TPWW Forums - View Single Post - In Your Opinion, list the top 10 problems with the WWE, and your solution...

**Cactus Sid** · 12-19-2003, 05:30 AM

Finally got round to this, not really in order, but just things that I gradually thought of.

1- The Glass Ceiling

Probably the biggest problem with the WWE, I don't think anyone who has any clue about the business can deny that the glass ceiling is, in retrospect, killing the company. In all honesty, a guy like Chris Jericho should be rivalling Rock and Austin in terms of popularity, whether he's a face or heel. The guy either gets huge pops or huge heat. He has charisma, he has the ability in the ring, he tells a story, he's a good "actor", the guy SHOULD and indeed DESERVES to be in that Main Event scene on a regular basis. But, he is still held down. The WWE had so many chances to push him big, and failed each time, and then, when push came to shove and they did give him the belt, he jobbed to Stephanie McMahon, ok not the belt, but in terms of the fued. The glass ceiling either needs to be removed, or lowered. Now, I can understand that some guys are insecure about losing that place, so they don't make as much money, but they fail to see the long term benefits of getting someone over enough so that they have a chance to draw with them. This continuing holding back of talent is going to put the company in serious jeopardy in 2 or 3 years, when guys like Austin, Rock, Taker, Triple H, Angle, basically the majority of the current Main Event scene, are all in a position to retire. What do they do then? Push new stars? It'll be too late. Right now, in the current wrestling scene, the only way to get someone over is by a good, marketable gimmick, which the fans can identify with, or by booking them to look invincible. The glass ceiling has effectively ended the SUPERSTAR (as in Rock, Hogan, Austin) potential of Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit. I am not sitting here picking guys who are traditionally bummed by the internet, I am talking about guys who have had HUGE popularity are what time or another, and were booked to looked weak in comparison to the top stars at the time. This has got to end for the WWE to improve.

2- Stipulation Matches and The Effects

Some stipulation matches are dead. Matches that in the past drew crowds, and drew a huge amount of heat, no longer do so. Hell In A Cell? Who cares. If you put Nash and HHH into that type of environment, your wasting it. It could once again draw, if they put 2 guys inside it who will bump like crazy (not neccessarily from the top) and who will put on a helluva show. Right now though, Hell In A Cell is not a draw. Cage Matches? These haven't got a huge response in years, UNLESS they have been entertaining. But hey, Booker T vs The Big Show inside a cage, with no build up, jerking the curtain on a show, what do you expect. These are just 2 examples. But one of the big problems with gimmick matches, is that they are being thrown away on TV, or just added in for no reason on PPV's, with little build up surrounding the gimmick. I can't remember which PPV it was this year, but every match had a stipulation or a gimmick. WTF. This just left people less and less looking forward to the next match, as they'd already seen a gimmick in the previous match. The WWE need to reconsider this, and start making matches special again.
My big problem is with the effects of many stipulated matches. Many matches are meaningless now, everyone KNOWS Austin is coming back, because in the past these type of matches have always meant just that, when, recently, did a retirement match actually lead someone to retire? How often does the guy who "must win to get a title shot" or "must win to get a contract" lose the match, and eventually ends up with the shot or the contract. Its supposed to tell a story, where we all know the eventual outcome. Wouldn't it be easier to just build them up, than throw away a stipulation which one day could mean something. The WWE never ever seem to fufill the stipulation that matches have, and it results in a great loss of heat.

3- Whole Show Angles

Not always a bad thing, but they can be. If done correctly, a whole show angle can build up to something which both draws and creates genuine fan interest, while helping other people seem important. If you can make the Main Event mean something, build it up as the Ultimate Battle, have the guys in the back supporting their man, showing mean streaks or sympathy, you can make some of the guys seem like the right hand man for someone. Hell, if you were to spend a show promoting say a match between, Chris Jericho and Triple H, where Jericho was eventually gonna win the belt (fantasy situation I know) you could have clips of the fued, both Jericho and Trips shown preparing. Then, you could get Christian going into see Trips wishing him luck and willing him on and everything, behind Jericho's back, can you imagine the reaction he'd get? Then have Shawn Michaels find Jericho, staredown, leading to a hand shake, something on those lines. Build up the tension, and the Jericho must win factor. Hell, make it bloody obvious he's gonna win, but I bet people will give a toss, and watch, and genuinly mark out. Of course, this is something down the line, which will need a lot more development than what I've suggested, but it is an idea.
However, my problem with whole show angles, unless done correctly, is they can end up really screwing up a show, and unless there is a decent payoff, people will turn off. Whole show angles don't even have to build up to the main event, just something that runs throughout the whole show. The Bischoff/Austin fiasco at... was it Bad Blood? That ran throughout the whole show, and wasn't even funny. The other problem is pushing people to the back of the queue, making something seem far more important than anyone else. While this could put someone over, it could seriously deflate a crowd throughout the show, and continue the deflation into the main event, or payoff or whatever. The WWE do use whole show angles, and they don't always work.

4- Hosses

Hosses are one of the single biggest problems with wrestling. These essentially are Fat guys in underwear. Unfortunatly, the majority of them are not very good wrestlers, are they aren't very entertaining, and they are just big and ugly. They do, however, give Vince McMahon an erection, which means they get pushed. These guys get pushed over people who can deliver exciting TV and good matches on a far more consistent basis. Now, some big guys in the business right now, are entertaining. Based on size, Brock Lesnar would technically be a hoss. However, because of his background, he isn't neccessarily seen as one. Rhyno, could be considered a hoss. Erm.... thats all I can think of off the top of my head. Doesn't that say something? I have no problem with big guys being used to put over people who will make something entertaining, but I really dont wanna see them all over TV or PPV. If you use Big Show sparingly, and use him to get guys like Cena and Benoit over, great. If you put him over other guys, such as they did with Lesnar, that's bad. VERY VERY Bad.

5- Lack Of Pure Wrestling

I think this is something that doesn't just mean "Put Angle and Benoit in the ring every week" I'm talking about letting the wrestling do the talking, rather than angles. Build matches up as the most important thing, as a bout to decide who the better man is, rather than having interferance on practically every match that seems to happen. This kind of ties in what I said about using stipulations sparingly. I just feel that matches should be based on 3 basic principles. A Brawl, A Technical Affair or a High Flying battle. Matches don't have to follow the same pattern, and in many cases you can do all 3, but I just think that if the WWE want to recondition the fans, they should focus on those 3 principles.

6- Casual Fan Belief In The Product

Casual fans don't care anymore. I honestly believe this. If they cared, they'd watch. The WWE are not getting any new viewers these days, they are getting people who have stuck with the product week in week out for years. I think that the casual fan interest is a problem for the WWE. Why? Because now they start pushing the boat out to try and attract new viewers, while putting off many of the people who are still watching them. Necrophilia? I wont let that go. The very fact that they could come up with that is a disgrace. The whole Kane vs Shane fued. Ridiculous, fantasy booking. With the interest waning, they push the boat and create some bullshit. Don't think this little bit is me having a go at casual fans, its me having a go at the WWE for deciding to make a joke of themselves.

7- The Past

What's the problem with the past? Its the fact the WWE can't deal with it at all. Montreal is my main problem here. The WWE have shoved it in our faces every year since 97. They just wont let it die will they. Furthermore, they act like it was the greatest thing ever, not the fact that they screwed a loyal employee of 10 years, who helped make the company money, as was much beloved in the locker room, by all but a few. Vince has apparently tried to make up with Bret, yet he continues this crap. Let it go. The WWE always seem to bring up the past when it seems convenient to them, they don't use it to perhaps help get people or fueds over. Another problem with the past.... ECW and WCW. The WWE seemingly refuse to push some of the ex-ECW and WCW talent. I know that here on TPWW the opinion is mixed. I myself have mixed opinions. But I think we can all safely say that guys like Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho and Lance Storm have not been given nearly as much as they recieved in their previous companies. Ok, we can argue this til the crowds come home, but Jericho, Van Dam and Booker T have all had times when they could have been main event players, while Storm has not been pushed at all since his arrival. Vince does seem to prioritise Hosses and "Home-Grown" Talent. One of the other problems with the past is that Vince doesn't seem to want to produce any best of ECW or WCW dvd's. He has the libraries. He has the best production crew around. He has yet to produce something that will make money and satisfy some fans. Why? I can only assume its because its WCW and ECW, and lets not forget the Invasion angle.

