In recent months we’ve been asked for a status update on WWE DVDs due for release next year. WrestlingDVDNetwork.com now has the first word on this and has learned of plans to make the 2020 WWE Home Video schedule Pay-Per-View titles only.
We can say for certain that as of right now this will be affecting WWE DVDs next year in Australia — but we cannot yet confirm this new strategy for all regions. The move was, however, described to us this week as a “revision by WWE” rather a decision by one distributor.
Should this come to fruition, one positive might be that all WWE Pay-Per-Views could potentially make it to physical media, whereas in past few years certain PPVs were omitted from the schedule. We speculate that if this change comes into effect it will increase the likelihood that every PPV and the biggest of the special events on the WWE Network will be produced on Home Video.
We still expect there to be some Blu-rays too; WrestleMania had a Blu-ray release in the United States this year, while all of the ‘Big Four’ PPVs continue to get the Blu-ray treatment in the UK and Europe.
If the situation we’re hearing about for Australia were to happen in all regions, the final non-PPV DVD (which we’ve often referred to as features, documentaries and compilations over the years on WDN) may wind up as “WWE 24: The Best of 2019”.
Now feels like the time to speak up and show support for this niche we, and all of our readers here, have had a passion for and continue to enjoy 20 years after the first WWE DVD hit stores — so please start the conversation; whether that’s in the comments section here, on social media, or in emails to WWE or their Home Video distributors. Perhaps there’s still scope for country exclusive WWE DVD features with the right interest, but time will tell on that.
If you’d like to be among the first to hear confirmation of WWE DVD plans for 2020 as soon as the update comes through to us, please sign up to our free email subscription service below:
And speaking of the PPVs…
WWE released Clash of Champions 2019 on DVD this week; fans in the United States can grab it here on Amazon.com. The DVD will ship out to fans in the UK this Monday via Amazon.co.uk.
At this year’s Clash, Braun Strowman and Seth Rollins would team up in the opening match as WWE RAW Tag Team Champions and in the main event would do battle for the Universal Championship, a match that would lead to an appearance by “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt who would attack the retaining champion. Randy Orton battled Kofi Kingston in a continuation of their rivalry over the WWE Championship, while the event would also feature contests for the RAW Women’s Championship, SmackDown Women’s Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and more!
The DVD release includes a free Topps trading card featuring The Miz.
We reported last month that AJ Styles was removed from the cover artwork due to Styles only competing on the Kickoff Show and this DVD not having his match as an extra (it’s a single-disc product). It looks like the removal wasn’t quite completed in time for the U.S. release but will be seen with the UK version. Check out first look photos sent in by WDN reader Matthew Tremble.
WWE’S MOST GOLDEN EVENT OF THE YEAR!
Universal Champion Seth Rollins has slayed kings and beasts, but can he topple ‘The Monster Among Men’ Braun Strowman in his latest title defence?
Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton continue their personal rivalry for the WWE Championship. Charlotte Flair looks to win her tenth women’s championship, in her hometown, when she takes on Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley. Becky Lynch looks to get revenge on Sasha Banks in The Man’s defence of the RAW Women’s Championship. And Roman Reigns takes on Erick Rowan in a No Disqualification Match. Plus, more!
Grab your copy of the new WWE CLASH OF CHAMPIONS 2019 DVD…
– United States: RIGHT NOW! Get your hands on the Clash DVD here on Amazon.com.
– UK/Europe: This Monday! Pre-order Clash of Champions now via Amazon.co.uk.
– Australia: November 20th. Your pre-order opportunity has gone live on Madman.com.au.
Also Wrestling dvd news I’m saying this as an idea. Only because I participated in this and it was successful. Start a petition for WWE to release DVDs. The Simpsons stopped releasing season DVDs after 17,then partially due to a petition,(which I am proud to say that I am one of the signatures) Fox and The Simpsons staff continued releasing DVDs. I’m just saying it’s worth a shot. If enough people petition this and it is submitted WWE will have no choice but to at least consider it. Hell if you try to and petition long and hard enough you could possibly shut down the WWE Network. That way we can only get physical media. We live in a society where enough people can band together and really make a difference in what’s going on. Think about it.
