WWE PPV's in the UK

[jameswalsh292]

I was wondering why WWE dont host live PPV's in the UK anymore.

I know that the UK host live Raw & Smackdown each year, but PPV's are different. I went to London 2 years ago to see a Raw, it was sold out. So obviously the fan base is there.

There is something special about WWE Pay Per View's. The big match feel. The atmospher of the crowds.

The UK has not been host to a WWE PPV in almost 10years. Its time to bring them back.

Look back in WWE history with such events as Summerslam 1992. Wembley arena sold out, with over 80,000 and the crowd was electric.

WWE has the fan base in the UK. It is evident with the live Raw & Smackdown that are selling out each year.

WWE host 12 PPV's per year. Surely it could allocate one of those to the UK.

Many fan's from the UK and Ireland can not afford a trip to the US to attend a PPV. I feel the WWE owes it to their fans over seas to host an annual PPV.

I made a partision as part of a college project to bring back WWE PPV's to the UK. The 1st student to reach 100 signatures gets 10bills of the lecturer. It would be sound if YOU signed it. Heres the link.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/901/027/175/bring-back-wwe-ppvs-to-the-uk/

Ice Tigers are GO.

 

[daletango]

Time zone difference, no one will buy the ppv if its at 3pm etc.

 

[Natural Selection]

The majority of the fans work during the time when it would be on. The ones that don't work are in school. The only way to do it would be to have the PPV start at 3am UK time.

 

[Skinsley]

The English dont sleep you fool.
A compromise can be made.....lets face it, the UK crowd knows how to chant and are always on fire!
Make a ppv in the Uk where you want to get a big pop...you heard the Pop rock got on his Return...and the same for Lesnar.
Imagine if that was in England? The noise would Kill!

Bring WWE to Old Trafford or New Wembley NOW

 

[Natural Selection]

I'm not saying it couldn't work, I just don't know that they are willing to try. Because as I said with the time zone difference the only way to get it in prime time(Which is when a PPV has to be) it would have to start at 3am UK time. And that still leaves the west coast to start at 5pm.

 

[Soulblazed]

WWE should definitely go back to the UK..If anything, putting the Royal Rumble in London would be a good idea...You could have a true "Royal" theme for the PPV for once..Also, WWE could travel to Dublin, Ireland and use the Croke Park stadium for a PPV since it holds 82,300 people..

 

[Skinsley]

WWE should definitely go back to the UK..If anything, putting the Royal Rumble in London would be a good idea...You could have a true "Royal" theme for the PPV for once..Also, WWE could travel to Dublin, Ireland and use the Croke Park stadium for a PPV since it holds 82,300 people..

That is one Massive call right there!!
One big Pissup! And we all know that Europeans love an excuse to Travel to Dublin and Drink!
Sheamus, Hornswoggle and Bring back Finlay...you know as soon as he is done with ROH.

 

[jameswalsh292]

Top shout by Soulblazed for going to Croke Park. I guarantee that it will sell out.
A load of Irish, will definately attend just for the excuse. Im the only one of my friends who is interested in wrestling but im sure they would all attend the event. Any event ive been to is always lethal atmospher even if the show it self is average the crowd always make up 4 it here in Ireland. Sure look at the Darts that was on the 22nd of March for example. We blew the roof off for Darts?

on top of that it is very cheap for the English to catch a flight to Ireland. All the hardcore fans from Europe will travel for, creating a great atmospher.

I do take on board the points of the Americans not purchasing the PPV because it's not at an ideal time.

Thanks for the responses and thanks to those who sign the partision. I'll put the tenner towards the PPV ticket.

 

[gwarren]

I hate the time zone argument, the British have to stay up till early hours for every PPV and you Americans can't handle it starting early afternoon? That's sheer laziness.

 

[HEELKris]

I hate the time zone argument, the British have to stay up till early hours for every PPV and you Americans can't handle it starting early afternoon? That's sheer laziness.

I fail to see your point. WWE is an AMERICAN company, genius.

 

[a7xfan93]

I fail to see your point. WWE is an AMERICAN company, genius.

Actually, I see his point. And the WWE is a global company. Otherwise we wouldn't be called the WWE Universe, genius.

 

[Holtster1991]

Last time I checked it would be a Sunday afternoon so there maybe an increase of family buys in America as children would be awake to see it. There is a 5 hour difference from East coast to the UK. If held during the winter it could have even more buys.

 

[gwarren]

@HEELKris

The WWE could reach out to such a bigger audience if they went overseas more often, rather than just staying holed up in America. I'd safely bet that at least half of PPV buys come from outside the US, and we have to watch it at 1am, and Americans complain about their prime time? Lol.

I'll tell you what, Raw is live in London in 2 weeks, I'm gonna be there, why don't you watch and see how noisy we are compared to 90% of American crowds...

