WWE Summerslam 2011: Commercials-a-Mania

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Over the years WWE has raised the price on PPV many times, and as we sit here on August 15, 2011, the cost is as high as ever.

Last night’s Summeslam PPV was a full $54.95 for me, as I opted for the “additional” HD cost. This isn’t a huge deal, as I get every PPV of both companies and it’s just part of the process. However, it was striking just how many commercials aired during the show last night.

Off the top of my head, I remember seeing at least 8 commercials – and not ads for WWE merchandise or shows/movies in which WWE wrestlers appear. I’m talking about pure commercials – Twix, Slim Jim, etc. With a PPV that featured only a few matches announced in advance, and a lengthy live performance by C-Lo Green, it seemed more like an episode of Monday Night Raw than a PPV at times.

Is WWE in the right to sell so much ad time on PPV? For its most loyal fans – those that buy PPVs – it seems like yet another step by WWE to squeeze every last dime out of the diehards as the casual audience buys less and less.

What do you think about WWE’s inclusion of commercials throughout the Summerslam PPV broadcast? Did it hamper your enjoyment of the show?

Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs