Online PPV Streaming Woes

[Jay 2K Winger]

So... let's just say it's a Global Rasslin Company's biggest PPV of the year. (I think you all know who I mean, but, hey, obfuscation.) Were I not working on Sundays, I would be hooking up with friends and ordering the PPV on cable, hey presto, have a good time.

As I DO work Sundays, and wasn't able to swing this one to get the night off, I decide instead to just order the PPV and stream it through their website. Although The Client's network blocks some streaming sites (like Netflix), I was able to order GRC's January PPV and watch it without issue. So I have no reason to suspect GRC's Mega PPV this month would be any different.

Alas, this is not so. The pre-show went without issue. I was able to watch about the first two minutes of the PPV itself-- which was narrated by the local state governor, talking about how the human spirit had rallied back from Sandy and welcoming everyone to his home state and the Mega PPV. I get to see some Nat'l Guard troops waving some flags, and then-- the stream stops. An error pops up "Our apologies. The service is unavailable."

Noooooo.

I try reloading the page, and it buffers for a while, but then I get a different error on the same lines. For a moment, I'm worried The Client's network locked it down, but a quick check online in some wrestling threads and on Twitter confirmed other people were having the same issue.

I keep trying back a few times-- alternating between checking some other sites and complaining up a storm on Twitter-- but it's now an hour-plus into the PPV, and I still either get one of the two errors or an endlessly looping loading graphic. I've sent off two emails to GRC's tech support about this, politely worded. As yet, I've heard nothing back, but I'm hoping I can get a refund on this.

The fault is squarely on GRC. They did hype that fans could order the PPV and view it on multiple services this year-- stream it to your wireless device (tablets, phones) with their app, and even through Xbox Live-- but they apparently didn't stress-test their servers first.

Sigh. I was looking forward to watching it live, too.

[Teskeria]

lol. I currently work front line, low level tech for a sat company. I had to explain to a guy yesterday that he couldn't record the live event and watch it later. ppv on a live event covers only the exact times the event runs. However, unlike most times, (ppv's aren't refundable except under very specific circumstances once they start as there are too many scam artists out there), he checked before the event started. so he could cancel that order. and saved a lot of moola

[Jay 2K Winger]

lol. I currently work front line, low level tech for a sat company. I had to explain to a guy yesterday that he couldn't record the live event and watch it later. ppv on a live event covers only the exact times the event runs. However, unlike most times, (ppv's aren't refundable except under very specific circumstances once they start as there are too many scam artists out there), he checked before the event started. so he could cancel that order. and saved a lot of moola

I know that in some cases, ordering the PPV grants you the ability to view replays within a certain time frame. But those replays aren't on-demand.

Update: I got a reply back from GRC, basic form letter stating they were aware of the issue and had people looking into it. I'm sure I can probably watch the PPV again later through streaming on-demand (the Xbox Live app, for instance), but a delayed-showing of the PPV isn't the same as watching it live.

I've stayed as dark as possible on the results so I don't spoil it.

[smileyeagle1021]

but they apparently didn't stress-test their servers first.

So, it looks like they took Product Launch 101 from EA then?
I seriously can't believe how many companies brag about how big their launches are going to be who are then caught off guard with how big their launch was.

[PepperElf]

yeah i'm hoping they refund you cos you didn't get what you paid for.
if not... well there's the credit card company route hopefully

[Jay 2K Winger]

Okay, so some two hours after the PPV started, the stream started working... but it wasn't live. It started from the beginning instead. I wasn't interested in seeing things that delayed-- since I usually like to live-tweet while I watch, and didn't want to see spoilers from other wrestling fans in my Twitter timeline as I went. So I waited until I got home.

Get home, and fire up the GRC Xbox Live app. It's still listing the PPV as Live, however. When I tried to watch it, it started running from (as I found out later) about an hour into the event. So I shut it off and caught up on Dr. Who to give it time. Tried the app again after, and it still ran from the same place. Ugh.

So I fired up the laptop and went to the official GRC stream. It was working! Hooray! ... but it never seemed to run for longer than ten minutes (sometimes as little as two) before having to buffer. After about two hours of that nonsense, I got fed up and tried the Xbox Live app again. It was working properly... but started with the PPV Pre-Show, which was an hour long. So it took quite a lot of fast-forwarding to get to where I'd left off.

