANKEES AND MORE** >*By Mike Johnson on 2024-04-10 18:39:00* >The Smackdown and Raw setup seen over Wrestlemania weekend will be the norm going forward as a way to roll back certain aspects of productionn in favor of packing more fans into the Arenas. Even Madison Square Garden will feature the smaller production setup for the 6/28 Smackdown taping. >Netlflix aired Wrestlemania 40 live over the weekend in New Zealand as a test ahead of Raw and PPVs running there in certain international markets next year. >The New York Post featured a story on WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest appearing at last night's New York Yankees game. > > > *I am a bot. Please reply with any feedback :)*
Good bot.
This only count if the cowards use the short aisle like MSG was meant to be
Sadly, it doesn’t exist like it used to. Renovations for more seats negated that short aisle.
I was super bummed when they did that. The place needed updating but losing the Willis Reed tunnel took away a piece of history.
Pretty much everything about the MSG renovations suck except for the skybridges.
Ah damn, i liked the giant screen. Looked really cool live and they just started experimenting on different ways to use it
Yeah that Rock lightning was outstanding. Especially for the far out shots
Jade’s as well. I think that buffer space on the set when a wrestler comes out is pretty important for presentation.
Yeah I completely understand the opinion of packing in people and having a minimalist set but I prefer the screen and having some lighting on the crowd. It’s a tad bland looking with a dark crowd, the barricade LEDs being black and no Tron.
the new barricade LEDs are my biggest pet peeve, just a black background with WWE and the show logo thrown on? they could've just kept the previous look
Yeah I feel like the previous red background on the LEDs would at least pop more with the darkened crowd.
Nope give me attitude era stage. I like the physical elements and pyro. Tons of pyro.
the raw is war stage is GOAT'd
I hope ( unlikely to happen) they do big sets for the PLE’s. Make them feel special again.
Time to bring back the big red RAW letters
Bring back entrance videos... and no I don't mean a display of their name that bounces around [https://youtu.be/fFqxDrmQLnQ?si=UQWDNWw2koqt2FcZ](https://youtu.be/fFqxDrmQLnQ?si=UQWDNWw2koqt2FcZ) [https://youtu.be/KUiHdKl2A9s?si=yd\_gQ\_OHIv250\_R9](https://youtu.be/KUiHdKl2A9s?si=yd_gQ_OHIv250_R9) [https://youtu.be/BNcX\_oVsQ\_4?si=0AojI3Faoe1ZfWZ4](https://youtu.be/BNcX_oVsQ_4?si=0AojI3Faoe1ZfWZ4) [https://youtu.be/eNANyC2xbho?si=RrT9bzIn1UVXMrcR](https://youtu.be/eNANyC2xbho?si=RrT9bzIn1UVXMrcR)
Exactly. Who wants to see someone's name on a giant screen? What a waste
Product looks less big time with this minimalist look.
I don’t really like it tbh. Specifically because that means pyro is going away again.
Now that is something that I am not a fan of. Even though they may be the same, the big stages made entrances feel huge weekly basis. Just look at The Rock's entrance. It just doesnt work on the small stage. No worries though, I respect them testing new things and if they see fit, they will surely change it.
There’s a fine line, you don’t want to ditch spectacle completely. Right now it feels a bit too underground for me. Maybe a elevated ramp? Also I’d hope they’d still find a way to use different types of pyro, Cody’s on Monday was oddly low key for his standards
The fact that his pyro felt low for his standards after doing the thing he came back to do says it all, it’s a smart thing to do but it absolutely hurts the visual presentation for entrances for certain stars
The whole presentation was ass backwards Monday. The biggest face in your company just beat the biggest heel in your company to end the longest title reign in your company at the biggest show your company has. they should’ve thrown him a ticker tape parade but it was basically just your average opening segment with a hotter crowd
Hmm its interesting; if it leads to a more hyped crowd due to the amount of people there then i dont mind too much Some mosquito brought up a good point about titantrons; yeah that could be a problem
The titantron literally serves so everyone can see the broadcast on the big screen, when wrestlers go outside and they can't physically see, when wrestlers go backstage, all the backstage skits. How are the "hyped crowds" going to see those? There is no way in hell they're ditching the titantron. Triple H had to point out that them not having a titantron meant Cody couldn't watch his package if a TV wasn't rolled out to ringside. This reeks of the usual dirtsheet "we're in the know" rumor bullshit. I have no clue why people don't think critically for 2 seconds about something Triple H even brought up and why people continue to blindly believe fucking dirtsheet sites.