Not sure what fantasy world you live in but WWE shutting down the Network?!? LOL! I guess its safe to assume you don’t own a business. There is no way WWE is pulling the plug on the Network which is their whole business model with millions and millions of dollars invested. They cannibalized their PPV model and no way going back to $55 ppvs. DVDs are a dying medium and shutting the Network down will not magically increase DVD sales. Outside the hardcore fan base nobody is buying WWE DVDs anymore.
I actually do run a highly successful writing company. So yeah it’s been in business for at least 3 years in one form or another. So don’t insult me unless you know the first thing about me. Ok? Please and thank you. I mean OK I understand that the network is the company now, but I was simply illustrating an extreme point to reiterate my original message. I don’t honestly expect anything like that to happen. I’m not going to degrade myself by explaining myself to you. To be perfectly honest I kinda regret responding to you. I feel like I just wasted precious moments of my life to adress you.
If only the WWE would listen 🙁 They could at least release a few more DVD sets that contain archive matches.
Ok I don’t care about the disagreements culturally,I don’t want to hear about blood money, it’s been said too much. We all get it. But no huge political issues happened and WWE Crown Jewel wasn’t added to the ppv lineup a couple months before hand it was scheduled this time. The event had some interesting WWE moments like The Fiend’s rise to promince. So I really want to know when WWE Crown Jewel 2019 will be released on dvd. I would very much be interested in that information. Since WWE said they are going to be releasing all ppv events I really want that one as well as all them.
Patrick Mcnamara you must be high on drugs man. all of your assumptions and request are ultra absurd. you say you own a writing company? i bet that business sank to deep bowels of the ocean. Requesting for the wwe network to shut down. Man ur crazy and delusional
I saw the writing on the wall with the move to smaller DVD cases. Last hurrah for me was Unreleased 1986-1995.
while I was initially a bit jealous of you Americans, since the UK/EU releases were switched to plastic cases instead of digipak a lot earlier, it has been the other way around in recent months (since Fremantle doesn’t stack the dvds for their releases like Warner does – which seems to almost guarantee that you’d eventually get some scratched disc).
Hey guys it’s awesome that at Crown Jewel the first women’s match is taking place today. Definitely can’t wait to get that historical event on dvd. I can not believe Lesnar made Valasquez tap out. I hope he gets another build up and a better shot next time.
while anyone who goes online is risking spoilers this is a site for dvd fans some sensitivity could be shown here. Even people who are streaming the event may not neccessarily be wathching it live so you have ruined it for anyone who was saving it for weekend to. please dont do it again. If you want to make a comment on crown jewel then simply tell us is it worth realieasing on dvd.
I apologise. I personally do think it’s worth releasing because of the main event. Not going to say anything about the results because I don’t want to spoil it. I apologise for doing that again. Ty for pointing that out nicely and being courteous. I promise not to do that again.
apology accepted. people do need be careful dvd fans will still not have hell in a cell in some territories. Hope this not happen again.
on your comment of a petition i think a petition for best of raw. smackdown and nxt most likely be successful. As they would nt reguire much work. the history dvds and the documenataries require work that they prob dont want to do.
I guess Saudi Arabia are finally in year 2019 (almost 2020) instead of back in the stone age with their backwards mentality.
Ah well, I’m just grateful for all the old school WWE DVDs that have been released. It’s a darn sight better than nothing at all. Whilst I understand the WWE’s need to promote the latest P.P.Vs via DVD and Blu Ray, it will never achieve the same level of popularity as those from the 1980s and early 90s. I heard that there were a few ideas in the pipeline, regarding the good old days of WWE. It appears that that has come to nought…
It’s a shame for old-school collectors like myself, but it is inevitable. I hope at least Survivor Series this year, Royal Rumble and WM next year get a blu ray release in Europe and it’s not cancelled. I keep waiting for it to happen with every new big four PPV, because it’s probably inevitable.
If anyone is interested, I have a lot of European WWE blu rays that I’m willing to sell for a fair price.
I agree with everyone here. It’s sad that we’re only getting ppvs for the foreseeable future. By 2023 I think the very last set they probably would ever release would be a possible follow up, A Raw 30th Anniversary collection. 14 discs 30 more great Raw episodes. Beyond that I can’t see them doing anything big after this. I’m pleased that the ppvs are going to be like 10 bucks each. I could really stretch out my dollar
I doubt it Smackdown’s 20 year anniversary dvd was trash, A 2 DISC SET FOR 20 YEARS?! That’s insane. I’ll be surprised if we even get a Raw 30 dvd at this point.