 

[DeathClutch]

I fail to see your point. WWE is an AMERICAN company, genius.

Considering they're always touring around the globe, obviously they're trying to appeal to the larger audience not just the yanks.
And they're called WORLD Wrestling Entertainment after all genius.

The time zone is the problem I know by Boxing & UFC the 5 hour delay hurts the PPV buyrates, and before people chim in SummerSlam 92... the reason that worked was because WWE didn't have to worry about people getting the results off the internet, so people would buy the show to see what happened.

 

[Jaffa]

I was wondering why WWE dont host live PPV's in the UK anymore.

I know that the UK host live Raw & Smackdown each year, but PPV's are different. I went to London 2 years ago to see a Raw, it was sold out. So obviously the fan base is there.

There is something special about WWE Pay Per View's. The big match feel. The atmospher of the crowds.

The UK has not been host to a WWE PPV in almost 10years. Its time to bring them back.

Look back in WWE history with such events as Summerslam 1992. Wembley arena sold out, with over 80,000 and the crowd was electric.

WWE has the fan base in the UK. It is evident with the live Raw & Smackdown that are selling out each year.

WWE host 12 PPV's per year. Surely it could allocate one of those to the UK.

Many fan's from the UK and Ireland can not afford a trip to the US to attend a PPV. I feel the WWE owes it to their fans over seas to host an annual PPV.

I live in Australia it takes around 36 hours to play to the usa it costs $3000 to fly alone however we only get 3 house shows this year for the whole continent of Australia. Every house show gets sold out months beforehand. I live in a city of over 1.5 million people called Perth yet i have to travel 4100km or 2547.621 mi to see a house show this year. The last televised major promotion to air a show in Australia was wCw in the year 2000. Yer its pretty sad how they do not have any ppv's in England anymore because you don't get anything over there.

 

[Elchicano15]

I honestly see no problem with this. I've always been saying it would be cool to have a mania overseas. Most people in North America have the day off on Sunday. 3pm here is not a bad time to start. People that go to church will be back then. The west coast will get it at noon and that doesn't sound that bad at all either.

 

[vampirek]

And the company is called WORLD Wrestling Entertainment.
Considering they're always touring around the globe, obviously they're trying to appeal to the larger audience and not just the yanks, genius.

Yes but at the same time WWE is a business and from a business point of view, would having a PPV in the UK sell well?

Well seeing every time someone brings up the UK PPV argument, Summerslam 1992 didn't do well in America because of the time zone and the leaked information (imagine that with today's technology, it'll be on Youtube before it even aired in American). The UK were restricted to what I would like to call Third tier PPVs and never actually aired in America (Capital Carnage, Insurrextion). The brand split happened and these PPV's were scrapped and instead gave the UK annual Raw and Smackdown properly, which to me is a far better solution than having random PPVs and allowing me spotlight on the UK audience. This has worked well and has seen it go into other areas in the past few years, like Italy.

All I keep seeing is hold a UK PPV at Wembley Stadium. It will never happen, it can't because its a nightmare either by holding it at silly o'clock in the UK (which would actually break the curvew placed on the Stadium... a curvew which saw Madonna fined, before anyone suggest it doesn't exist) or by holding the PPV early in America which is likely to bomb. As recording it, will have the same affect as what happened with Summerslam 1992. The buyrate lost 1.2 compared with the previously year.

Even if you look at the other stadiums around the country, it won't solve the time zone issue.

I can't see it being a viable business idea, having Raw and Smackdown recorded in the UK seems to be the good middle ground for all parties. They could stretch it I suppose by giving a 3 hour Raw which has the feeling of a PPV rather having the stereotypical London taxi and everything London at a Liverpool/Manchester/Birmingham etc show.

 

[Drago]

Summerslam '92 was insane! That was one of the hottest crowds ever, especially for the Bulldog/Hart match. There were so many Brits at Wrestlemania this weekend, that I pondered the same question: what would a Wrestlemania in London or Manchester be like? That crowd would be nuts! The UFC holds PPVs from the UK and Ireland regularly, although I think they are either free or tape-delayed. I don't think US fans would be happy about a tape-delayed WM. Would you be able to resist the spoilers??

 

[Drago]

WWE should keep the Big Four in North America, but hold one non-Big Four PPV outside of the US/Canada. And I don't mean anything like Insurrextion...that PPV was a disappointment. Titles never changed hands and they barely acknowledged the PPV on television. Although Triple H did beat the Undertaker at Insurrextion 2002...can't remember the last time that happened.

 

[Swifter]

I was at the second last UK PPV Insurrextion 2002 Wembley arena (night before WWF dropped the F & changed to WWE) 11 i was then i think & anyway well ye it was awsome, Austin vs Big Show (we chanted to "You Fat Bastard!" to big show lol ^^ & main event HHH Vs Taker, i wont ever forget the top rope breaking/snapping & the improv without using the ropes they did. It was great.