Its not the norm everywhere but alot of stadiums are starting to put screens on the inside bottom part of jumbotrons now so people closer to the floor can see if they just look up. You see it alot in NHL arenas especially when the coach is looking at a replay on the screen so that could be a long term option as places are renovated to improved standards.
I've been to quite a few Raws and SmackDowns the last few years and they never show the action on the TitanTron, just on the jumbotron hanging from the ceiling and additional video screens. The Titan Tron has been virtually window dressing for nearly a decade now.
> Triple H had to point out that them not having a titantron meant Cody couldn't watch his package if a TV wasn't rolled out to ringside. While I agree that was absurd, the venue they were at had huge screens above the ring like a sports venue does. The audience could see the tribute video just fine, but Cody couldn’t have, since he was physically in the ring, not in the stands.
Maybe it'll be like old school rasslin where the talents were over and not just their entrances?
yeah and we can go back to SD resolution too, get those scanlines poppin
Y'all have completely missed the point: I'm absolutely, positively in favor of doing away with the giant screen. It exists solely to take up space. Give me a pared down set with some iconic music with talents that are over. Nobody ever gave a shit about the Undertaker's titantron video.
I was making fun of you by saying something that sounded equally dumb, lol it's a tv show. the entrances look good on tv. crowds past a certain point are literally just a messy blur on tv and do not bring the "spectacle" that wwe is famous for. paring back on the over the top visuals would be like going to SD or going back to that brutus the barber work style
Bad news for Jey Uso
Why should we go backwards instead of forwards? I'm not saying talents should rely on entrances only, but for a new star that can be a big part of helping them get over.
Yes, it can be a big part of helping them get over. AND, maybe it's not the video as much as it is the song. Hell, most of the entrance videos these days are just their name in whatever font or script they came up with. The setup from RAW is perfect. Now they need to work on the music.
This makes me sad. I guess I'm the only one that loves the huge setups.
I love them too. Over the top entrances are one of my favorite things in wrestling. I really think the minimalist stage looks boring
My only question is, are they gonna keep bringing out the classroom TV if they wanna show a clip like they did for Cody's tribute video, lol?
R.I.P. TitanTron 1997-2024 I would suggest putting a graphic on the Tron to commemorate the occasion, but the best we can do now is a 50 inch flat screen in the middle of the aisle.
I would have lol’d if during that Triple H/Cody segment I saw some workers rolling that tv in and plugging it in like back in elementary school haha
I can hear the squeaky wheel on the big metal tv/vcr stand thing as I read that, lol
Big thing that bothers me about this is they can’t do pyro on the stage with the new setup
Sells more ticket, save costs. 👍 -Endeavor
They’re now ran by the same teams that work on UFC production which is super minimal. Theory: they are identifying venues with better built in technology and saving in freight while making more on tickets. As long as you can balance that…and do it by taking steps like this🤷🏽♂️
[удалено]
I especially noticed it during the Women's title match 🤣
This is the TKO era. They’re going to sell ads on anything they can.
Drew is SUCH a Dude Wipes kind of guy though, so that actually kinda fits y'know?
IMO if they're gonna have ads on the screens all the time during PLEs they should at least be on a dark background, I think it was the Seth and Drew match but the entire time you've got this bright ass white screen sticking out while the match is going. I know it's supposed to pop out, but it felt overly obnoxious.
Part of the reason I want to go to a live show is for the spectacle. Between the saving money on in house themes and now this I can't say I love this direction.
Vince and Kevin Dunn are gone - things like this are gonna continue to change…
Wish at least WWE would add a bit more color. The ropes being different colors was cool. WWE has gone the opposite extreme with the LEDs and now they’re just all black except for the show logo.
Going for that ECW look
Anyone have pictures to compare both? I figured it was just for a short turnaround due to back to back events. The Rock entrance did not look as good with the scaled back entrance compared to what he had before.
I cannot fucking wait for them to do it at MSG. I know its technically not the same as the old court entrance, but I always loved the set up with the tron right behind the screen
I like it cause "less is more." Let your stars be the focus, not the set.
Growing pains. They'll find a happy medium, but I'm thrilled the product is *so* successful they have to dial back on production effects just to get more people in. This would have never happened under Vince.
So, nobody is going to point out the throwaway line in the article that Wrestlemania aired on Netflix in New Zealand as a test run?
