*Official* Pro-Wrestling Thread II

[Niall]

Its not going to go bust soon, and money is been made, but for all the top workers there, wrestling is cold right now. Then of course no matter how much you enjoy the current product, the only full time dude on the roster that is a genuine star is Cena, and only so much he can do. He needs a supporting cast to prop up business, Punk is a massive loss for Chicago and along with Bryan, the E have lost 2 solid established draws.

A day is going to come and it won't be to far away, Cena will be winding down, and the part timers won't be able to move the needle.

 

[harsh.ag]

All they really need is to construct a mike out of which, when Michael Cole speaks, JR's voice comes out

 

[sledger]

Or, y'know, just re-hire the actual Jim Ross for the millionth time.

But yeah, no denying that the market for pro wrestling itself isn't in an especially strong state these days, and so that has inevitably hurt the WWE. But, at the same time, as we have said time and time again in here, they really haven't helped themselves. An over-reliance on Cena/older guys/part-timers and a failure to establish credible new performers is now biting them in the ass big time.

 

[Athlai]

I mean they're still raking in the dollars. I think the ratings stuff is definitely over thought, it's a low point but this is hardly the worst spot wrestling has ever been in. Media is evolving and they're actually making an effort to monetise away from the traditional TV market.

I don't think they're lacking at all in credible performers. This is a stacked roster, NXT is stacked as well. They definitely have a few issues in figuring out how to push someone to the moon in this era and the one true success in DB has unfortunately been injured and may not come back.

 

[sledger]

Well, the WWE's financial situation is hardly dire. They make absolutely loads through all the merchandising they do etc... But the TV ratings sliding into uncharted territory will be seriously concerning to them. For all the evolution in media and so on, there's no denying that RAW is their absolute flagship..er..thing, for lack of a better word. It's the key trigger that lets them rake in money from everything else that they do, and the ad revenue they get from it is basically their main source of income anyway. Without RAW they'd be f'd, so its declining performance shouldn't be eschewed overly quickly.

The lack of credible performers is evident though. That's not to say there aren't loads of guys who can work a match or whatever, but there isn't anyone on the roster right now who is even close to being as big a star as Cena is, and that is a fact. I also don't think it's true to say they don't know how to push someone to the moon - this is exactly what they have tried to do with Roman Reigns, more or less ever since he first appeared a few years ago. The problem is not with pushing, it's with the fact they can't create characters people actually want to watch/get behind. In any case, whilst Bryan might be the one true success story of recent years, I don't think WWE can really be credited with his succes, as they actively tried to block his progress right up to the last minute, and only gave him support when it became clear that they basically nad no other option but to give him the nod.

 

[Athlai]

The problem is definitely pushing. With Reigns it was so transparent that the audience rejected it. With DB and to a lesser extent CM Punk they made it seem organic, like the stars actually made themselves the main event. I'm not interested in discussing whether or not it's true DB and CM Punk "grabbed the brass ring" themselves, the important part is that WWE actually cultivated their character doing this.

This is the reality era, if anything appears obvious the inner smark in every fan will cry out in bull****. Pushing to the moon requires a touch more sophistication now, and I think we are seeing it with Rollins vs. the Authority. I honestly think smarks don't give the business enough credit for the major successes of recent years, everyone is so ready to criticise the E in how they ruin talent and never laud them when they get it right.

Look how behind the New Day they are in recent months? Multiple segments an episode, numerous simultaneous feuds, giving them more and more unscripted time, giving them more main events. Keeping the camera on them both figuratively and literally.

The IWC just wants to whine about EVERYTHING.

The biggest problems I have personally is in the structure of the show which I've raised before. Things should be more concise and they should keep some canned content to fill out episodes if necessary. American ad times over three hours leads to so much audience fatigue and I feel like the writers are failing at structuring the show in a manner to keep the interest up.