It is really sad that WWE may not be producing exclusive home videos by 2020. As an avid collector of WWE and wrestling DVDs for around 15 years, it really makes me sad to think that I will need to get a WWE Network subscription to enjoy the WWE product.
But, times move on and may be I will move with the times too. I just can’t see it happening for me anytime soon.
You should definitely moved on. Wasting ur 15 years for buying wrestling dvd’s instead of Getting Laid and Meeting Women. Grow up virgin boy
you’re clearly on the wrong website, dude.
Take your trolling elsewhere…take your bullying elsewhere
You can’t come in at the eleventh hour and start trolling us, and you can’t shock us. Us WDN lot have already said everything that can possibly be said to each other over the years anyway, lol. Go away.
Plus, I think you got that in the wrong order – surely you meet the woman before you “get laid”?
Ok risking, sounding rude or getting in trouble, who in the hell do you think you are? Calling him a virgin boy? Seriously? Someone’s personal life is quite frankly none of your business. Since you want to troll people let me ask you something…Yves Jude…. language gives you away. You sound like someone who is not successful with any gender. I mean you speak like a juvenile. Assuming you are an adult, hopefully you are calling someone, a grown man,a virgin boy,so you better be an adult. I personally want to say more but this is not the forum. I’m truly trying to change. I personally want to contact this Jude guy myself and tell him off.
Steven, you can do what ever you want, if you dont want a wwe subscription dont get one, live in the past watch wwe ppvs from 2005 onwards again in order. or switch to roh or Pwg who both still do dvds. i myself have been watching old ecw dvds and enjoying myself much. I will never get a wwe subscription. if they stop doing summerslam on dvd i just wont watch it.
It sucks that physical media is dying.I also started collecting wrestling VHS tapes.It was 1998 and I was fascinated by both WCW and WWF at the time.I use to go to my local video store to rent old tapes from 1996 and 1997 to kinda see what I’ve been missing.Then I started buying blank VHS tapes and taping Nitro whenever I could.I had a whole box full of recorded nitro tapes but they were stolen from me.Then my local video store was going out of business so they started selling their VHS tapes for $5 a piece.I made it my goal to collect as many of them as I could.I managed to just about the all WCW ppv’s of 1999 from their for $5 a piece.They still have the video store sticker and price on the covers.I do not watch them anymore.They just sit In my closet but I wouldn’t get rid of them.So when DVDs became a thing,I started collecting wrestling DVDs in that format also.Currently I have a little over 200 WWE DVDs.I still have a few I need to collect (like the Chris Benoit documentary).I am not looking forward to the days when I won’t be able to buy WWE DVDs anymore.
I saw today that the new WWE dvd “Clash of champions” is at both Walmart and Amazon for the cost of $10,is that gonna be the regular price for WWE DVDs from now on Instead of $14.99
He’ll In a cell is available for pre order at that price as well
It was a good run, and thoroughly depressing that all we will now get is the PPVs, which outside of the Rumble and ‘Mania are very rarely even interesting as complete shows anyway these days (I mean hell, even ‘Mania can often be one of the worst shows of the year in-ring wrestling-wise these days, if we’re being honest).
It does get me down that PPVs on the level of Backlash 2018 or Hell in a Cell 2019 will continue to get released, yet we will have no great Superstar themed documentaries or match compilations.
I will probably keep my love of DVDs alive for another year or two by creating some custom sets, as Whut suggested below, but I will miss hunting for the latest releases. Farewell, my Digital Versatile love! And thank you to Daniel and the team for guiding us through the world of physical media for all these years.
Like many others, my early memories of WWF media came from renting VHS tapes at local mom and pop video stores. Many have said technology changes and as someone who grew up in the era prior to the Internet, there was a high level of satisfaction of looking for that special tape or DVD and then finally finding it.
I remember that I used to watch the same VHS releases over and over: Supertape, Wrestlefest, and Brains Behind the Brawn were my favorites. Today, things have changed and I guess this is life. However, I am one of those people who is always reflecting on the past, wishing to return to simpler times. Maybe some think streaming in the luxury of one’s own home is simpler. However, there was an adventure aspect of going to the video store.
