Support NeoGAF

[Big Baybee]

It's hard to watch and has been for a very long time.

 

[JesseEwiak]

Your basically blaming a bunch of actors for being stuck in Uwe Boll movies and being mad they can't break out. There is no one like Kenny in the WWE because they wouldn't allow him to do the stuff he does. so yes they would turn him into another Dolph Ziggler which is a huge problem . Big E also comes off so much better outside of the wwe. anderson and gallows were way better in new japan. Also no a lot of people who are huge in other parts of entertainment aren't crazy and some are. Thats a personal choice thing. Your company has a problem when your biggest stars of the past talk about how they couldn't make in today's WWE. Goldberg came back and sounded so much more natural on the mic because he wasn't on a script . Also you don't really​ know how any wrestlers were in the 80s or 90s in there personal life because there wasn't soical media youtube and a 24 hour news coverage. Your idea of them is what you were told . That's not the case anymore you see so much more of these guys. You never got to see how sad and pathetic a lot of those guys were back in the day.

No, I'm blaming a bunch of actors for becoming fantastic stuntmen, but never learning how to actually cut an effective monologue. Yes, Seth Rollins isn't given good material. But, he doesn't even deliver the bad material well. Look at somebody like Cena. He's been given a lot of terrible shit over the years, but Cena cutting a terrible promo is still better than most of the roster a "good" promo.

As for Omega, he's special because he's basically a snowflake in Florida. Something special and unique. Outside of Japan, how different is he? Oh, he's a great worker who does some wacky facials. Great.

Roman's booking has been shit for 2 years though. Retiring Undertaker probably doesn't help if you're trying to make him into a likable guy to build the company around. I mean, he's not a bad wrestler, but it's not like there's any reason to cheer for the dude. At least he has good matches? But I was told that match quality doesn't matter...

I agree, Roman's booking has been shit. He should've beat Brock at WM at went from there. He's lost way too much.

Again, you want more people to be booked like Roman, not Roman booked like a geek like everybody else.

Fuck lmao.

To those, nah. Their talent pool is actually the best it's ever been in WWE history. They've also trained guys well. The problem is that not many get a chance to cut their "own promo" (Dean Ambrose for example, one of their best guys on the mic, only recently began cutting his own promos a few years ago) and they give them a script. Some guys can toss the script, some can't.

I mean, the fact you list a Roddy Piper/Brian Pillman tribute act as one of the "best guys on the mic" is why the WWE is in trouble.

But more widely, the WWE only has it's "best roster ever" if you're only qualifier is "does 2017 indy style matches well."

BTW, I don't think it is any signal micro issue, like who WWE is or is not pushing, like Roman Reigns. Like, even if a Internet favorite was on top of Raw, like AJ Styles, I think the ratings would largely be unchanged. Rather, it's the macro issue of the general direction of the product/business. General booking issues. Issues, BTW, people have been talking about for many years now, long before Roman Reigns even was part of the company, let alone being pushed.

That being said, if you want to blame any signal element, it would DEFINITELY be the show being 3+ hours. There was a clear change in the ratings pattern when that became the norm.

This is basically true. Even if the WWE was booked well, it'd still be doing 2.5 or 2.7's because of the three hours and cable degradation.

Even if everybodies Internet Heroes were pushed and got over, the days of the WWE drawing 6's is over. It's never going to be 1998 again.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

I'm with Jesse. Wrestling, itself, is more boring now because wrestlers simply are not what they used to be, on the whole. The industry has contracted and the money not as good, so it's primarily staffed by enthusiasts of the art form, itself, rather than people recruited for their talent and ability to draw.

Also, Raw has stayed relatively strong compared to other cable offerings, so in truth, much of its decline is attributable to the decline in television, itself.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Fuck lmao.

To those, nah. Their talent pool is actually the best it's ever been in WWE history. They've also trained guys well. The problem is that not many get a chance to cut their "own promo" (Dean Ambrose for example, one of their best guys on the mic, only recently began cutting his own promos a few years ago) and they give them a script. Some guys can toss the script, some can't.

