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Guest Editorials
The answer to McMahon's ratings woes is right in front of him

Sep 12, 2002 - 6:55:00 PM
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Editor's Note: At PWTorch.com we strive for our content whenever possible and practical to be original and unique (i.e. not published on other sites), therefore Guest Editorials submitted to PWTorch.com should be submitted only to PWTorch.com. If you submit a Guest Editorial for consideration, please state at the top of your editorial that you submitted it only to PWTorch.com. For more details on submitting Guest Editorials, check out a detailed submissions guide following today's Guest Editorial below.

PWTorch.com Guest Editorial
By Adam MacIsaac of Calgary, Alberta
PWTorch.com reader


With the news that Raw's ratings continue to spiral downward, it's time for the WWE to take a long, hard look how they are doing business. There is little doubt WWE management (and Triple H) will find a way to blame Eric Bischoff, or Chris Jericho, or RVD for the current rating slides.

However, the real culprit lies in Vince McMahon's inability to recognize that Raw's emphasis on Sports Entertainment over actual wrestling is killing his flagship show. The Attitude era is over and no variation of T&A skits, feuding owners (McMahons or otherwise), or rehashed storylines (NWO) can resurrect it. While it was a prosperous time creatively and financially for the wrestling business, it's over.

In the transition from the ill-fated "New Generation" to "Attitude" era, Vince often defended the content of his programming by comparing it to other forms of popular entertainment. One comparison he made continually was to "The Jerry Springer Show." Well, here's a news flash for you, Vince. Nobody watches that show anymore. And judging by Raw's recent ratings, the same could be said for Monday night wrestling. It wouldn't matter if Jerry Springer hosted the Second Coming, no one would watch it.

Monday's attempt at "Hot Lesbian Action" felt like one last gasp at trying something that hasn't worked since 1998. Just as the cartoon '80s style WWF was passe in the edgy late '90s, wrestling viewers have been taken as far out on the edge as they want to go. It's time for WWE to define a new era, and create a new formula to entertain fans. Fortunately, the answer is right under Vince's nose, whether he realizes it or not.

Under Paul Heyman's watch, WWE Smackdown has been an absolute Godsend to wrestling fans. Say what you will about Heyman, but there is little doubt that his version of Smackdown has been the freshest, hottest program the WWE has put on in some time. With a roster of young up-and-comers (Undertaker notwithstanding) and an emphasis on wrestling over Sports Entertainment, this is the brand that flourished since the roster split. Of course, Vince's meddling (Stephanie as GM, the Chuck-Billy wedding) has kept the show from reaching it's true potential, but it's not too late.

The time has come to realize that people who still watch the WWE want "wrestling," and for the most part Sports Entertainment is just pissing off the remaining fan base off.

Vince, you can stop blowing your money on old stars. You can stop banging your head against the wall trying to come up with the next big concept. We don't need Goldberg or Scott Steiner. All we want is some good wrestling matches and simple storylines to set them up. Give us more Angle vs. Benoit, or Edge vs. Guerrero and we'll watch. Sometimes less is more (if you need further proof, look at the utter failure of the XFL, and compare that to the ratings the "boring" NFL got Monday night. In its current state, Raw is becoming the wrestling version of the XFL). It's time to revamp the creative team, get back to basics, and focus on writing a good wrestling show.

Let the wrestling speak for itself, and let us enjoy it.

***

You are encouraged to respond to this commentary. Please indicate in the subject header the date and title of the article you are responding to. Direct your e-mails, signed with your name and city/state/country, to: feedback@pwtorch. com.

***

Guidelines for Submitting Guest Editorials to the Torch

You are invited to submit a "Torch Guest Editorial" for possible publishing on this site in future days. Here are some guidelines. . .

-The article must be submitted to PWTorch. com only. Please specifically state in your submission that you have only submitted it to us. We prefer to have unique content on this site. There is no guarantee at all that your article will be published, but if the article is not used within 14 days, it's fair game to submit it elsewhere.

-The editorial should be between 500 and 1, 000 words in length.

-Stick to one subject. If you have 200 words of thoughts on four completely different subjects, send four separate letters to "Torch Feedback" instead.

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