I am very big into physical media and will likely never fully transfer over to streaming or digital codes or ultraviolet or any of that other stuff I truly do not understand. I can admit I am still stuck in the era of opening up a DVD case and watching my own copies of things. That’s what I will miss. With things like Netflix, Amazon Video, and the WWE Network, things get uploaded and they also get taken down. A physical copy gives a fan the opportunity to actually own what was released. I realize all this stuff is dying, but I will truly miss it and I will fight it until I completely lose the battle, which I know I will. I mean, I even see how much television networks like Mtv have changed over the years to adapt with the times and WWE doesn’t want to fall behind either.
All in all, I understand and agree with the business move, even if it hurts people like me, but in the end, I stopped collecting the WWE product a while back. I believe the last set I bought was the unreleased HBK. I saw a huge change in production and also in WWE’s general effort they were NOT putting into the releases. That being said, take the first Bret Hart release and match it up to any “documentary” they have released in the past few years. The lack of effort was pretty alarming and the entire lack of effort was first noticeable on the Sting set. It was forgettable and I had been hoping for it since I was little. Instead of getting a full career retrospective, we get Sting sitting in the backseat of a car heading to WWE headquarters.
I wholeheartedly agree with this decision as well if sales were indeed low and WWE needed to trim the fat within areas that would end up costing them money in the end rather than profiting. As I said, I am very sad to see this stuff go, but I do understand.
I couldn’t have said it all any better; I could relate to everything you said, right back to going to the video shop for those VHSes, all the way to my own personal disappointment with that Sting documentary. Sad days. 🙁
“things get uploaded and they also get taken down. A physical copy gives a fan the opportunity to actually own what was released.”
This is EXACTLY my problem with streaming. I want to know that I own a copy of the footage and can put it on even without an internet connection, if I want to.
@SRB, your little story put a smile on my face, because it reminded me much of my own. I also started as a VHS-collector. In fact, I even started recording single matches first, when WWF started to be broadcast here in Germany around 1990. My first match was Warrior vs Hogan. The first PPV shown live in its entirety was Wrestlemania 8 and I stayed up all night for that. I lost count of how many times I had watched that tape back then. When WWF got its first big boom here around that time, official VHS were released, so I rented them in a video store. Later I bought the originals, but I was getting annoyed by the German commentary. When the Internet grew in the late 90s, I was finally able to buy the Silvervision tapes with the original commentary. Shortly after, DVDs came up. I could go on for hours. I have a passion for this since the 90s and I do not want it to vanish completely. I was recently talking to a friend of mine, who just signed up to Spotify and I asked him “Will you ever buy another CD ? And what are you doing with all the CDs you have ?” He said to me “I am going to get rid of them all except the Special Editions”. What I am trying to say is “get creative with your releases and people will still buy”. I love NXT (the main reason why I am subscribed to the Network). I could watch any NXT Show at any time. But if I read here tomorrow about plans for a release of a box-set with all Takeover events of 2019 (with one open space for the already released Takeover New York), with a nice package and maybe an additional Bonus Disc and other Bonus Material, I will be one of the first to press the “pre-order” button. I will never stop collecting physical media as long as it will be put out. And if somehow the day will come and it will be no more, I will arrange with it
a bigger issueme is if you like freemantle and warners eg are paying wwe for the dvd blu ray license should nt you be telling wwe what you want to realease. since your the one taking the loss and wwe will make a gain either way. It may even be the australian distrubutor that has made this decision.
If they continue to do sets the ones i will buy are? NXT and old wwf/wcw ecw stuff.
so if those news are accurate chances are you won’t being anything anymore as well.
(since the only “regular” NXT releases were compilation, which WWE are supposedly done with. just like it is with “classic” footage)
I hope they still do documentaries and compilations dvds I enjoy collecting them. I hate 2 see it go if they this for USA and Canada
this situation is btw why I would encourage any UK/European reader (and those from other countries that either have a codefree player, use their desktop computer etc.) to deliberately pay the full price for the bluray release. like, no waiting for them to become a bit cheaper a few months later etc.
if we want Fremantle to continue releasing at least the “big four” on bluray, we need to try to make it worth their while finacially.