The belts have also been improved a great amount.

The main issue revolves the company micromanaging many stars thus they not only get a chance to cut their own promos, they get their characters held back, they can't do everything they wanna do in the ring and in turn you combine that with storylines that they can't evolve themselves? You get a bad product.

It's deeper when it comes to athleticism but when it comes to actual draws and pretty much everything else it's a relative kiddy pool today compared to what it was even 20, let alone 30-40 years ago. Much was lost when territories died out and got infinitely worse after WCW went under and WWE became the only place in North America to really make good money reliably. There weren't so many wrestlers becoming millionaires back then but there were a lot more guys in the 70s or early 80s who could make a good living in the business with around 30 different places they could work and if they didn't like how things were going they could go somewhere else, now you've got one and talent content with their spot and unwilling to rock the boat because there's too much risk involved.

 

[Strangelove77]

Why the fuck would you watch Raw anyways? What is it, like 4 hours now? And maybe about 45 minutes of wrestling at best.

 

[billy beane]

Let's be honest: no one outside a small, dedicated fan base gives a fuck about wrestling anymore. That audience is gone, people don't want to watch pretend sports. Especially when real sports have more drama than the fake sports, which is what made wrasslin so popular in the first place.

There is almost no reason to watch wrestling anymore now that UFC/MMA is thriving.

MMA is far from thriving. Outside UFC no one makes money. Fighter compensation is ridiculous. Very few MMA fighters are financially successful. It's a shittier business than pro wrestling. You're gonna see a lot of guys like Matt Riddle realizing they can make more money fake fighting and saving their health in the process.

 

[Heroman]

Even if everybodies Internet Heroes were pushed and got over, the days of the WWE drawing 6's is over. It's never going to be 1998 again.

Internet Hero? What in the world.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Also, Dean Ambrose is, I'm pretty sure, who Vince was talking about when he said that some of the millennials that work for him are just fucking lazy. I genuinely think the dude could have willed himself to be great, but instead, he's content to just deliver whatever shit they give him and has let his wrestling degrade into shitty comedy, Downy soft strikes, slow technical shit, and maybe one or two decentish grapples repeated ad nauseum. Mentioning him as anything other than wasted potential and the human embodiment of regression is just kinda silly, the dude frankly deserves to be on NXT house shows with how bad his wrestling is much of the time.

 

[Heroman]

I'm with Jesse. Wrestling, itself, is more boring now because wrestlers simply are not what they used to be, on the whole. The industry has contracted and the money not as good, so it's primarily staffed by enthusiasts of the art form, itself, rather than people recruited for their talent and ability to draw.

Also, Raw has stayed relatively strong compared to other cable offerings, so in truth, much of its decline is attributable to the decline in television, itself.

Naw, they pretty much the same, if you put someone like KO or AJ in any promotion throughout time they would be legit super stars.

 

[mreddie]

Let's be honest: no one outside a small, dedicated fan base gives a fuck about wrestling anymore. That audience is gone, people don't want to watch pretend sports. Especially when real sports have more drama than the fake sports, which is what made wrasslin so popular in the first place.

When you see better drama during a NBA game than a Roman Reigns match.

 

[The Silver]

Also, Dean Ambrose is, I'm pretty sure, who Vince was talking about when he said that some of the millennials that work for him are just fucking lazy. I genuinely think the dude could have willed himself to be great, but instead, he's content to just deliver whatever shit they give him and has let his wrestling degrade into shitty comedy, Downy soft strikes, slow technical shit, and maybe one or two decentish grapples repeated ad nauseum. Mentioning him as anything other than wasted potential and the human embodiment of regression is just kinda silly, the dude frankly deserves to be on NXT house shows with how bad his wrestling is much of the time.

Tell that to Dean, guy loves bragging about all the dates he works and how no one wrestlers more than him or whatever.

