WWE Network Drops The Ball On Summerslam, Fans Threaten To Cancel Subscriptions
WWE Network subscribers who tuned in to SummerSlam 2014 are up in arms, and for once it wasn’t the story telling that rubbed them wrong. Summerslam began with a pre-show match between Rob Van Dam and Cesaro. The match was interesting enough, but the real show started with Dolph Zigler vs The Miz in the first official match of SummerSlam. Around the time the bell rang on the Zigler/Miz match, the WWE Network started to have problems.
Issues ranged from long buffering times, to frequent crashes, and occasional cases of fans not being able to load the WWE Network app at all. WWE Network employees suggested turning off firewalls, restarting consoles, and other methods that essentially pushed to blame for the spotty connection on everyone other than the Network and it’s technology. Fans that could see the matches complained about commercials in between the matches (including one about one minute into the pre-show match) and numerous plugs for the WWE Network. Presumably, the constant references to the price of the WWE Network ($9.99, in case you were unaware) were meant for fans watching on Pay Per View. By the time Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella took to the ring, many fans were threatening to cancel their subscriptions.
@CecilHurt, did you know that you can get the #WWENetwork for only $9.99 a month. #LesnarVsCena
— Kevin Muir (@kevinRmuir) August 18, 2014
Watch @WWE @SummerSlam LIVE NOW for just #NineNinetyNine! SUBSCRIBE at http://t.co/8fbRbtmMtK! pic.twitter.com/Q4FUsakGCv — WWE Network (@WWENetwork) August 18, 2014
The floundering WWE Network can’t afford to alienate potential customers right now, but that is exactly what they are doing. Recently, The Inquisitr reported on rumors circulating about Triple H’s anger toward the WWE Universe. The primary issue in Triple H’s mind is the perception that WWE fans are cheap for refusing to purchase the WWE Network for the low monthly price. $120 may not seem like a lot, it’s less than some of us spend on coffee every month, but the issue is perceived value. Why pay over $100 a year for something that barely works when you most want it to?
With recent news that the WWE has started expanding the WWE Network into more than 170 countries, the load times and crashes are sure to get worse before they get better. So why expand at all? The WWE Network is in desperate need of subscribers. Last quarter, the WWE Network posted a net gain of only 33,000 subscribers because of cancellations.
If the WWE Universe hoped that the powers that be at the WWE would come to their senses and ditch the network, they shouldn’t bet on it. Just before Summerslam 2014, WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon unveiled the new WWE logo. It is identical to the WWE Network logo.
As of now, I will not renew my subscription to #WWENetwork due to the @wwe product not living up to my expectations.
— Dan B. (@danb_0) August 18, 2014