(this is why starting pre-ordering those ppvs, even if some particular ones didn’t interest me as much or didn’t turn out to be great)
“no waiting for them to become a bit cheaper a few months later etc.”
Right, because we all hate saving cash?
my argument is that, if too many people are “waiting” for the bluray releases to get cheaper, it becomes much more likely for them not to be produced to begin with.
The DVD business isn’t dead you just have to be creative Specialty sets still dominate the sales Just release an end of the year set That would have every PPV in its entirety including Takeovers Starrcade set still dominates what most fans would want Best of is just lazy You sell a Starrcade boxset for around $100 I guarantee it gets over 100,000 sold
i agree. sell starrcade 1983-2000 on dvd reprinted like wrestlemania 1-15 was done.
Good point. There has to be a reason, why entire PPVs should remain the only releases left for the future. They have to sell quite well. And especially old WCW PPVs like Starrcade, Halloween Havoc or Great American Bash in their entirety would still create quite an interest if released properly (Blu-Ray Format, new alternative commentary by the main wrestlers involved, Bonus Material etc). Just like how for example all James Bond movies have been released. There is no question the Network makes everything easy. But if done correctly, the collector in me had quite a hard time to resist
While the physical media business isn’t completely dead yet, imo it’s very slowly heading that way. My thoughts on why are below.
I think the reason is trying to get more Network subscribers. I know that no matter what not everyone’s gonna subscribe nor should they have to in order to enjoy anything from any era of WWF/E or the many libraries they own. One of the reasons why – a reason I completely respect – is saving $ for more important things as prices continue to go up as time goes on.
With all that said however it’s obvious one of WWE’s current priorities is keeping the subscribers they already have while trying to get new ones bc they see big value in it. Streaming services are coming out one after another – seemingly confirming that it is not only the present for a large part but also the future – and competing w/each other. I don’t believe WWE’s part of that competition, not yet anyway. Streaming services now are playing the role that at one time – going backwards here – blurays, dvds before that, once played.
Regardless of whether one decides to go w/physical media or whether one chooses streaming services instead, you’ll have to pay. So the question becomes which is cheaper and has more value? Considering the streaming service business now, many opt to stream. In their minds, it’s “why pay for each dvd set containing one season, one movie, or one ppv and having to change discs in order to specifically watch a certain episode or if it’s a wrestling collection set, then a certain ppv or match when I can just stream one after another on just about any device currently available right now like desktop, laptop, mobile pad or phone, even gaming consoles like Xbox?”
I definitely agree with those saying dvds aren’t dead. It’s evident by the fact they’re still being bought.
I’m not picking one side over the other. I shared my opinions and honest thoughts from both sides as I choose to stay in the middle. While I am a Network subscriber I still get dvd/blurays when it’s worth it for me. Plus I was coming up during the time vhs was still around and dvds later followed by blurays were the business as vhs was slowly phased out. They’re still around but phased out in the sense that it’s not as easy to find now.
“Just like how for example all James Bond movies have been released.”
You can’t compare anything wrestling-related to a monster movie franchise like James Bond, ffs. Wrestling is a NICHE interest.
“You sell a Starrcade boxset for around $100 I guarantee it gets over 100,000 sold”
I would take almost literally any bet against that.
I agree. No DVD from WWE is selling 100,000 anymore. WWE’s sales have gotten so low that they no longer list DVD sales in their quarterly reports. Wrestling fans live in a bubble and can’t see outside of it. What WWE makes in profits from DVD’s is such a small blip on their overall radar.
If what’s stated in the article ends up being true, that’s it for the Unreleased sets which had unlimited potential imo more so than ppv dvds/blu rays had. I guess no more documentary sets either. Glad I got the Network. The docs and unreleased stuff will continue on there.
But honestly I can’t help but feel bad too bc it sucks for non subscribers and/or physical media only collectors even though that’s seemingly slowly being phased out while streaming services continue to come up.
if the WWE doesn’t want my money (= someone who prefers to actually own a copy), it’s their loss.
and while I would advice anyone to do so, this could potentially just mean “custom sets” for me (which of course again, would be a scenario in which the WWE is losing out financially).
