Smark Out Moment

As we start the month of July, it dawned on me that my six month minimum subscription to the WWE Network would be coming up in August, so it's time for me to make a decision: do I want to keep the network or not? Let's breakdown the High Spots (pros) and the Low Blows (cons) of the WWE Network to see if this decision becomes clearer.

High Spots

One of the greatness things about the WWE Network is the pay-per-views. There's no need to order them through the cable company or satellite providers, as you get every event through the WWE Network. For roughly $10 a month, that is a huge steal, compared to the other prices. It was $70 for WrestleMania through alternative sources. Tough choice, right?

In addition, you receive access to so much more from WWE's archives. The library is quite amazing: every pay-per-view from WWE, WCW and ECW, a live Main Event every Tuesday night along with Superstars and NXT. You also get the DVDs WWE has produced and old episodes of Raw and SmackDown. Basically, you can re-live your favorite moments in one click.

I'm also a big fan of the pre-shows and post-shows. When ESPN does Monday Night Countdown and a live post-show for the Monday Night Football game, it gives it that extra feel of something special. They are the lone game and get all of the attention. I love that WWE is doing the same thing and it is only on the network, as it adds so much more attraction to its shows. You need to get hyped before Raw? Watch the pre-show. Need a complete breakdown and feedback on what just happened on SmackDown? Check out the post-show, only on the WWE Network. This can draw more viewers and give more credibility to WWE's content in general.

Low Blows

Speaking of Raw and SmackDown, the most recent episodes of either one are not posted after they aired on their respective stations. They get on the Network about two months after they aired. Let's say I missed SmackDown and want to watch it on Saturday. I won't be able to catch it on the Network. Instead, I have to either DVR it (which means more money to my cable provider), find it on HuluPlus (with the content edited) or download it illegally. Why can't WWE just put the most recent episodes on right after they air? I'd sit down, relax, watch the pre-show, the show itself, and then the post-show. Right now, I can't.

Furthermore, I would like to see more original programming. I like WWE Countdown, I'm very interested in seeing the Monday Night Wars, and I like the week in review, but I want more. They have a 24/7 live stream going on and most of the programming is old. The reruns of past episodes of Raw or previous pay-per-view events can be watched on demand, so that isn't exactly a motivator to tune in live.

Michael Cole and JBL have a weekly web radio show. Film it and stream it live! That could be something new in the morning. More and more sports networks are filling time slots with live radio shows because it's new material every week and relatively easy to produce. I'm not saying that Cole and JBL should do a daily web show, but if it were to take off, more WWE-type programs could be distributed to other outlets like TuneIn Radio or Podcast One.

Speaking of mornings, how about a morning show? I know this is wrestling and not professional sports, but with all of the other programming throughout the week, a half hour morning highlight show similar to SportsCenter would be ideal. Get your WWE fix every morning before you head out the door.


Despite my longer entry of Low Blows, the WWE Network overall is a win. It is a great price for the access to the library, original programming, and live events. I still wish there was more original content, particularly in the mornings, though. All in all, wrestling fans, the WWE Network is worth it.