Post by Bryan Kennedy on May 22, 2014 12:35:15 GMT -5
So long ago, plans to create a WWE Network went in motion and for years people speculated. At first, we thought we were going to get an actual Network that has its own channel. And it seemed as if that was what we were going to get. But unfortunately, negotiations never quite were finished and so we were given [in my mind] something far better. Packaged as "Like Netflix, but better" by the WWE is probably the most revolutionary concept to date. For starters, this app has its own live feed that works just like any other television network. But what makes it different is the On Demand aspect of the Network. Instead of being just a channel with program listing or just a catalog of WWE footage that you pick as you go, this option now allows you to do either option. To date, only Time Warner Cable and Vios offer this for their customers on apps. I think Dish Network and DirecTV have something similar, but not exact. Dish has the hopper program, which allows you to watch Live TV plus your DVR recordings, but not really the On Demand.
But even then, WWE Network isn't limited like those apps. For Time Warner, you have to connect to your provided router in order to use the Time Warner App on say an Xbox 360 or PS3... so taking your Xbox on a trip and watching high end Time Warner channels isn't feasible. Vios, I'm not entirely sure about but from what I hear it's the same concept.
And if having a live broadcast and a catalog of past PPVs, events, and original programming wasn't enough. WWE went and threw in all of the WWE Pay Per Views into the bundle. And then, just to make sure people really wanted to by this, they made it $9.99 with a six month commitment. Easily the best commitment I've made ever, and I'll stand by this even long after I've gotten married.
To me, the WWE Network has worked more than thought possible. I've read reports where customers had bad lag experiences and buffering problems. But for me, not so much. The most problems I've had were internet connection problems, which is only something I can control and not WWE. So far NXT Arrival, WrestleMania 30, and Extreme Rules have all been able to play without any problems. My favorite WWE Network program, Legends House, has yet to drop on me while I've been watching it. And to say that this is ahead of its time, to me, would be an understatement.
If I had a problem with it, it would have to come on the Xbox end of things. For me, I'm not much of a tab over and search myself kind of guy. I hate doing it, and it takes too much time. Yes, 0.45 seconds is too damn long! So to make things better, I'd like to be able to have a quick or even an advanced search option. Maybe something as simple as "Type in the Event Name, Superstar, or Year" so that I won't have to feed through catalog after catalog of programming. Also, I'm kind of bummed that after all the hype of "You can go back and watch it all" I'm actually not allowed to go back and watch it all.
I get why, WWE likes to air the past Raw and Smackdown episodes as they were ran in their old days and get the library up that way. And they air the episodes by about 2-4 a day with their others shows in between. Just the other day, I watched two 1995 Raw episodes, a Clash of the Champions event, and WrestleMania 3 [yes, WM3]. It was actually kind of cool to see and believe it or not, I didn't get tired out from all the wrestling.
But yeah, for me the WWE Network has been a charm. As far as pricing goes, I think that it's a bit too low for what we're getting. The fact that I can watch every ECW, WCW, and WWE past pay per view for 9.99 total, yet pay even more for the hard disc/VHS copies separately is like stealing candy from a baby. It's almost not fair. Yes, I said almost. It's still candy, and a baby would definitely cry if you stole it from them. But anyway, for me WWE Network is a must buy for WWE Fans. In fact, I've used this baby to show my little brother what true ring psychology is by showing him past WCW and WWE events. Which is cool because now he's a fan of Arn Anderson.
But even then, WWE Network isn't limited like those apps. For Time Warner, you have to connect to your provided router in order to use the Time Warner App on say an Xbox 360 or PS3... so taking your Xbox on a trip and watching high end Time Warner channels isn't feasible. Vios, I'm not entirely sure about but from what I hear it's the same concept.
And if having a live broadcast and a catalog of past PPVs, events, and original programming wasn't enough. WWE went and threw in all of the WWE Pay Per Views into the bundle. And then, just to make sure people really wanted to by this, they made it $9.99 with a six month commitment. Easily the best commitment I've made ever, and I'll stand by this even long after I've gotten married.
To me, the WWE Network has worked more than thought possible. I've read reports where customers had bad lag experiences and buffering problems. But for me, not so much. The most problems I've had were internet connection problems, which is only something I can control and not WWE. So far NXT Arrival, WrestleMania 30, and Extreme Rules have all been able to play without any problems. My favorite WWE Network program, Legends House, has yet to drop on me while I've been watching it. And to say that this is ahead of its time, to me, would be an understatement.
If I had a problem with it, it would have to come on the Xbox end of things. For me, I'm not much of a tab over and search myself kind of guy. I hate doing it, and it takes too much time. Yes, 0.45 seconds is too damn long! So to make things better, I'd like to be able to have a quick or even an advanced search option. Maybe something as simple as "Type in the Event Name, Superstar, or Year" so that I won't have to feed through catalog after catalog of programming. Also, I'm kind of bummed that after all the hype of "You can go back and watch it all" I'm actually not allowed to go back and watch it all.
I get why, WWE likes to air the past Raw and Smackdown episodes as they were ran in their old days and get the library up that way. And they air the episodes by about 2-4 a day with their others shows in between. Just the other day, I watched two 1995 Raw episodes, a Clash of the Champions event, and WrestleMania 3 [yes, WM3]. It was actually kind of cool to see and believe it or not, I didn't get tired out from all the wrestling.
But yeah, for me the WWE Network has been a charm. As far as pricing goes, I think that it's a bit too low for what we're getting. The fact that I can watch every ECW, WCW, and WWE past pay per view for 9.99 total, yet pay even more for the hard disc/VHS copies separately is like stealing candy from a baby. It's almost not fair. Yes, I said almost. It's still candy, and a baby would definitely cry if you stole it from them. But anyway, for me WWE Network is a must buy for WWE Fans. In fact, I've used this baby to show my little brother what true ring psychology is by showing him past WCW and WWE events. Which is cool because now he's a fan of Arn Anderson.