8- Lack Of Competition

Not really much to say here that hasn't been said in the past. The WWE doesn't have competition, so they don't neccessarily have to pull out all the stops. The biggest independants are not even in the WWE's league, and they don't exactly churn out the best angles ever, so the WWE have nothing to go on. If TNA can get better, get that TV deal, things may improve, but until then, the WWE has no competition to make them stand up and sort things out.

9- Low Morale

Low Morale is a problem for any business what so ever. But currently the WWE is really suffering. This reduces people's work ethic, and also, I believe, is resulting in more injuries. Yes, during the crash TV style days, the WWE were getting injuries, but no where near at the rate they are now, and they have supposedly slowed down. Something must be responsible for this, and i think it's just the general belief of the wrestlers. Another problem with the morale is the Cliquey nature of the locker room, and of course the glass ceiling which means people wont make more money, and wont get a lot of time to do what they love. Throw in ridicukous storylines, bad booking, a downward trend in the demand for wrestling, general apathy all around for the product, and morale will drop. Imagine being in the Raw looker room, knowing that Triple H is on the booking team. I'm not trying to throw as much shit at him as possible, but at the end of they day, how would you feel, if this guy who's work ethic has dropped really low at times, who's segments on TV and buyrates for the PPV's he's headlined have dropped, and yet he is continually pushed, how would you feel? Until the WWE sort this out, they are gonna continue having a poor product, because the employees just wont put effort into something they don't believe in.

10- General Stupidity (Inc. The McMahon effect)

McMahons on TV? The pushing of Mark Henry? Angles that make no sense? Angles which are dropped? Triple H as champion? That's just a few, add your own if you like, the WWE has so many problems, it combines together to give one big problem, TV ratings half what they were at the peak, often lower. Buyrates dropping off. Unhappy wrestlers. A product which is sometimes great and sometimes defies belief in how bad it is. Booking which makes you shudder. Until the WWE overcome the little problems, they wont improve the big picture.