When it comes to wasted potential I always think of Jack Swagger, the guy had all the physical gifts and real life skills to be a fucking Brock/Angle level force in the ring and he gave me nothing, goddamn you Swagger.

 

[Cagey]

Are you suggesting that there are so many smarks at WWE shows that they drown out every non-smark fan when it comes to cheering for "New Japan" guys like Nakamura or AJ Styles?

That the smarks meld the opinions when it comes to Roman Reigns and his push, that it thus becomes majority?

Or perhaps the smarks are just so vocal that they influence the majority of the casual WWE crowd into thinking the same?

If the smarks are the majority, should they be catered to?

By catering to smarks you trap yourself into stagnant and slowing decreasing profits: by placating the diehard fans who won't go anywhere and gearing your product to their niche tastes you sacrifice opportunities to expand the fan base.

This is true for every form of entertainment.

Ratings have been in free fall with smark favs well established as regular players.

 

[Anth0ny]

By catering to smarks you trap yourself into stagnant and slowing decreasing profits: by placating the diehard fans who won't go anywhere and gearing your product to their niche tastes you sacrifice opportunities to expand the fan base.

This is true for every form of entertainment. Ratings have been in free fall with smark favs well established as regular players.

I agree. WWE needs to stop catering to the damn smarks and turn these ratings around.

 

[FyreWulff]

WWE needs competition

unfortunately you need a rich person with a near unlimited bank account to fund any competition against the WWE, ala WCW. TNA could have been like it but then Dixie became a mark for herself and the talent and sunk the ship.

 

[Heroman]

By catering to smarks you trap yourself into stagnant and slowing decreasing profits: by placating the diehard fans who won't go anywhere and gearing your product to their niche tastes you sacrifice opportunities to expand the fan base.

This is true for every form of entertainment.

Ratings have been in free fall with smark favs well established as regular players.

They aren't catering to smarks

 

[billy beane]

When you see better drama during a NBA game than a Roman Reigns match.

Better workrate too.

Great bump by Olynyk.

 

[Nutcasey]

I stopped watching when the brand split happened. It's just too much to have 5 hours of programming a week. I was happy with one show as my way of keeping up with things but two is just too much.

 

[mreddie]

Great bump by Olynyk.

Took a bump better than Hogan.

 

[Cagey]

They aren't catering to smarks

Not exclusively, of course, but they certainly do to a good extent.

The continued existence of Reigns and Miz and Orton don't negate how many indie darlings (and WWEs in-house faux organic version, NXT darlings) are currently found up and down the card.

 

[Evening Musuko]

Let's be honest: no one outside a small, dedicated fan base gives a fuck about wrestling anymore. That audience is gone, people don't want to watch pretend sports. Especially when real sports have more drama than the fake sports, which is what made wrasslin so popular in the first place.

You'd think the fact that WWE is pre-determined would give it a leg up over real sports, but this is the same company that botched the Invasion and turned Stone Cold heel in the same year.

 

[Heroman]

Not exclusively, of course, but they certainly do to a good extent.

The continued existence of Reigns and Miz and Orton don't negate how many indie darlings (and WWEs in-house faux organic version, NXT darlings) are currently found up and down the card.

Bur WWe has heavily used outside Talent through there history, mic Foley was Indy darlings, so was Bret. Let not forget Eddie and wild Pegasus


When I watch raw no smark want to have long promos, meaningless matches,belts,feuds,, 50/50 booking and etc

 

[cordy]

I mean, the fact you list a Roddy Piper/Brian Pillman tribute act as one of the "best guys on the mic" is why the WWE is in trouble.

But more widely, the WWE only has it's "best roster ever" if you're only qualifier is "does 2017 indy style matches well."

?

So you're saying that someone's mic skills are shot when others see former wrestlers similarities with theirs? Are you saying Miz is bad on the mic because his character has pieces of Rock and Edge's characters in his?

Secondly, what are other qualifications of having "the best wrestling talent pool" when it deals with in-ring action? What you got?

