Dear WWE Creative,
With a brand-new year upon us, and on the cusp of Road to Wrestlemania season, there are many things the WWE Universe would like to see improve within the sports entertainment landscape. Below are some New Year’s resolutions for the WWE Creative team in 2019:
Tag Team Division
When we talk about “fresh” starts within Monday Night RAW and SmackDown LIVE, more of a focus on this division, come 2019, would be refreshing. You’ve given the women of the WWE a chance, and they seem to be a highlight within your brand as of late. Both Red and Blue programs lack storylines as it relates to the tag division, and these superstars tend to provide some of the most stellar matches when it comes to pay-per-views (PPV). Give these tag teams some compelling stories, allow the tag team titles on both RAW and SmackDown to take center stage at times; place them within event cards and not pre-shows. The tag team division on both RAW and SD LIVE are stacked with some incredible talent, allow them to shine in 2019.
Show gratitude. Resist the temptation to let your mind dip in to the negative.
Bust your ass every single day. Do your grittiest work when there’s no one there to pat you on the back and say “good job.”
It pays off. Every. Single. Time.
We did it. #ScratchAndClaw#Glorious pic.twitter.com/WC7IEJZaQ1
— Chad Gable (@WWEGable) December 13, 2018
Let Each Show To Tell A Story
I’ve often said in the past this year, the biggest pet peeve I have about Monday Night RAW and SmackDown is the lack of focus within each show. Everything always seems so jumbled up, in one big pile of mess, with matches booked without logic or rhyme and reason. A strong opening segment mixed in with some solid “meat” action in the middle, with a good cliffhanger close that is tied into it all, will keep people wanting to tune in every week. The real issue I feel is that both Monday Night RAW and SmackDown LIVE (more Red than Blue though) openers and closers are very weak. An opener should catch the attention of a viewer, to the point where they don’t want to move from their seat until the end of the show; and both openers and closers should (for the most part) be tied into together. With the diverse set of talent within each program, it is difficult to weave their storylines for the “meat” to align with the open and close of the show; however, each episode of RAW and SD LIVE should really be the aftermath of one PPV and building the next, so tying in each segment to either event is a must. It’s not rocket science; matches shouldn’t be aimlessly thrown together, they should align with stories being told.
“You guys are the TRUE warriors, the TRUE heroes, and we THANK YOU!” – @WWERollins #Troops @AJStylesOrg pic.twitter.com/pzdHfweKcZ
— Tribute to Troops (@TributeToTroops) December 21, 2018
50/50 Booking
There is a challenge to going against the 50/50 booking strategy, and it is that you don’t want one mid-card or main event superstar to bare the brunt of always losing in a program or coming off looking like a jobber. Here’s the thing though: if a match or set of matches are action-packed, superstars can emerge from a loss looking stronger than ever. I understand the idea behind 50/50 booking; however, many fans are tired of this trend. Some talent deserve a 100% push when it comes to programs, and sometimes this sports entertainment ideology should be scrapped. Not always, but there is a time and place for everything.
Only this time it’ll be red. #MonsterAmongHistoryBooks #WWECrownJewel pic.twitter.com/T5GR7RuJNN
— Braun Strowman (@BraunStrowman) October 31, 2018
Anchoring Storylines
I get it is hard to re-invent the wheel, especially with injuries and conditions that come out of the woodwork. At times a perfect storyline or program is being unraveled, and then a superstar is pulled from said arc due to an injury. Having said that, another huge pet peeve many fans have are compelling and fresh content in the program, and the lack thereof. A true storyline anchor holds down a program when it comes to a feud between two superstars. Give the fans good stories, some action within them, and they’ll be tuning day-in and day-out.
A new year is on the horizon, with a promise of a “fresh start”. Time to pull out the big guns for 2019, WWE Creative! #GoBigORGoHome
Signed,
Me.