But anyway as some you are saying I don't think if they bring back a PPV in london that it'll be back in Wembley Arena, it'll most probably be the O2 like the raw & smackdowns, cos O2's bigger then wembley arena & also Wembley Arena tna uses when they do their oversees tour.

I'm hoping anyway that they'd bring back a PPV in england or maybe Insurrextion back or King of The Ring final PPV so a theme/royal?? OOooh ye that would be good

Also Canadians i've heard that their not getting any PPVs set in Canada anymore unlucky them too :/

 

[Gman35]

I was wondering why WWE dont host live PPV's in the UK anymore.

I know that the UK host live Raw & Smackdown each year, but PPV's are different. I went to London 2 years ago to see a Raw, it was sold out. So obviously the fan base is there.

There is something special about WWE Pay Per View's. The big match feel. The atmospher of the crowds.

The UK has not been host to a WWE PPV in almost 10years. Its time to bring them back.

Look back in WWE history with such events as Summerslam 1992. Wembley arena sold out, with over 80,000 and the crowd was electric.

WWE has the fan base in the UK. It is evident with the live Raw & Smackdown that are selling out each year.

WWE host 12 PPV's per year. Surely it could allocate one of those to the UK.

Many fan's from the UK and Ireland can not afford a trip to the US to attend a PPV. I feel the WWE owes it to their fans over seas to host an annual PPV.

I made a partision as part of a college project to bring back WWE PPV's to the UK. The 1st student to reach 100 signatures gets 10bills of the lecturer. It would be sound if YOU signed it. Heres the link.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/901/027/175/bring-back-wwe-ppvs-to-the-uk/

Ice Tigers are GO.

Now, I wouldn't mind it at all, but just to remind you, RAW and Smackdown NEVER airs live in the U.S. when they go over to the U.K. The results are always posted here, well before the show airs.

 

[DJ Kyo]

As long as the majority of the dollars that the WWE makes comes from the US, they are going to cater to the US Crowd.

They'll give tastes in the UK/Europe each year with their tours, but a PPV is out of the question. The buy rates would go to pure crap and unless people in the UK are willing to pay quadruple the ticket prices to make up for the lack of PPV buy rates, it's just not going to happen.

and Mania? Royal Rumble? as some have mentioned. Let me put it to you the way Vince would: "You might get a Night of Champions, but you've got NO CHANCE IN HELL of those two coming your way."

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

I hate the time zone argument, the British have to stay up till early hours for every PPV and you Americans can't handle it starting early afternoon? That's sheer laziness.

Who gives a shit. We make up more of their revenue.

This thread is made like once every 3 months I swear. Someone outside of North American wants a PPV and says:
1) we have loud fans
2) we have big arenas
3) we haven't had one in forever
4) when we had one, it was a success

Okay, so you draw 80,000 people, however the buyrates are also about 80,000 people, you just fucked up. Instead, you draw 80,000 people in the US and get 1,000,000 buys. See the difference. It's nothing against you guys, it's business.

Also, your fans are loud because the only ones left there are the hardcore fans and you guys are starved for the product. If I wasn't allowed to eat steak except for once or twice a year, I'd gobble that shit up. If I was given steak all the time, I probably wouldn't.

Here's an idea though. What if they had the PPV in the UK at 8PM Eastern North American time? If your fans are so great and rabid, you'll understand the business side of it and still show up at 1am or whatever it is for you and still make a lot of noise.

Otherwise it'd be a waste.

 

[mancpenguin]

I love the idea of a British PPV but it's never going to happen. The only way it could work would be to have a non major PPV - so no Mania, Summerslam, Survivor Series etc. Showing a PPV in the mid day isn't going to work for most American viewers and with the internet being able to see the results as they happen it wouldn't work on a time delay or recording the show and showing it at the normal time.

Nice idea but I can't see it ever happening.

 

[Yesiamaduck]

The explosion of the internet has probably caused this more then anything, before they could in theory tape it in the UK and show it in America later that night and expect the same buys. Now if they were to do it, everyone will just find out the results before hand and not buy the show. It's the same reason that the UK Raw doesn't air live in the UK.

I know what you're thinking, the old UK PPV's only aired in the UK, well I don't think they made enough money at the gates and on PPV to justify it any longer, especially now interest is considerably lower then it was in the attitude era. I cannot imagine many buys in the UK where most people I know of only watch the free PPVs on Sky unless it's one of the big 3 and on top of that the DVD buys won't make up for it either (as they did in the past)

TNA on the other hand should consider it, they have a large fan base in the UK (arguably bigger then the states) because it's on public tv... I can imagine them making a decent amount of lot of money out of the venture.

Look threw this thread I think people have forgotten that the majority of WWE's business is in the American market, they don't make nearly that much revenue in the UK.