It's deeper when it comes to athleticism but when it comes to actual draws and pretty much everything else it's a relative kiddy pool today compared to what it was even 20, let alone 30-40 years ago. Much was lost when territories died out and got infinitely worse after WCW went under and WWE became the only place in North America to really make good money reliably. There weren't so many wrestlers becoming millionaires back then but there were a lot more guys in the 70s or early 80s who could make a good living in the business with around 30 different places they could work and if they didn't like how things were going they could go somewhere else, now you've got one and talent content with their spot and unwilling to rock the boat because there's too much risk involved.

I'm talking about actual in-ring action only.

 

[Fast Forward]

You act like he was handed a title shot without having a match lmao

He won it in a six-man match where he cheated to win. The booking was perfectly fine.

I'm well aware of that. But you just cannot take a guy from jobberville, give him one win out of nowhere, and boom, he's challenging for the world title at a PPV, and have it be credible.

 

[Piston Hyundai]

I have watched more 2000s WCW in the past two days than I've watched WWE in two weeks

 

[UberTag]

I don't know why people care the belt isn't there, what the fuck was Owens doing with it when he had it? Being the champ doesn't mean shit if you're still booked like a goober, get me some good characters then I'll care about the belt, at least with Brock the champ is booked like he's special.

Even that's a stretch for my money.
Goldberg was the transitional champion and wasn't trusted to work a match longer than a minute prior to Part-TimerMania.
Brock hasn't wrestled since and is effectively keeping the belt warm until he eventually is called upon to make Roman look strong. Which likely isn't happening until NEXT Part-TimerMania.

 

[mreddie]

I have watched more 2000s WCW in the past two days than I've watched WWE in two weeks

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK

 

[billy beane]

I have watched more 2000s WCW in the past two days than I've watched WWE in two weeks

Guys we need to have a talk about Piston Hyundai he's losing his mind and I'm worried.

 

[Fast Forward]

This is basically true. Even if the WWE was booked well, it'd still be doing 2.5 or 2.7's because of the three hours and cable degradation.

Even if everybodies Internet Heroes were pushed and got over, the days of the WWE drawing 6's is over. It's never going to be 1998 again.

Yes, and no.

Yes, it's never gonna be the Attitude Era again. Hell, it's never gonna be the Hogan Era again. Days of boom periods are over. Largely because there's no real competition. No WCW. No NWA. No AWA. WWE has a virtual monopoly. Yes, you have your ROHs, TNAs, and Indies, but those are barely a blimp on the radar in comparison to a major wrestling company like WWE.

Yes, 3+ hours Raws have a clear affect, and it shows in the ratings pattern.

Personally, I just don't think it's just the degradation of cable, or cord-cutting. Yes, to extent that plays a part, but there's much more to the ratings story than that. WWE's ratings in the last several years, and especially last year, or two, have fallen at a rate faster than cord-cutting. For whatever people to want to point to, bottom line is fans are increasingly having a lack of interest in the current product.

 

[Evening Musuko]

I have watched more 2000s WCW in the past two days than I've watched WWE in two weeks

I hope you're doing this because you're listening to "Keep it 2000" and want to keep up with the podcast. Even Brother Nate and Brother Mann can't make me watch an episode of that.

Not exclusively, of course, but they certainly do to a good extent.

The continued existence of Reigns and Miz and Orton don't negate how many indie darlings (and WWEs in-house faux organic version, NXT darlings) are currently found up and down the card.

Hasn't this always been the case? WWE's been snatching up the talent from smaller territories forever.

 

[Piston Hyundai]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK

Guys we need to have a talk about Piston Hyundai he's losing his mind and I'm worried.

look man

Disqo, Norman Smiley, and Alex Wright are all amazing and there's nothing you can say to take that away from me

I hope you're doing this because you're listening to "Keep it 2000" and want to keep up with the podcast. Even Brother Nate and Brother Mann can't make me watch an episode of that.

First I've heard of it.