12-19-2003, 05:30 AM	#23
Cactus Sid Smashing Blouse Posts: 7,800	Finally got round to this, not really in order, but just things that I gradually thought of. *1- The Glass Ceiling* Probably the biggest problem with the WWE, I don't think anyone who has any clue about the business can deny that the glass ceiling is, in retrospect, killing the company. In all honesty, a guy like Chris Jericho should be rivalling Rock and Austin in terms of popularity, whether he's a face or heel. The guy either gets huge pops or huge heat. He has charisma, he has the ability in the ring, he tells a story, he's a good "actor", the guy SHOULD and indeed DESERVES to be in that Main Event scene on a regular basis. But, he is still held down. The WWE had so many chances to push him big, and failed each time, and then, when push came to shove and they did give him the belt, he jobbed to Stephanie McMahon, ok not the belt, but in terms of the fued. The glass ceiling either needs to be removed, or lowered. Now, I can understand that some guys are insecure about losing that place, so they don't make as much money, but they fail to see the long term benefits of getting someone over enough so that they have a chance to draw with them. This continuing holding back of talent is going to put the company in serious jeopardy in 2 or 3 years, when guys like Austin, Rock, Taker, Triple H, Angle, basically the majority of the current Main Event scene, are all in a position to retire. What do they do then? Push new stars? It'll be too late. Right now, in the current wrestling scene, the only way to get someone over is by a good, marketable gimmick, which the fans can identify with, or by booking them to look invincible. The glass ceiling has effectively ended the SUPERSTAR (as in Rock, Hogan, Austin) potential of Chris Jericho, Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit. I am not sitting here picking guys who are traditionally bummed by the internet, I am talking about guys who have had HUGE popularity are what time or another, and were booked to looked weak in comparison to the top stars at the time. This has got to end for the WWE to improve. *2- Stipulation Matches and The Effects* Some stipulation matches are dead. Matches that in the past drew crowds, and drew a huge amount of heat, no longer do so. Hell In A Cell? Who cares. If you put Nash and HHH into that type of environment, your wasting it. It could once again draw, if they put 2 guys inside it who will bump like crazy (not neccessarily from the top) and who will put on a helluva show. Right now though, Hell In A Cell is not a draw. Cage Matches? These haven't got a huge response in years, UNLESS they have been entertaining. But hey, Booker T vs The Big Show inside a cage, with no build up, jerking the curtain on a show, what do you expect. These are just 2 examples. But one of the big problems with gimmick matches, is that they are being thrown away on TV, or just added in for no reason on PPV's, with little build up surrounding the gimmick. I can't remember which PPV it was this year, but every match had a stipulation or a gimmick. WTF. This just left people less and less looking forward to the next match, as they'd already seen a gimmick in the previous match. The WWE need to reconsider this, and start making matches special again. My big problem is with the effects of many stipulated matches. Many matches are meaningless now, everyone KNOWS Austin is coming back, because in the past these type of matches have always meant just that, when, recently, did a retirement match actually lead someone to retire? How often does the guy who "must win to get a title shot" or "must win to get a contract" lose the match, and eventually ends up with the shot or the contract. Its supposed to tell a story, where we all know the eventual outcome. Wouldn't it be easier to just build them up, than throw away a stipulation which one day could mean something. The WWE never ever seem to fufill the stipulation that matches have, and it results in a great loss of heat. *3- Whole Show Angles* Not always a bad thing, but they can be. If done correctly, a whole show angle can build up to something which both draws and creates genuine fan interest, while helping other people seem important. If you can make the Main Event mean something, build it up as the Ultimate Battle, have the guys in the back supporting their man, showing mean streaks or sympathy, you can make some of the guys seem like the right hand man for someone. Hell, if you were to spend a show promoting say a match between, Chris Jericho and Triple H, where Jericho was eventually gonna win the belt (fantasy situation I know) you could have clips of the fued, both Jericho and Trips shown preparing. Then, you could get Christian going into see Trips wishing him luck and willing him on and everything, behind Jericho's back, can you imagine the reaction he'd get? Then have Shawn Michaels find Jericho, staredown, leading to a hand shake, something on those lines. Build up the tension, and the Jericho must win factor. Hell, make it bloody obvious he's gonna win, but I bet people will give a toss, and watch, and genuinly mark out. Of course, this is something down the line, which will need a lot more development than what I've suggested, but it is an idea. However, my problem with whole show angles, unless done correctly, is they can end up really screwing up a show, and unless there is a decent payoff, people will turn off. Whole show angles don't even have to build up to the main event, just something that runs throughout the whole show. The Bischoff/Austin fiasco at... was it Bad Blood? That ran throughout the whole show, and wasn't even funny. The other problem is pushing people to the back of the queue, making something seem far more important than anyone else. While this could put someone over, it could seriously deflate a crowd throughout the show, and continue the deflation into the main event, or payoff or whatever. The WWE do use whole show angles, and they don't always work. *4- Hosses* Hosses are one of the single biggest problems with wrestling. These essentially are Fat guys in underwear. Unfortunatly, the majority of them are not very good wrestlers, are they aren't very entertaining, and they are just big and ugly. They do, however, give Vince McMahon an erection, which means they