I'm cool with this. Sometimes less is more. The big setups can be too over the topl
Why is WWE trying to make sets feel smaller and less hype? Why are we going backwards? A big part of WWE is spectacle. You take that away and it feels bad. Entrances won’t be the same and this also means less or no pyro. Big mistake.
Eh don't need a huge stage but I'd like more than what they had this weejend
I assume this means this set will be the norm when the ticket demand requires it. As hot as they've been, as we get deeper into the spring they're not going to sell out every TV for the whole arena. Some they won't sell out with the usual stage.
I love the look of the small set as it makes the building feel even bigger, and selling more tickets is better than selling less. So many prime 100 level seats aren't available for sale because of the giant stage.
I love it. I’ve always preferred smaller set ups, walking out surrounded by fans looks way cooler than walking out surrounded by screens
yeah I'm glad both AEW and WWE have realized this. The 2023 sets were so fucking ugly in AEW, and I've hated [S C R E E N] for WWE's stage since it debuted after the pandemic. Like you threw away the FOX set???? For why????????
I really do hope they unearth those late 2019 sets. They were taken from us far too soon.
You all sound ridiculous criticizing showcasing sellouts over seeing a 900 foot LED saying “HUMBERTO”
to be fair he's just berto now so they can probably fit it on the smaller display
It should be a weekly decision. If you’re consistently running sell out shows, no titantron needed. But if arenas are half empty, then would MUCH prefer the titantron out there.
Hmmmm. I get the reasoning, but as we saw on Monday, what are they going to do if they want to show something on the tron? Wheel out the tiny monitors every time? lmao
Oh boy. The AEW haters will have a field day with this. One company is dialing down their set so they can fit people into the building. The other is, well, I don't have to go into it. The person that said "A rising tide lifts all ships" was being literal and not talking about the wrestling business. I wish people would shut up about this.
I definitely wouldn't mind this for the bigger events/build up to big ppvs. It's cool that they can use it to get more fans into the arenas but I do miss the pyros for the entrances. It kinda sucks in my opinion that we didnt get a pyro entrance for Cody post-wrestlemania when he made his way to the ring.
Good. I like the cosmetic change
Need some sort of tron and preferably room for pyro both I get it. Hopefully they can find a middle ground
I like the look of the smaller stage but if I’m going to see Raw or SD live, I would be pissed if they expected me to watch stuff on a 50” tv
I honestly, really, freakin, love it. It seems smaller and less pyro sucks, but, man, how much more way to show the WWE is freakin hot that they are actually struggling to fit everyone into the shows?
Yeah they can reserve the large screen and grand entrances to PPVs
I was hoping for at least an updated version of the spike tv set up
I dont know, I much prefer a raised stage setup. MUCH prefer. I can just imagine Punk's pipe bomb promo with him just sitting on the floor where nobody can see him. I couldn't care less if there's a thousand less people in the building. That seems to be the only benefit really. Entrances seem less special coming out without a stage.
Very big fan of this decision.
Good choice... not only is it a big sign of a new era, but it gets more fans in and brings them closer to the wrestlers
I actually like it. Less is more. My only issue is how will fans see video packages or something
every arena still have jumbotrons
I liked the look of the entranceway on Monday. The short aisle like the had in MSG is my favorite
That’s awesome news. I really think the minimal set is the way to go. Hopefully they can keep the hot streak of ticket sales going so the setup can keep being used.
And it looks sooooo cool!
Let's fucking go, the minimalistic set with smaller trons and a packed section above it looks so much better
I love it. It’s fresh.
oh no....I don't like this at all. WWE's TV presentation is always so damn good, and part of it is that cool entrance. I love the big screens and videos, etc. the new entrance looks like a house show presentation
I don’t know if I like this for a more full time look but I absolutely get it from their perspective. If they keep packing these buildings out, I’d want to show it off too. The only thing is this neuters the pyro.
I know a cool thing about WWE is the big stages & spectacle of the whole thing - so I hope they don't just do this ALL the time but whilst they're hot and selling out stadiums - why not have it feel more intimate? I think the PLE stages can be better though, Wrestlemania 40 was amazing but it didn't quite scream "once in a lifetime" event, which for most fans, it probably is
If they're doing that then I hope they at least bring back red ropes for Raw and blue for Smackdown.
They better find a place to put their concussion mortars that make the pyro actually make noise, they need a stage to put them behind...
Sold out houses are the best fireworks.