Xero
07-11-2008, 12:58 AM
When you think back over the years, many landmark occasions have happened at the Garden. Everything from the first WrestleMania, the first televised WWF ladder match, Hogan's first title win, Kane's unmasking, Triple H returning, etc etc etc.
However, over the past 15 years, as the WWF expanded, they seemed to shy away from the Garden. Sure, we've had a few huge moments in the past decade, but it's not like it was in the 80's, where they'd run at least one Garden show a month and it was considered the center of Sports Entertainment. Now we're lucky to get one show a year.
Yes, the building has the history, but it seems with the expansion of WWE, there's no need to hold anything at the Garden anymore. This is where I think WWE is going wrong. Where elsewhere in the country (not counting other 'hotbeds') you're not going to see a sell out every time, The Garden guarantees a near-sellout every time they visit. I just don't understand why WWE doesn't hold more shows at it. Yes, I know about the increased cost of running it, but surly they'd make enough if they hold, say, five tapings a year.
Although I can see the point in that, with the WWE in its current state, over-saturating one arena may be overkill and drop the attendance after the first few shows, I think they could pull off a few tapings per year, not oversaturate it and still pull decent crowds all the while making them coming to MSG feel a bit more important. While you may say not coming to the arena will make it feel more important, I feel it's had the opposite effect in that "they're coming to the Garden? meh..." way, specifically because they really haven't made a fuss over it in years and make it seem like any other show.
And now, house shows. There's a house show coming up at MSG. I see people going on about how it's going to be Punk's first title defense at the Garden. I hate to say it, considering how they've treated the building, unless it's a PPV at this point it doesn't matter. It saddens me to say that, but house shows just don't mean anything anymore, and TV hardly counts unless it's REALLY built up (2+ weeks), which is a rarity.
I just don't see the point of house shows anymore. Well, it's not that I don't see the point - I know they need to try out talent and matches and what-not - I just don't see the point in holding them at the frequency that they do. Not counting overseas tours and maybe special "touring" months, I think they could get down to one or less per week.
So I pose these questions:
Does Madison Square Garden still mean something in today's landscape?
What about house shows and unadvertised TV taping matches?
Are house shows, at the frequency that WWE runs them, needed anymore?
Really Short version, since I know most won't read the whole thing:
- Madison Square Garden has its history but hardly seems to matter anymore.
- Same with house shows, which have been on a steady decline in importance to both the fans and the company(s) since the dawn of the Attitude Era.
However, over the past 15 years, as the WWF expanded, they seemed to shy away from the Garden. Sure, we've had a few huge moments in the past decade, but it's not like it was in the 80's, where they'd run at least one Garden show a month and it was considered the center of Sports Entertainment. Now we're lucky to get one show a year.
Yes, the building has the history, but it seems with the expansion of WWE, there's no need to hold anything at the Garden anymore. This is where I think WWE is going wrong. Where elsewhere in the country (not counting other 'hotbeds') you're not going to see a sell out every time, The Garden guarantees a near-sellout every time they visit. I just don't understand why WWE doesn't hold more shows at it. Yes, I know about the increased cost of running it, but surly they'd make enough if they hold, say, five tapings a year.
Although I can see the point in that, with the WWE in its current state, over-saturating one arena may be overkill and drop the attendance after the first few shows, I think they could pull off a few tapings per year, not oversaturate it and still pull decent crowds all the while making them coming to MSG feel a bit more important. While you may say not coming to the arena will make it feel more important, I feel it's had the opposite effect in that "they're coming to the Garden? meh..." way, specifically because they really haven't made a fuss over it in years and make it seem like any other show.
And now, house shows. There's a house show coming up at MSG. I see people going on about how it's going to be Punk's first title defense at the Garden. I hate to say it, considering how they've treated the building, unless it's a PPV at this point it doesn't matter. It saddens me to say that, but house shows just don't mean anything anymore, and TV hardly counts unless it's REALLY built up (2+ weeks), which is a rarity.
I just don't see the point of house shows anymore. Well, it's not that I don't see the point - I know they need to try out talent and matches and what-not - I just don't see the point in holding them at the frequency that they do. Not counting overseas tours and maybe special "touring" months, I think they could get down to one or less per week.
So I pose these questions:
Does Madison Square Garden still mean something in today's landscape?
What about house shows and unadvertised TV taping matches?
Are house shows, at the frequency that WWE runs them, needed anymore?
Really Short version, since I know most won't read the whole thing:
- Madison Square Garden has its history but hardly seems to matter anymore.
- Same with house shows, which have been on a steady decline in importance to both the fans and the company(s) since the dawn of the Attitude Era.