 

[GIMH]

Conspiracy theory time: they want TV to falter so they can stick everything exclusively on the network

Basis: none

 

[Athlai]

Conspiracy theory time: they want TV to falter so they can stick everything exclusively on the network

Basis: none

I think it's just more likely they have USA by the balls. Oh your Monday night ratings are dropping? Well so are everyone else's ****s, what else are you going to put on for three hours every Monday that will keep the numbers this high?

TV networks in general are ****ting themselves with the rise of digital networks. USA will die sooner than the E.

 

[sledger]

The E didn't make Bryan getting over 'seem' organic, him getting over WAS organic. His success came about in spite of how WWE treated him, not because of it. The same is true with Punk, albeit to a lesser extent. Neither can be used as serious evidence of WWE's ability to get talents over.

 

[Athlai]

The E didn't make Bryan getting over 'seem' organic, him getting over WAS organic. His success came about in spite of how WWE treated him, not because of it. The same is true with Punk, albeit to a lesser extent. Neither can be used as serious evidence of WWE's ability to get talents over.

That's the wonderful story we tell ourselves but there isn't a chance it would have happened if they didn't want it to.

 

[duffer]

So basically it's all Cena's fault?

 

[OverratedSanity]

That's the wonderful story we tell ourselves but there isn't a chance it would have happened if they didn't want it to.

But... They didn't.

They simply didn't want Bryan main eventing Mania. Despite the crowd demanding it for months. In the end they caved in because of how much the IWC whined. You lot can sit here and cry about the big bad IWC being a bunch of entitled babies all you want, but the fact is, the whining worked. It is undeniable.

 

[Spikey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsESZMBJhXw

classic wwe planning

 

[Athlai]

I mean you know Triple H is playing a character right? And that the crowd reacting like that is something they dream of. You really think that backstage they were working out ways to sabotage him?

You know what have ruined the Yes Movement?

Supporting it with the machine.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Athlai, if you want to give an example of WWE successfully handling the rise of certain superstars, cite the shield (Roman's failed push notwithstanding) if you want, or the new day. Cm punk and Bryan are not good examples.

 

[Athlai]

They're doing the same thing with Sasha Banks right now. They aren't putting her centre stage. They're waiting until everyone is screaming for her to be there.

As much as we want to believe it, they aren't entirely ignorant of popular opinion.

 

[Athlai]

Athlai, if you want to give an example of WWE successfully handling the rise of certain superstars, cite the shield (Roman's failed push notwithstanding) if you want, or the new day. Cm punk and Bryan are not good examples.

Utter rubbish. CM Punk was the 2010 version of Steve Austin, they might not have personally liked him but they ****ing loved how he drew. DB has the very real injury concerns which is why he was wrapped in cotton wool after his championship was taken from him.

Do they think these guys are stars from the get go? Of course not.

Do they try to torpedo them when it's clear the audience likes them? Not a chance in hell. DB and CM Punk are legitimately the only two characters that have benefited from the current Authority-McMahon blend of on screen ownership.

 

[Athlai]

The Shield were a pretty old school style push. New Day are more similar in how they have risen.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Wait you do realize that Bryan was supposed to be in a match with Sheamus at Wm 30 don't you? I'm not talking about their handling of Bryan after mania 30 at all. But in the several months leading up to 30, they didn't want him in the main event. Bryan himself confirmed this in multiple interviews.

 

[Athlai]

And Rollins didn't know he was going to be winning the title till that night. With all the leaks we get in the reality era do we really think that more than a handful of people know what they want to do in 2 months time?

I don't think they wanted DBry to main event Mania. That sort of thing happens organically, I don't think they were adverse to it either and I certainly think they supported his character whole heartedly.

This is a TV show, the value of the title is a theoretical perspective of the audience, all they want is for the eyeballs to show up and like the product and they'll react in whatever way will promote that the most.

Most of the instances of someone being buried is due to that person ****ing up IRL. Though I think Barrett was legitimately mishandled.