You're likely getting all kinds of e-mails about tonight's Royal Rumble, but I have a specific question regarding all this:
Is there any other company that you can think of that actively and vigorously fight so hard against its own fanbase? Because I'm honestly blanking on an example. It's one thing to go against what the fans want. We're used to that. But tonight, between eliminating Bryan so quickly, and then the never ending treatment of every other strongly liked star like Sandow, Cesaro, Ziggler, etc. It's like they're actively and regularly saying, "You like these guys? Well fuck you!"
What other company has worked this hard against its own fanbase?
WCW did that a lot too at the end. Just saying.
I've been watching since right after Summer Slam 89. I've ridden out a lot of down periods over the last 25 years of being a wrestling fan. But I've honestly never seen it the way it is now. Bray had a great run, eliminated a lot of guys, tossed like garbage. Fans like Ziggler, gets good pops, tossed like garbage. Fans like Ambrose, still, despite everything, tossed like garbage. And Daniel Bryan, who is the unanimous crowd favorite, gets unceremoniously eliminated. I think it's official: they've lost their minds. And I don't know why. They used to know how to do this: fans get behind a guy, that guy goes on top. Who are they booking for now? Not the paying customer. Just an audience of one.
ReplyDeleteWCW at the end....not an entity that anyone/anything should ever hope to be likened to.
ReplyDeleteAt least WCW listened to the fans by November 2000.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like the product, maybe stop watching the show? There are other entertainment options out there. Just saying.
ReplyDeleteMight be the 3 hours sleep talking but I'd be OK with Vince dying this year. Hey, he's the same age his dad was when he dad died right? *fingers crossed*
ReplyDeleteFunny how at the end WCW got better ratings than TNA ever did.
ReplyDeleteI get sense Steph would just ignore Triple H and the WWE will be out of business in two years after she gets control.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are mad now, but it'll all turn around when Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns have their epic promo battles leading to Wrestlemania.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the have a monopoly on the industry. Vince feels that whatever he does, it will hold no repercussions in the long-term.
ReplyDeleteI think this all circles back to how the WWE uses the 50/50 booking mentality. They have not developed a solid mid-card throughout the years, hence, no new stars. Last night I thought they were actively pushing Wyatt to be the breakout star of the Rumble, but then they completely cut him off at the knees when he as made to look like a tool being eliminated by Big Show/Kane (all the while Cole shouting about how Kane broke the record for most eliminations, but that is an entire other rant). Cole said that Kane is in his 16th Rumble and Show has been around for at least 14 Rumbles. It is the same problem the WWE has had over the last few years. They keep rehashing the same old bullshit (bringing back old stars, 50/50 booking, "Super" John Cena, etc.) and refuse to develop anyone new. The WWE says they only cater to the 12 year olds and under, but they haven't given them anyone to latch-on to outside of Cena. I think what you are going to see is the WWE is going to continue to get worse (outside of Wrestlemania) until Vince is removed. It just further supports what CM Punk, and numerous other wrestlers, that Vince is completely out of touch.
I started to get real worried when Brock won clean and Cole was saying this very scripted line along the lines of "WHO is going to be able to stop this guy?"
ReplyDeleteHope WWF goes out of business for what they did to me yesterday.
ReplyDeleteOnce WCW lost the Radicalz, I don't think WCW had anything the fans wanted to see anyway. WWF literally had everything.
ReplyDeleteIf WWE had a fingerpoke of doom this was it. That moment where the fans just say fuck this shit and slowly start gravitating away from the product. Not saying WWE will be dead in 2 years or can't right the ship but if they continue as planned with Roman Reigns as Cena 2.0 winning at Wrestlemania then it's a clear sign that just like WCW they don't give a shit and deserve to shut down.
ReplyDeleteCesaro doesn't belong in that list. Honestly the only people that cheer him ARENT the majority. He gets very little reaction for the most part.
ReplyDeleteI think the real Vince died in that limo accident years ago and he's been replaced with an android. that would explain a lot.
ReplyDeleteThe NBA fought its fan base during the Iverson era. The wanted to create another Michael Jordan and thought they had it with Kobe Bryant. Meanwhile Iverson come in dressed like the average dude on the street and Stern HATED it.
ReplyDeleteNever had the dress code been so enforced during that time. Now players can wear whatever they want because Stern stopped resisting. (and mainly because he saw that he could make money off of these changes.)
Wow. When you start wishing death on people you don't know because of wrestlibg it's a good time to step away and reevaluate your mental conditions. You're treading into worst in the world territory friend.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the first part - they have a monopoly on wrestling, but Vince's famous line from the Turner conversation is very appropriate here (Rasslin vs entertainment). People have more options than ever right now to entertain themselves and as technology advances that'll only increase. All forms of media are competing for the first screen of our phones and the apps people use on TV screens. Most of us are average smarks that'll always stay plugged into the product to a degree, but I really have no interest in watching the road to WM right now. I'm perfectly content to keep the network for $10 a month and watch classic content until the current product gives me a reason to care.
ReplyDeleteOh do I have takes from the people who talk to me for THIS writer.
ReplyDeleteTheory I've actually heard: after the "established star" backlash, the WWE jumped to the conclusion that their fanbase will hate anyone who has a whiff of being anointed in them, so they have to make it seem like they hate who the fans love. Because if they listen actively to their fans, they're afraid the fans will pivot and hate the stars once they become established.
In other words, the WWE believes their audience is composed entirely of the worst stereotype of hipster imaginable.
This is not my theory. But this is the stuff I hear from people.
Cool bro.
ReplyDeleteIt has an air of truth to it though doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteWell, the example I was specifically cited was Ryder. People were hijacking US title matches he wasn't in to cheer for him, then, when he GOT the US Title, no one knew what to do next and his heat deflated.
ReplyDeleteYes, he was a pawn in the Cena/Kane feud, which I argued back. The guy's response was that even then the fans were behind him... until he cut a promo on Swagger before their US Title match that caused the crowd to abandon ship.
But wait! There's more! He's convinced that, had Daniel Bryan stuck around in the summer and been the fighting champion we all wanted, the fans would've turned on him and cheered Lesnar's decimation of him. And that the fans were getting sick of CM Punk near the end of the 434. (The second of which I didn't notice, but I wasn't listening, apparently.)
In conclusion... I don't know, guys. You tell me.
Iverson had a criminal record. Bryant didn't. To paraphrase Chris Rock: I ain't saying they're right, but I understand.
ReplyDeleteI actually canceled my subscription last night. I thought about going to the Rumble last night, but with the prices of tickets and the overall quality of the product, I did not think it would have been worth it (I would have loved to been apart of the crowd reactions). Being a fan of the WWE (WCW more so) for over 30 years, I've pretty much given up on it.
ReplyDelete(I was the one that wrote this particular e-mail, FYI.)
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is? Last night was a perfect example of why I DO keep watching. The triple threat match was one of the best matches I'd seen in awhile. I even said right after it, "This? This is why I'm a wrestling fan." I tune in for moments like that.
But then they reminded me again why it's hard to be a fan.
Didn't Iverson assault his wife one off- season to? And I hear he didn't show up to practice.
ReplyDeleteChurch...
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