 

[MaverickHunterX]

Guys, just tossing this out there - rather than starting a new WrassleGAF thread.

I've been listening a lot to Jim Cornette's podcast and been watching a lot of attitude era WWF, and had a thought...

How long has it been since HHH/Steph were hailed as good guys? Yeah, I get it - they're trying to emulate Vince and so on, but I think about when Shawn Michaels was commish, and when Stephanie (and Linda) aided Stone Cold against Vince/Shane, and how they were able to get a big push (towards themselves and their sponsored good guy) versus playing the asshole.

For years, especially with Roman/Rollins, the Helmsleys have been used to push the new babyface with mixed results. And like you all said earlier, the heels kinda suck lately. Perhaps if those two would switch sides, the Powers that be could step aside and let the bad guys be bad.

And also, is the only thing that can save Reigns is to undergo a "Rocky Maivia" to "The Rock" transformation? Or is it already too late?

 

[Aiii]

Guys, just tossing this out there - rather than starting a new WrassleGAF thread.

This thread is discuss RAM's ratings, you can post your thoughts here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1366747&page=166

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

WWE needs competition

unfortunately you need a rich person with a near unlimited bank account to fund any competition against the WWE, ala WCW. TNA could have been like it but then Dixie became a mark for herself and the talent and sunk the ship.

Dixie wasn't that, Dixie was a money mark who got suckered into Hogan, Bischoff's and Vince Russo's bullshit but she didn't have a near unlimited bank account, she had her father's checkbook before pretty much getting cut off for losing so much money but they were never, ever going to come close to the budget WWE has even if Robert Carter was all in with TNA they're no 80s-90s Ted Turner whose greatest advantage was owning his own major cable networks and I don't think Dixie's daddy had as much money as Vince at this point let alone WWE as a whole. Panda Energy has a much higher net worth but everything they make gets tied back into the energy business and they wouldn't risk dumping how ever much money needed into a side business/money pit they'd need to dump into wrasslin to become a legit threat to Vince.

We have the shit lords that run Sinclair who own ROH but don't seem interested in putting any more money into it than they have to for what's basically cheap content for them to produce to fill time even though now they're going to have a major cable network they could use as a platform for ROH and the money to do it they probably wouldn't.




Keep fucking Stephanie (and Triple H) off TV and take Shane with them. McMahon shit is beyond played out, it's been going on for nearly 20 years at this point.

 

[DMczaf]

Better workrate too.

Great bump by Olynyk.

Nice flat back bump.

Put the move over, and protected the business.

 

[Anth0ny]

Nice flat back bump.

Put the move over, and protected the business.

Olynyk, the Toronto native, took a bump for the business to prove that he could work!

 

[SallyIsNow]

smh at people falling for the JesseEwiak baking a pie meme.

 

[Biggest-Geek-Ever]

baking a pie.

Filth.

 

[billy beane]

Nice flat back bump.

Put the move over, and protected the business.

Did you see that pop for the hometown babyface? Definitely will draw a town for the rematch.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Guys, just tossing this out there - rather than starting a new WrassleGAF thread.

I've been listening a lot to Jim Cornette's podcast and been watching a lot of attitude era WWF, and had a thought...

How long has it been since HHH/Steph were hailed as good guys? Yeah, I get it - they're trying to emulate Vince and so on, but I think about when Shawn Michaels was commish, and when Stephanie (and Linda) aided Stone Cold against Vince/Shane, and how they were able to get a big push (towards themselves and their sponsored good guy) versus playing the asshole.

For years, especially with Roman/Rollins, the Helmsleys have been used to push the new babyface with mixed results. And like you all said earlier, the heels kinda suck lately. Perhaps if those two would switch sides, the Powers that be could step aside and let the bad guys be bad.

And also, is the only thing that can save Reigns is to undergo a "Rocky Maivia" to "The Rock" transformation? Or is it already too late?

WWE should scrap the whole "Authority" Heel/Face thing altogether. It's not 1997 anymore, and HHH is not Vince. Opposing the boss isn't going to get heat.

