Current Events > How would you save the sinking ship that is WWE?

(+) Yeah! (+)

You have some good ideas Norman_Smiley.

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1. Have a "real" division. Keep all the acting and grandstanding but the match itself is essentially a mash up of sumo & Olympic wrestling rules conducted for real. They can participate in the scripted stuff outside of the real division as well.
2. Vince's shit sucks and he needs to go and there needs to be real writers and creative directors running the place.
3. Add a pro/rel system to add more story opportunities about who is allowed to compete with who based on the league. This already kinda exists informally based on what slot you're in. Having it be a real part of the show means you can write demotions & promotions into the story. Also helps with getting rid of unpopular wrestlers.

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• Get rid of NXT and 205 Live
• Fire Kevin Dunn, or at least stop relying on the disorienting camera cuts and zoom-ins
• Reduce the amount of PPVs as having one every few weeks makes them seem less of a big deal
• Reduce RAW's runtime to 2 hours
• Distinguish both RAW and SmackDown as separate brands
• Keep SmackDown as the relatively sillier, family-friendly show with "stars" and scripted promos
• Rebrand RAW as an edgier, "unscripted" show focused primarily on in-ring action and unscripted promos

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I think they need to get over the idea that anyone outside of the business--specifically, fans criticizing the product--have no idea how things work and should therefore just shut up and try to enjoy themselves. Yes, fans don't necessarily understand the inner workings, but they do know what is and is not entertaining.

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Medussa posted...

have one show aimed at kids, saturday morning or evening, pg if not y7. campy, super hero shlock. t

So you want WWF/E Mania with Todd Pettengill to come back?

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Norman_Smiley posted...

Kill sports entertainment. Professional Wrestling is sustainable, Sports Entertainment is not.

Is going back to kayfabe even possible?

Conflict posted...

I've never understood people being so staunchly against the brand split like having only one world champion is somehow any better for building stars

Big Gold Belt

Bring back da divas

bra and panties matches
bikini contests
mud wrestling
sexy managers
boob slips from time to time
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Conflict posted...

I've never understood people being so staunchly against the brand split like having only one world champion is somehow any better for building stars

There are no differences between RAW and SmackDown as TV shows other than the logos. WWE is insistent that they're two different brands but does nothing about it.

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Questionmarktarius posted...

Is going back to kayfabe even possible?

Eh, sure but it couldnt be called pro-wrestling, it would be something more like pancrase.

but I think WWE could survive without going that far. A lot of what AEW is more pro-wrestling. Like ultimately a lot of it is just acting like any of this shit matters. WWE is just excuses to get to the next holy shit high spot, pro-wrestling is about building up to that point so the high spot is part of the story and not just a random event that happened for some reason.

undertaker mankind had a feud for like a year before man kind was thrown off the cell. There was in story bad blood. You could see in character Taker trying to kill mankind. Thats been all but lost in WWE.

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darkprince45 posted...

wtf, can you stay on topic

I'm checking you for model and serial numbers, you are so triggered.

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Lucha Underground almost salvaged kayfabe, by going full-on "mexican soap opera" about it, and it was awesome.

jpenny2 posted...

I think they need to get over the idea that anyone outside of the business--specifically, fans criticizing the product--have no idea how things work and should therefore just shut up and try to enjoy themselves. Yes, fans don't necessarily understand the inner workings, but they do know what is and is not entertaining.

I couldn't agree more. This mindset served the industry well in the kayfabe days but the secret about pro wrestling has been out for over 3 decades and the audience has changed with it. The industry need to accept that modern day fans will analyze and critique the product and not take everything they see at face value.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

I've long believed that if the company wants to do the brand split and give each show a top belt the company itself should have a belt above it defended only at Mania. At the end of the day Mania is just the PPV with the most spectacle considering titles are on the line constantly. Having an exclusive championship to chase only once a year would be a great way to get superstars chasing the brass ring. The title could be a way for part timers like Lesnar, Golberg, Cena and others if they ever want to come back or can comeback like Rock, Batista and Triple H to have a spot as respected veterans that elevate the product without getting in the way of normal programs like Raw or Smackdown.

To really set it home that this is above the other titles make being a brand champ a prerequisite for being able to compete for it.

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Conflict posted...

Having a title that only gets defended once a year is a great way to get absolutely nobody to care about it.

It doesn't have to be just once a year. It could be defended at Summerslam or maybe Survivor Series too if need be. Not Royal Rumble as that's largely about towards building to Mania.

Either way it would be a good way to put to rest the whole debate about which world title is bigger.

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CloneTheHero posted...

it had far too many fantasy and cartoony elements to it. l

that is kayfabe.

I lift it up.

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Id be down to going back to 4 ppvs a year. Rr, wm,ss,ss. It just made it seem like it was so much more important.

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