I love dvds, I like the designs and I wish we have more special or exclusive editions. I also have the network which I always saw it as one more option rather than something that can stop the physical production of videos. If there is something that wwe loves is money. They sell so many silly things that I have not concerns about not getting any type of a physical video copy.
Sucks but the writing was on the wall. Wish they would put a store on WB Archive so you could order something on blu ray.
Not that the likelihood was ever there in the first place, but it’s safe to say that this kills any hope they re-release the big 4 anthology sets but un-edited/un-blurred.
Or if not new anthology sets, at least do individual releases of those events and actually release them, again, un-edited since we for whatever reason couldn’t get that the year they did that for WrestleMania.
Not a chance. WWE couldn’t even finish the Survivor Series anthology and that was 10 years ago due to lack of sale of volumes 1 and 2. They re-released WM1-15 in 2013 on DVD but even “re-released” is stretching it as they were basically the Anthology releases only individually but WM15 was the only one that they fixed up with no blurs but they edited the show by showing no choking and other odd edits. Such a pointless release that was.
I was actually hoping they would re-release the WM Anthology on Blu-ray in volumes. I would have definitely picked up those, specifically 1-23 but that door is now closed and I don’t see that ever happening now.
Poor sales? That’s weird. I knew they didn’t sell well, but I remember this site doing an article about why the Survivor Series anthology never finished because vol. 3 at least would’ve featured Owen Hart. (1997) From the sounds of it, WWE did intend on finishing the anthology but scrapped it because Martha Hart went after WWE over the Hart Family DVD.
https://www.wrestlingdvdnetwork.com/reason-survivor-series-anthology-cancelled/19078/
Undertaker deserves a final Blu-Ray treatment. Stone Cold is the only Superstar to have ever received a 3 Blu-Ray Set. So Taker deserves at least the same. Besides, his last DVD-set was a decade ago. This would be, by all means, a worthy ending to Superstar-themed DVD / Blu-Ray sets
For sure and throw on some of his unreleased matches like the one against Randy Savage.
May sound dumb since we’ve gotten 3 sets on the streak, but how about make it a big blu ray set including his streak matches since the 21-1 DVD was as jacked up as it was. I’m suggesting that since I’ve never known a blu ray disc to have playback issues like DVDs can.
I would make it the biggest Blu-Ray set ever, including the (already produced ?) career documentary, his most important matches, his most famous promos, funeral parlors etc. And I would fill the last disc with unreleased matches, like the ones from 1991 against Savage, Bulldog (as Champion) and his loss against Tito Santana from Spain
I completely agree w/you, RCS1988 and BAS on this topic. If anyone deserves that treatment it is The Undertaker. Hell even I’d buy the set which I haven’t done – except for the Unreleased sets – since becoming a Network subscriber.
The only documentary Taker’s really ever gotten far as I know is This Is My Yard from 2001 unless one wants to count the comments given on The Streak set as a documentary. I personally don’t. But in any case, he deserves a real true career spanning documentary set like the ones Stone Cold and Bret Hart got.
For it to be a definitive documentary imo best done after he retires whenever that happens.
Regarding unreleased material on Taker, surely a career spanning as long as his deserves its own unreleased set w/4 discs instead of the usual 3 discs, after Savage, HBK, Piper, all deserving themselves, got an unreleased set focusing on them. However if one sadly isn’t done, then they should be a part of the documentary set on your greatly suggested 4th disc.
So I’d save your proposed 4th disc on Taker stories, some from the legend’s own mouth and other stories from others who have stories to share. Preferably untold stories but any are good enough.
I have my doubts though about any of the above actually happening bc
1. The history of Undertaker’s dvd treatment honestly hasn’t been the best.
2. It was already announced that a Taker doc will be on The Network when JR tweeted about working on it during his last day w/WWE. Whether this is REALLY a documentary – and if it is, how long will it be and what’s the subject matter are still unknown – or will it be an episode of a series of 24, Chronicles, Untold, or any other doc style series, that entirely or partially focuses on him?
An interesting question would be, if we saw an out-of character Mark Calloway or an in-character Undertaker. I hardly remember the “This is my yard” documentary. I saw it last when it had been released. But I remember it was partially out of character. Even his time in WCW was acknowledged 😉 for this “project”, I would prefer a mixture of both. I do not want to hear, how many souls he has collected in 35 years. Let him speak in his American Badass Gimmick, which, as far as I know, is not so far away from his real life persona
You’re right about the ABA. It was an amped up version of his real life self.