HHH thinks he still has drawing power or that having someone beat him will put them over. He needs to realize that nobody's going to tune in to see HHH lose in 2017.

 

[pbayne]

Hire Russo back. It'd be shit tv and lol would probably make ratings drop faster. But it wouldn't be boring at least.

 

[MaverickHunterX]

This thread is discuss RAM's ratings, you can post your thoughts here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1366747&page=166

My apologies. Will do so.

 

[FyreWulff]

Dixie wasn't that, Dixie was a money mark who got suckered into Hogan, Bischoff's and Vince Russo's bullshit but she didn't have a near unlimited bank account, she had her father's checkbook before pretty much getting cut off for losing so much money but they were never, ever going to come close to the budget WWE has even if Robert Carter was all in with TNA they're no 80s-90s Ted Turner whose greatest advantage was owning his own major cable networks and I don't think Dixie's daddy had as much money as Vince at this point let alone WWE as a whole. Panda Energy has a much higher net worth but everything they make gets tied back into the energy business and they wouldn't risk dumping how ever much money needed into a side business/money pit they'd need to dump into wrasslin to become a legit threat to Vince.

We have the shit lords that run Sinclair who own ROH but don't seem interested in putting any more money into it than they have to for what's basically cheap content for them to produce to fill time even though now they're going to have a major cable network they could use as a platform for ROH and the money to do it they probably wouldn't.




Keep fucking Stephanie (and Triple H) off TV and take Shane with them. McMahon shit is beyond played out, it's been going on for nearly 20 years at this point.

She had a TV slot on basic cable and pissed it away because Spike told her to not re-hire Vince Russo and then she proceeded to secretly hire Vince Russo and then revealed she had hired him.

 

[Jason Frost]

Time to bring back the Monday Night War with WCW.

 

[DMczaf]

Olynyk, the Toronto native, took a bump for the business to prove that he could work!

That's a worker. Get him booked for the next territory

Did you see that pop for the hometown babyface? Definitely will draw a town for the rematch.

When you put talent over, you draw money, brother

 

[Forkball]

A lot of people are blaming the performers, but really, it's the booking. It's been especially dreadful after Wrestlemania, which is ironic since many matches at WM had good builds. If you told me they fired the entire writing team right after Reigns pinned Taker, I'd believe you.

I'm going to handpick just a few of the bewildering decision they've made recently:

Jinder Mahal: The dude was jobbing to Mojo Rawley, and then the next week he gets a world title shot after losing for months. The poster child for week-by-week booking and expecting fans to take to someone immediately instead of gradually building them up. He is the anti-Braun Strowman.

Seth Rollins: He should've come back as a hugely over babyface, but instead they kept him heel for months. He is betrayed by HHH. LITERALLY MONTHS LATER he finally decides to ask, "Hey, why'd you do that?" and has a hollow feud with him. HHH vs. Rollins should've been a big program, but it was so dull because they didn't do anything captivating with Rollins since his return and expect audiences to Ooo and Aaa at a victory over Trips.

Miz: He had an amazing year on Smackdown and actually got people excited about a Nikki Bella match. After going to Raw, it's like everything he's done was instantly washed away. People were expecting him to be a world champ in 2017 due to his promos, but he will be lucky if he holds the IC title on Raw.

WWE Title: AJ had a great run with it, though admittedly he was lacking competition. Nonetheless, it helped AJ get over big time and the biggest star on Smackdown as the WWE champ, as it should be. Cena gets it for a month and then loses it to Bray, who loses it a month later. Honestly I don't mind hot potatoing titles, but only if it heats up a feud. I like Orton, but he does not need to be near the title at all.

