Is WWE in decline?
In recent years, WWE has been in a state of debate as to weather or not it's popularity has dropped off dramatically since end of the last decade. I myself don't watch WWE no way near as much I used to, like must 17-year lads, but to hear nothing exciting coming from the 'Promised Land' of Professional Wrestling is surprising. In this article, I will discuss all the short and long-term reasons for and against people thinking WWE is or isn't in decline.
In decline in the short-term?
NO
NXT is made up of all Young Wrestlers
Launched in 2012, NXT is the developmental system for the WWE, which shows how Vince and co have added insurance to the short-term future of the company. Replacing ECW, the extreme format formerly run by Brock Lesnar's manager, Paul Heyman, NXT was sparked into life when the Nexus group, headed by Wade Barrett, invaded the main roster and entered a storyline with John Cena until the end of 2010. The group disbanded after new leader, CM Punk, lost at Wrestlemania 27 to Randy Orton (in a pointless storyline that ended with the best RKO of Orton's career) and the most successful member of the group (Daniel Bryan) became the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 30. Another success from NXT are Kevin Owens, the current Intercontinental Champion, who was in the fatal four-way for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship number one contendership. It is clear that there are going to be more amazing talents to come onto the main roster soon (I don't count Tyler Breeze as one) and therefore shows how the WWE is planning for the immediate building of the main roster's card.
Autumn is a low-viewing period for WWE
It sounds like a lame exercise but it makes sense when you look at the format of the year in Pay-per-views. The 'Big Four', (Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series), have been established since the 80's and have been the only PPV's to never been shutdown by the company. The upcoming PPV's are Survivor Series and TLC (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) and although Survivor Series will feature one of my favourite formats in WWE, Survivor Series Elimination tag team, I am not a fan of the TLC PPV due to the sheer fact that the majority of Superstars aren't experienced in the use of these weapons. I know that you need to give the Superstars an opportunity to craft their styles to balance the use of these weapons and the rest of their moves to format a creditable match on PPV but I personally think that the PPV should be scrapped and replaced with a standard filler PPV, much like Armageddon was until 2008 (which actually saw Jeff Hardy win the WWE Championship in the main event vs Edge and Triple H). Hell in a Cell PPV was saved by a final match between Lesnar and the Undertaker and can be currently viewed as a filler PPV to end certain feuds and furthers the point that the WWE run a slow program until the first RAW after TLC, commencing the Royal Rumble.
YES
The Authority storyline is boring
At Summerslam 2013, after Daniel Bryan won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena, Triple H pedigreed Bryan in order for Randy Orton to cash in on Bryan. The Authority was born and the phrase 'That's what good for business' would slowly die a horrible death due to the reference about the new champion, Randy Orton. Subsequently, this lead to a storyline with Bryan which ended in Bryan winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 30 (an amazing moment for the former NXT star. An Evolution reunion against the Shield was the next feud for Triple H, leading to a stupid and short return to WWE for Batista. The Authority went out of power due to Team Cena winning at Survivor Series 2014 against Triple H's team, definitely not due to Sting's never expected entrance in a WWE building. They returned after a month away and Triple H then entered a storyline with WCW legend Sting, for his interference in the Survivor Series main event, and it lead to a match at Wrestlemania 31. Unfortunately for fans, Triple H won due to DX shenanigans but did shake hands with Sting. Ever since Seth Rollins cashed in on Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns in the main event of Wrestlemania 31, The Authority have been sheltering the so-called 'next Shawn Michaels' and slowly but surely fans have started to great very bored with the below-standard style of heel management by Tripe H and Stephanie McMahon. I would hope that when John Cena returns on 19th December that he turns heel (I know, by some miracle WWE booking!) and the Authority disband, as there would be a new form of heel in Cena, and Triple H could decide whether to turn to the ring or hang up his boots for good.
Not as many Big Name Stars
These days, it is very rare to hear a massive name in WWE and even if it quite a big PPV. There are rumours of The Rock and Triple H facing off at Wrestlemania 32 in a mixed gender tag team match with Stephanie McMahon and UFC fighter, Ronald Rousey. Its a great attempt at WWE to sell out its biggest event of the year. However, away from next year's wrestling showcase, big names are few and far between at the moment for the main roster. Randy Orton is out with a shoulder injury, Cena has taken a break until 19th December, Lesnar only wrestles every few PPV's and Kane and the Undertaker have been 'consumed' by the Wyatt family and will most likely return to face the Wyatts at Survivor Series in a handicap match (or potential traditional Survivor Series match). It is slightly worrying for WWE as it seems that the only real 'big-name' Superstars are Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Due to Seth Rollins ACL injury, I think that WWE should have Lesnar (just pay him, Vince!) vs Reigns in the final of the tournament to decide the winner of the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, with Lesnar winning due to interference from Ambrose and therefore creating a main event heel.
Lack of Hispanic talent
This is an issue that can directly explain the recent decline in WWE TV viewership. It was something that was highlighted by ex-WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio in a recent interview with WhatCulture WWE and I agree that unfortunately from a business perspective WWE have failed to address the problem of the slow but quite notable decrease in Hispanic wrestlers (or of Hispanic origin). Although there are some Hispanic wrestlers in WWE, the Lucha Dragons duo and the returning Alberto Del Rio, who surprisingly won the U.S. title cleanly from John Cena at Hell in a Cell, but there was more Hispanic wrestlers so long ago and they were also booked for the mid card to the main event standard (such as the much-loved Eddie Guerrero did in 2004). I think that WWE should include more wrestlers of Hispanic origin in NXT and one way to do this is to approach the best independent propsects from around the World.