Regarding Taker appearing out of character, I for the longest time thought it was impossible, at least till he retired. But considering that he’s appeared out of character – he was on ESPN GameDay, did 2 out of character interviews w/Ed (forgot his last name but Ed is that pastor who’s a wrestling fan and has also had Sting interviewed too) plus he spoke out of character on WWE shows like 24 and Untold and didn’t say anything about taking souls during any of those appearances so not out of the question anymore I’d say.
What I don’t wanna hear is Kane – who btw deserves a career spanning documentary set himself – being referred to as Taker’s brother or half brother or appearing w/his mask on during a career documentary. He was in his Kane attire including his mask on the My Yard documentary so yeah it was a partly kayfabed documentary but the business is way more exposed now and Taker’s lately been more open to doing stuff out of character so….
The only thing surprising is that it took this long to get to this point. This news was obviously coming once the Network was announced 6 years ago. I give them credit for continuing to release non-PPV’s for an extra 6 years though. The next shoe to drop will be when they cut back to just the big 4 PPVs only on DVD. Then it will just be WrestleMania and we’ll see how many years more that will last.
Change is inevitable. Especially in technology. I know a lot of people hate change and are content with having things remain the same but, looking outside the wrestling bubble, physical media’s decline was completely attribute to the rise of streaming services and digital downloads. Convenience will always win out, especially in an age where binge-watching is huge. Pressing a button on your remote and watching whatever you want, wherever you want, instantly, is much more practical than getting up, picking out a single tape/disc, placing it into a player, loading it up, and watching it for a few hours. Look at the music industry as a perfect example. Once iPods and iTunes and instant downloads became the norm, buying CDs went out the window. Same thing is happening with videos now. Another example is books. How many people still buy actual books? Just about everything is a available to purchase digitally to read. Again, change is inevitable. Some people will hate it, but most people enjoy these changes. Physical collector’s like us are a very very very small minority of the overall consumers. Just as the collector’s who still purchase books, CDs, etc. are a very small minority of those consumers.
Simply not true. Books are one media where digital hasn’t proven to be king….
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/09/19/physical-books-still-outsell-e-books-and-heres-why.html
tbf “digital” in itself isn’t the same as streaming/restricted access. if I purchased some mp3/flac/… files on sites like amazon or bandcamp I am able to do pretty much everything with them I could have done with the physical copy.
also, if I story them accurately (and depending on the country you live in, it would be perfectly legal to make a copy for yourself), I don’t need to be worried that all of sudden I can’t listen to them anymore due to some rights issue or whatever.
There’s a lot more people who pay for streaming than buy digitally. The people who buy digital downloads are the ones who want to own them forever. Most people are content with streaming. Hulu has approximately 127 million subscribers worldwide and Netflix has about 157 million subscribers worldwide. I don’t believe digital download numbers are anywhere near those numbers. Bottom line is most people don’t care if they actually own a video. That’s not to say there aren’t people who do.
you are absolutely right. my point was merely that “digital” doesn’t mean “not acquiring a copy” (which to me is laughable. I’m not paying for something I don’t even own in any way or capacity).
“How many people still buy actual books?”
Millions.
Hopefully “All WWE PPVs” will include all Takeover events past and future
Disappointing, but not that shocking. It has been a good 14 years for me, first doc/comp I owned was Taker’s Tombstone DVD. Would have been awesome to bookend it with An actual Taker doc.
I would hope as compensation, they make 2-disc releases the standard for PPVs going forward.
Yes. And if they could use all the space of the discs, and put bonus matches from Raw and Smackdown, that would be great.
Wasted 14 yrs for Wrestling DVD’s HAHAHA RKMO you should definitely get laid you virgin kid.
I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened as these releases have been half ass with no effort.