Universal Title: They outta put this on the side of a milk carton. We already had the disappearing title act with Brock years ago, we don't need to see it again. With Balor, Reigns, Miz, Strowman, Rollins, Joe, Ambrose, Sheamus etc. you could have some fresh title matchups, but now Brock is basically holding it hostage until they build up someone big enough to take it off him (coughreignscough)

Not to mention, why would anyone sit through THREE HOURS of Raw when they could just Youtube the best moments later on? Yes, you don't get the live experience, but I think people would rather spend twenty minutes sifting through what happened on Raw and watching the notable segments instead of dedicating a LotR movie's worth of time to bad television.

 

[HT UK]

I was at the Raw in London on Monday and it was really dull. Crowd weren't into it at all, they were dead all night.

Smackdown last night on the other hand, was a lot more enjoyable

 

[siddx]

I'm not in the wrestling business, and I hate people who don't work in a field thinking they know how to fix problems in said field (as a teacher its fucking infuriating).

But I've always wished they would have the raw show be the "follow the script, let's sell that merchandise, push Roman because kids love superman punching each other on the playground" platform. While smackdown would have a later time slot and would be more unscripted, let them improv, treat the wrestlers like adults instead of children who get in trouble for acting like normal adults, and in general give them leeway to experiment and find a nice ground between the unchecked fuckery of attitude era and the advertiser friendly modern era.
Probably wouldn't work because again, I'm not in the business and don't know betty from two holes in the dirt, but it sounds good to me.

 

[Brinbe]

It's definitely the booking, what they choose to focus on (it usually isn't good wrestling) and who they choose to push. And by that, I mean they (they being Vince) usually goes their own way regardless of what the crowd really wants, which is the antithesis of how things should be done.

And yes, delivering 3 hours of television every week with the same crew of guys is a difficult thing to manage. You can only go so long before you've already seen the same matchups a billion times and things simply stagnate. Even a NJPW would struggle having to fill that amount of time per week. That also partly explains why their WWE 'style' of wrasslin is so stale, boring, conservative. Those guys work so many dates so it makes sense to save their bodies for the long grind.

But that doesn't excuse how bad things are. When you can't even conjure up compelling storylines or drama (IN A FAKE FUCKING SHOW WHERE YOU CONTROL THE RESULTS) then you're simply failing, period.

Anyway, regardless, it's a shitty fucking product right now and they deserve the ratings they currently are receiving.

It's kinda maddening that right now they have this insanely good crop of workers right now and they're wasting all of them. Focus on guys who are actually great at the craft, like your Owens/Joe/Cesaro/Harper/Jericho/Styles/Nakamura/Zayn and let them work. You have all this fucking time to play with each week, use it!

 

[Aiii]

I'd say it's not so much the booking, but the scripting of the show. The storylines aren't good because the most talented people in the company aren't allowed to properly evolve and contribute. They hire a bunch of soap opera writers, who then write stories that Vince has to approve, which is not the easiest thing given how on average a writer in WWE lasts 3 to 6 months before quitting.

Meanwhile, the actors on the show, who, in the case of the top guys who are almost all exclusively self-made stars, are used to improv and maintaining their own characters. Rather than being fed lines, they're used to being their character. They're not actors and never will be, which is why every top wrestler that ever was is just an extrapolated version of their own personality.

For an example: Miz didn't get good until Miz got to be Miz, it was true during his WWE title run, and it was true during the past year. He's a stuck up arrogant motherfucker and that's what works for him. Nothing they ever scripted for him has worked, except that.

You can have writers on the production set and help create storylines, put two wrestlers together and collaborate with them on how to create a compelling storyline. That's what they did in the late 90s and wrestling was fun then. They need to get back to that, because whenever this happens, wrestling is good enough to watch.

WWE is too concerned with established stars, pushing the right guy so more shirts get sold, that they forget that sales come with a guy getting over. Punk went off script once and within a month had his t-shirt outselling even Cena, because he was having fun with his character and the audience immediately connected with that.

Less scripting, more creative control to the performers, it's the only way to make a show even remotely worth watching.

 

[twinturbo2]

Did someone say Nitro?!

Of course you have the Lee Marshall avatar!

NoGAF, where we talk about the Sony WeaselStation 4!