The WWE Network Experience

01/20/2021 02:05:55 AM

I remember watching a press conference initiated by World Wrestling Entertainment at the Consumer and Electronics Show in 2014 about a product that is initially seemed a haven for all the wrestling sport entertainment fans. 

And it turns out, it could be a haven for everything about wrestling – or in their terms, sports entertainment – as the Stamford, Connecticut-based promotion launched WWE Network in the first quarter of 2014. 

By then, its first batch of unique offerings includes NXT Arrival and WrestleMania XXX. Since then, this media company has produced its monthly pay-per-views, as well as the past events of WWE/WWF, its former rival WCW, and ECW; plus, other original programming such as documentary features, comedy shows (live-action and in animation), press conferences, and more. Not only that, subscribers can even watch the entire archives of RAW, SmackDown, NXT, Main Event, Superstars, This Week, and anything related to WWE TV programming.

But of course, you could not expect ALL or the entire library of WWE Home Video to be there. Consider yourself lucky if you managed to buy some of their DVDs instead. Also, the most recent episodes of WWE's weekly television offerings aren't uploaded in real-time, so you have to wait for around four weeks for you to see that and do your catch-up.

However, it took them a couple of years for this product to become accessible to other countries such as the Philippines. Hey, at least, everyone here can now get a hand on them – legally – in just a not-so-hefty price of 500-ish pesos. It is quite a good steal, even if they want to binge-watch the good stuff behind the scenes, such as Rivalries, Monday Night Wars, WWE 24, WWE 365. You better hope your internet connection would cooperate because app streaming thru Chromecast lags too longer than using Netflix and YouTube thru the same platform 

From December 2019 to early 2020, I decided to give WWE Network a chance by subscribing to this online streaming network. And part of their usual scheme at the time is by giving them a 'free month' as a trial period – a common practice among today's internet-based watching portals. 

Since the second quarter of 2020, WWE has tailored a 'free version' wherein recent episodes (well, actually a month's worth) of RAW, SmackDown, and NXT were made available for users post-shows called Raw Talk and Talking Smack. Selected PPVs and other Home Video/Original programming were also available, but only for a limited time.

And as of March 2021, WWE Network will be available only to non-US subscribers after a deal signed this promotion and NBC Universal, the father company of the Peacock TV app.

To quote my friend and fellow wrestling fan Direk Jiggy Gregorio, WWE Network is quite a 'good shit' for an avid hardcore WWE fan. I do recommend you to get one, but not if:

1. You can get through a lot of streaming sites anyway (and spare yourself from the ya-know-harmful shits).

2. You only watch for pay-per-views alone, especially since their present product does suck (just except for NXT).

3. You have already subscribed to many streaming services, assuming you have limited time to watch WWE shows that it would also cost you additional money.

Well, unless you're that interested in spending a lot for your entertainment and enjoyment.

Verdict: 8.5

Author: slickmaster | © 2021 The SlickMaster's Files