get pushed. These guys get pushed over people who can deliver exciting TV and good matches on a far more consistent basis. Now, some big guys in the business right now, are entertaining. Based on size, Brock Lesnar would technically be a hoss. However, because of his background, he isn't neccessarily seen as one. Rhyno, could be considered a hoss. Erm.... thats all I can think of off the top of my head. Doesn't that say something? I have no problem with big guys being used to put over people who will make something entertaining, but I really dont wanna see them all over TV or PPV. If you use Big Show sparingly, and use him to get guys like Cena and Benoit over, great. If you put him over other guys, such as they did with Lesnar, that's bad. VERY VERY Bad. *5- Lack Of Pure Wrestling* I think this is something that doesn't just mean "Put Angle and Benoit in the ring every week" I'm talking about letting the wrestling do the talking, rather than angles. Build matches up as the most important thing, as a bout to decide who the better man is, rather than having interferance on practically every match that seems to happen. This kind of ties in what I said about using stipulations sparingly. I just feel that matches should be based on 3 basic principles. A Brawl, A Technical Affair or a High Flying battle. Matches don't have to follow the same pattern, and in many cases you can do all 3, but I just think that if the WWE want to recondition the fans, they should focus on those 3 principles. *6- Casual Fan Belief In The Product* Casual fans don't care anymore. I honestly believe this. If they cared, they'd watch. The WWE are not getting any new viewers these days, they are getting people who have stuck with the product week in week out for years. I think that the casual fan interest is a problem for the WWE. Why? Because now they start pushing the boat out to try and attract new viewers, while putting off many of the people who are still watching them. Necrophilia? I wont let that go. The very fact that they could come up with that is a disgrace. The whole Kane vs Shane fued. Ridiculous, fantasy booking. With the interest waning, they push the boat and create some bullshit. Don't think this little bit is me having a go at casual fans, its me having a go at the WWE for deciding to make a joke of themselves. *7- The Past* What's the problem with the past? Its the fact the WWE can't deal with it at all. Montreal is my main problem here. The WWE have shoved it in our faces every year since 97. They just wont let it die will they. Furthermore, they act like it was the greatest thing ever, not the fact that they screwed a loyal employee of 10 years, who helped make the company money, as was much beloved in the locker room, by all but a few. Vince has apparently tried to make up with Bret, yet he continues this crap. Let it go. The WWE always seem to bring up the past when it seems convenient to them, they don't use it to perhaps help get people or fueds over. Another problem with the past.... ECW and WCW. The WWE seemingly refuse to push some of the ex-ECW and WCW talent. I know that here on TPWW the opinion is mixed. I myself have mixed opinions. But I think we can all safely say that guys like Booker T, Rob Van Dam, Chris Jericho and Lance Storm have not been given nearly as much as they recieved in their previous companies. Ok, we can argue this til the crowds come home, but Jericho, Van Dam and Booker T have all had times when they could have been main event players, while Storm has not been pushed at all since his arrival. Vince does seem to prioritise Hosses and "Home-Grown" Talent. One of the other problems with the past is that Vince doesn't seem to want to produce any best of ECW or WCW dvd's. He has the libraries. He has the best production crew around. He has yet to produce something that will make money and satisfy some fans. Why? I can only assume its because its WCW and ECW, and lets not forget the Invasion angle. *8- Lack Of Competition* Not really much to say here that hasn't been said in the past. The WWE doesn't have competition, so they don't neccessarily have to pull out all the stops. The biggest independants are not even in the WWE's league, and they don't exactly churn out the best angles ever, so the WWE have nothing to go on. If TNA can get better, get that TV deal, things may improve, but until then, the WWE has no competition to make them stand up and sort things out. *9- Low Morale* Low Morale is a problem for any business what so ever. But currently the WWE is really suffering. This reduces people's work ethic, and also, I believe, is resulting in more injuries. Yes, during the crash TV style days, the WWE were getting injuries, but no where near at the rate they are now, and they have supposedly slowed down. Something must be responsible for this, and i think it's just the general belief of the wrestlers. Another problem with the morale is the Cliquey nature of the locker room, and of course the glass ceiling which means people wont make more money, and wont get a lot of time to do what they love. Throw in ridicukous storylines, bad booking, a downward trend in the demand for wrestling, general apathy all around for the product, and morale will drop. Imagine being in the Raw looker room, knowing that Triple H is on the booking team. I'm not trying to throw as much shit at him as possible, but at the end of they day, how would you feel, if this guy who's work ethic has dropped really low at times, who's segments on TV and buyrates for the PPV's he's headlined have dropped, and yet he is continually pushed, how would you feel? Until the WWE sort this out, they are gonna continue having a poor product, because the employees just wont put effort into something they don't believe in. *10- General Stupidity (Inc. The McMahon effect)* McMahons on TV? The pushing of Mark Henry? Angles that make no sense? Angles which are dropped? Triple H as champion? That's just a few, add your own if you like, the WWE has so many problems, it combines together to give one big problem, TV ratings half what they were at the peak, often lower. Buyrates dropping off. Unhappy wrestlers. A product which is sometimes great and sometimes defies belief in how bad it is. Booking which makes you shudder. Until the WWE overcome the little problems, they wont improve the big picture.