Watched about an hour of that before there was a power outage at my house. It lasted all of 30 seconds or so, but it meant I had to power back up the Xbox and log back into the app-- then fast-forward through the PPV again until I got to wear it left off.

On top of all of that, the PPV was just disappointing as a whole. So not worth the money. If I weren't forced to use legitimate streaming sources at work due to The Client's network restrictions, I wouldn't have been using GRC's official stream.

[mjr]

Global Rasslin Company

Well, I keep up with PPVs and such (when I'm interested) through Wrestling-Edge.com. They usually do a "liveblogging" thing, so you can read about what happened in the matches. I know it's not the same as watching, but it's better than nothing.

Did you at least get your money back from Global Rasslin' Company since you couldn't watch the Mania of Wrestling?

And speaking of Rasslin'...ever seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV-i-H-Vbew

[Jay 2K Winger]

Well, I keep up with PPVs and such (when I'm interested) through Wrestling-Edge.com. They usually do a "liveblogging" thing, so you can read about what happened in the matches. I know it's not the same as watching, but it's better than nothing.

Did you at least get your money back from Global Rasslin' Company since you couldn't watch the Mania of Wrestling?

And speaking of Rasslin'...ever seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV-i-H-Vbew

Yeah, in the event of other shows where I'm not ordering it, I'll either follow what's happening on Twitter, or I'll load up my wrestling news site of choice (411wrestling.com) to keep up on results.

No word yet on a refund from GRC.

[PizzaDrone]

Your best bet is to complain directly to the company. Have heard that some are doing this and getting refunds sorted out quick-smart.

Even worse, there were people who attended the event (some paying $200 per ticket) only to find themselves sat behind huge pillars that blocked their views. Quite a mess, plus other issues with the show that I won't go in to because of spoilers.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Yeah, I've heard about the people with the obstructed views, which is a carry over from last year, when there were a lot of the same issues. It comes about because WWE wants to run Mania in big stadiums without a roof, but they have to provide some kind of cover to the ring to protect it against possible rain.

I've fired off an email to GRC's support (the same email that sent the form letter response to my complaints last night) relating some of the issues I experienced (but not the power outage-- that wasn't their fault) getting the stream to work, requesting a refund after expressing my disappointment in the service. We'll see what happens.

[Demolition Man]

It's reported that GRC is refunding people due to the outage. Meanwhile I always have to cross my finger when I order Small Indy Wrestling Company's PPVs online (*cough*RINGOFHONOR*cough*). Trust me nothing better than watching Kevin Steen defend the belt against Jay Briscoe. SCUM hitting the ring. Veda Scott trying to stop Cliff Compton from getting in the ring.... AND BAM THE FEED GOES DARK! OH GOD WHAT AM I MISSING? DID STEEN RETAIN THE TITLE OMGOMGOMGOMG... okay feed is back... they are still fighting in the ring... AND OUT IT GOES AGAIN... omgcalmdownDemo... breathe... BREATHE DAMN IT... "its still real to me, dammit"...



.... then the feed comes back again....


... and Jay Briscoe is celebrating in the ring with the ROH World Title.




Nothing against Jay Briscoe congrats but damn it ROH stop messing up your streams.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Nothing against Jay Briscoe congrats but damn it ROH stop messing up your streams.

Hahaha, you reminded me of a great exchange I was a part of at Chikara Pro's King of Trios last year.

One of the trios was Team ROH-- Mike Bennett & The Young Bucks. Night 2 of KOT happened to be the same day as an ROH iPPV. I'm checking Twitter throughout the night, and see that, once again, ROH's iPPV stream is having issues.

Them Team ROH comes out for their match.

Heckler: "Hey, Bennett! Does this mean you're not gonna be on the i-Pay Per View?"
J2K: "NOBODY'S on the i-Pay Per View!"
Fans:

[Jay 2K Winger]

UPDATE.

Well, I got a letter back from GRC today. Form letter basically. Apologizing for the problems that I had, but also noting that I had been able to view it after the problems had been resolved.

No refund, it would seem.

You won't catch me buying their PPVs on their streams again, though.

[SilverOrb]

I had a big party at my house for the event. Kept getting errors during the preshow. We didn't get to see any of the two hour preshow. Almost missed the whole event itself. Had to record it and watch it on a few minute delay. Not happy. But they took 20 off... Better than nothing I guess.

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