#CancelWWENetwork

[road doggy dogg]

DISCLAIMER: Rumble spoilers within

I didn't really outline this post prior to writing so it kinda jumps around a bit, hopefully the overall message and focus is not lost.


Let's talk about the SOCIAL MEDIA PHENOMENON that is #CancelWWENetwork. I am not necessarily interested in discussing the events that lead to what is happening, though they will obviously be touched upon.

Let's make the assumption that the folks tweeting this are genuine with their message and are in fact cancelling their WWE Network subscription. I feel this is a terrible blow to the WWE. FIRST and most obviously for the lack of subs in a service that is already performing well below expectations. The financial loss and trickle-down effect (stock value, etc) is going to hurt. There's really not much to discuss on that front. Losing subs = bad.

However, I'm more interested in discussing the more nefarious repercussions of such a "movement". The basis of this is that the fans are pissed that "their guy" did not win. Not even so much that Reigns won, and people feel he isn't ready/worthy (though that certainly plays a part in it), but mostly that "someone who isn't Daniel Bryan won". As consumers, their biggest weapon against the corporation is their wallet. Hit them where it hurts by costing them money and bad PR by trending that you're intentionally and deliberately voicing your discontent and cancelling your service. "That'll show 'em!", and all that.

Which is fine. It is the right of every consumer to choose what they decide to spend their money on. WWE is, after all, a luxury for us. It is entertainment, not terribly important in the grand scheme of our lives, and if we choose not to watch, that is our prerogative.

However, what kind of precedent does this send? Where do we go from here? Does the WWE "cave in" to the demands of the vocal minority and shoehorn Bryan into Wrestlemania like what the smark community wants? Do they address it head-on and tell them to shove off?

I think that if they give in to what the people are saying it sets a bad bad bad precedent. What happens next time? What if Bryan loses at WM? Do the WWE ram Bryan down our throats until he becomes the next Batista or Reigns, because "that's what the people want" ?

Let me go on record by stating that yes I do feel that Bryan winning the Rumble would have been the best move, and what I was hoping would happen. I'm not saying he shouldn't win because the WWE are letting the Twitterverse have candy past their bedtime.

I guess the point I'm eventually trying to make is that, do the fans really know what's best for them? Are they going to revolt any time they don't get their way, like some petulant children? Are they going to threaten to financially cripple the WWE any time a decision they don't like goes down?

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Vince really is out of touch. Maybe this is a wake-up call that he needs. Maybe they (the writers/bookers/whoever) need to let wrestlers' pushes happen more organically. Imagine if Austin was never given the push he was, despite his popularity? I feel like right now with Bryan they have "lightning in a bottle" and should capitalize on it. Sometimes it's okay to admit you're wrong and call an audible. For whatever reason (health concerns possibly) they do not feel Bryan is going to be THEIR GUY, but he is so clearly over that it's hard to ignore.

On the other hand, now that people are trying to force their hand, maybe they will refuse to put him over now, for fear of giving the people too much power. It's one thing to listen to your fanbase and react accordingly, but it is dangerous to give them all the booking power.