In decline in the long-term?
NO
People consuming product in different forms of Media
It seems like a lame excuse, even if it doesn't come from a WWE spokesman, but new technology means that WWE viewership isn't just subject to USA Network and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. The WWE YouTube channel was the most viewed channel for August and another example for changing convergence and consuming of different forms of media is streaming all RAW, SMACKDOWN and NXT shows on the WWE Network or simply known as WWE.com. It seems that people are watching around the World but not in the same way they did in the Attitude Era of WWE in the late 90's.
Some Big Names occasionally feature in the Main Event
It rings true, even if some fans don't want to agree with it. The list of names that only seem to wrestle on PPV, mostly due to their part-time, extremely flexible contracts, is crammed with Superstars. The Rock, Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker and the 'boss' Triple H. With main roster regulars Cena and Orton out injured but to come back soon (Cena back 19th December), the main event Superstar category is strengthened when talking about PPV's.
Established core roster and format that follows PG rating
There is a strange split among fans about PG TV. Some say that it is just corporate routine in order to generate even more money for the multi-million dollar company. Others say that it is better than having TV 14, which finished after the 2008 Great American Bash PPV in order to follow with the Linda McMahon U.S. Senate campaign (didn't that go well...). Both viewpoints make very good sense and I do think that WWE has become quite a childish programme as everyone, especially Michael Cole, loses their mind when they hear a swear word like 'Bitch'. However, if TV 14 returned it would become boring after a month and everyone would be concerned with the non-stop sight of blood at PPV. Sometimes it might be very exciting, like Lesnar vs Undertaker at Hell in a Cell, but like everything in Professional Wrestling it will become over-the-top and totally unrealistic. The format of the WWE at the moment is 'Sports Entertainment' instead of it being Professional Wrestling. What the WWE should be doing is focusing on better booking and exploring other storyline options.
YES
No distinctive characters in division
It relates to the storyline errors, especially with the lame Divas Revolution in which all the 'Divas' are fighting for a god-damn Butterfly. During the Attitude Era, stars such as The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and many others were closely documented into the main events of WWE with very distinctive characteristics. This lead to fans becoming closely associated with their favourite heel or babyface, especially in the epic Austin vs Rock build-ups. Fast forward to present day, stars may not have the history of their gimmick fully explored by the creative team but the gimmicks aren't at all interesting or appealing to wrestling fans. You could say that some stars like Dean Ambrose make their own character through technical wrestling and pranks on his nemesis Seth Rollins but others like Roman Reigns seems like another copy of 'The Animal' Batista. WWE need to look about on their character development and hire people who know what fans except from main event talent and their promos.
No split roster between RAW & SMACKDOWN & Only One World Title
Back in the day, and yes I just said that, RAW and SMACKDOWN were completely separate shows were Superstars were assigned to and drafted once a year. They completed in Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Matches and most notably had a World Title for each show (WWE title on RAW and World Heavyweight on SMACKDOWN, unless they crossed over in the WWE Draft). This made the Royal Rumble and Money In the Bank cash-ins very unpredictable as the Superstar could win either championship. Unfortunately today, the main roster is so small and lacking in depth that the Superstars have to be on both shows. This seems fine but in the past you got to see a completely different set of stars on Monday and Friday and also have them mixed in on PPV's. WWE should recruit more wrestlers, especially cruiserweights and high-flyers so that there is more of a mix on the roster than just the standard heavyweight wrestler like Lesnar. This would bring back some of the much needed viewership of fans who watch independent promotions in America or the rest of the World.
Realistic storylines are rare and unexplored
In 2011, CM Punk's contract with WWE was running out and they made a storyline leading up to Money In the Bank PPV in which CM Punk won hours before his contract expired (although it was revealed later that Punk actually signed with WWE halfway through the PPV). This lead WWE on its best and most unorthodox storyline since the Attitude Era and it all started with one epic promo from CM Punk. On 27th July 2011, after costing John Cena a tables match on RAW, Punk then sat down on the ramp and did what the creative team told him to do, which was to go out and 'speak his mind'. Phil Brooks (Punk) ripped into WWE and announced himself as a main event talent. Some of the best quotes from the promo were "There's one thing that you're better at than I am and that's kissing Vince McMahon's ass", "I am the Best Wrestler in the World, I've been the best ever since day one when I walked into this company and Paul Heyman saw something in me that no-else saw" and my personal favourite "Do I have everybody's attention now?".
That is proper booking and storyline element. WWE took a frustrated wrestler who never headlined Wrestlemania (what a joke that this!) and gave him the chance to voice his opinions on the company. These days, they wouldn't even dream of it due to the family feelings and 'cool and professional' settings of professional Wrestling. Its a shame and a wrestler like Punk wouldn't come to the WWE in the current state because of the lack of change towards the main storyline.
In conclusion, I think that WWE is definitely in decline due to the fact that their creative team is lacking in creativity across the card and the depth in Superstars seems ridiculous especially in the culture of the supposed Promised Land of Wrestling. The only way to solve these problems is create good PG Wrestling, like on NXT, re-think all storylines and finally allow some of the main event Wrestlers to occasionally involve backstage rumours and jokes into promos.
Is WWE in decline?