If PPVs are the only releases they are doing then I guess that is it for me. Its hard to justify paying $15-$20 on a single current WWE PPV, even with Wrestlemania since it hasn’t even been the complete weekend where they have omitted the HOF. The only releases I would most likely buy is if they on Blu-ray. I refuse to purchase low quality DVDs in 2019, even if they released only the big 4 on Blu-ray I would consider purchasing.
i usaually get the wrestlemania releases summerslam unless the event sucks. the royal rumble and survior series i dont buy unless the event is any good. the dvd releases they have released has extras with the same thing on them.
similar here, I’m not interested in downscaled versions of hd content. on the other hand I have been buying every bluray ppv, even the ones that I didn’t enjoy as much, simply because I want to further support Fremantle’s decision to release them financially.
I’m not surprised, since they changed the DVD formatting in 2016, making any footage prior to 2008 on a tube TV small. Best release EVER was WWE Unreleased 1986-1995. Was hoping for more Unreleased sets, but I guess they will be used as WWE Network Hidden Gems.
If they used them as Hidden Gems which could be a definite possibility then I’m hoping that at least once in a while they’re posted as unreleased collection focusing on a specific subject like a year, era, company or a certain talent.
“ Best release EVER was WWE Unreleased 1986-1995. Was hoping for more Unreleased sets”
Personally I can’t pick one unreleased set over the rest as being the “best release EVER” bc I’ve anticipated them so long I love em all equally. If we’re talking about specific talent, then the 86-95 was a great set in that it had a mix of talent so I thought it was the perfect way to kickoff the unreleased sets which was followed by the great unreleased set on Randy Savage and HBK, followed by the one on Roddy Piper which was the last unreleased set so far I think. Wish Taker got one.
I tend to categorize the Hogan set in 2009 (followed by the Bret ‘Dungeon’ set, the ECW Unreleased sets and Attitude Era Vol. 3) as Unreleased sets also, despite the long gaps in time between them, so I wouldn’t personally say that the 86-95 set “kicked it off”.
“since they changed the DVD formatting in 2016, making any footage prior to 2008 on a tube TV small.”
It’s been like that since about 2010, tbh.
I’m actually quite stunned and surprised by this move on the WWE’s part but in return, they should allow or make those specific PPVs from the past that were not originally released onto the format to be available now, like a few of those Saudi Arabia shows and the like as it’s only fair. Planning to get the Finn Balor one late next month and the four major PPV titles in 2020 and that’s it for me. It was a good run.
Its been a great run!
Its not surprising, when they release dvds and not blu rays and its all on the network at a fraction of the price. And the dvds get reduced almost immediately.
Im a completist and carried on with all dvd releases and still subscribed to the network to boot
Towards the end, i didnt like the picking and choosing of what shows to get the kick off matches included on disc
Backlash/No Mercy 2016 & Crown Jewel 2018 not getting the DVD treatment
And filming in HD but releasing on SD
Less documentaries and more match compilations
So will save me money but i hope they do still continue to release ppvs/network specials and maybe make more effort (2 discs or blu rays for all, all kick off matches included on all releases)
That is a sweet ass Miz card
It looks like an exclusive
If i knew the dvd cards were exclusive, i would have bought an american set of dvds for the cards, even tho i cant play them in my region
“Towards the end, i didnt like the picking and choosing of what shows to get the kick off matches included on disc”
It was pretty much just when it was a lame PPV that couldn’t justify having a second disc produced. Adding a second disc adds a fortune to the production value when you think of how many they have to get pressed.
“its all on the network at a fraction of the price.”
I honestly don’t think 9.99 every month for basically the rest of your life (if you are a lifelong fan) is a fraction of the price of a great DVD collection. Plus, you don’t even own the footage and are just hoping that it will always be available on a streaming service.
This sucks ..but i just finish watching the 20 years smackdown dvd and its bad ..you can Feel they are doing minimal work ..not much explanation or cameo about the matches
Its a lazy compilation ..very disapointing no wonder they cancel thoses
Well that sucked, It is partly WWE’s fault for the crappy dvd releases the past couple of years. If they would release something good people would buy it, regardless of streaming and bootlegging. The best documentaries this year have been independent filmmakers this year from Highspots and the 350 days.
highspots had better releases than wwe did
I completely agree
I guess that means no on the dream Undertaker biography. Really is a shame to hear that only ppv’s are getting released from now on.
That might turn out untrue. According to JR who said he filmed for it on his last WWE day, a “documentary” on Taker is being worked on for The Network. Whether it’s an actual documentary or just an episode of 24 or whatever Network show remains to be seen.
Idk its current status or release date