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CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL: Raw ratings decline points to past Mania Seasons

Feb 4, 2014 - 4:53:08 PM
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By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

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As I wrote in my analysis of the Raw TV ratings declining to the 3.1-level, there are any number of reasons to look at why the rating declined this week. An obvious reason is the show just wasn't very good and fell flat.

A big picture reason is that WWE has set expectations for a big star, like The Rock or The Undertaker, to return to WWE TV to "jump-start" WrestleMania Season. That person hasn't walked through the door yet.

Batista was supposed to be that person, but the "first impression" of his character after four years away from WWE TV was not good.

Batista was still supposed to be that person after winning the Royal Rumble, but we know how that turned out.

The absence of a major star returning for Mania Season has shifted the focus to an under-developed, over-exposed, pedestrian roster featuring a lot of wrestlers who need help from Creative being built up as stars worth tuning in to see every week.

Daniel Bryan could be a centerpiece star for WWE, but WWE is still one foot in/one foot out on Bryan at that level. And, removing John Cena and C.M. Punk from the equation this week, the remaining member of the Big Four was Randy Orton, whose character continues to be dragged down and devalued by The Authority storyline.

WWE set this in motion over the past few years by depending on a big returning star - mainly Rock - to pop interest in the product and sustain momentum heading into Mania Season. WWE will have to depend on that again this year if shows like last night become the standard.

But, at some point in the future, WWE will have to make their full-time, every-day roster feel special again. Special enough to not need Rock, Taker, Brock, Batista, or someone else to artificially inflate interest around Mania Season every year. Or, any other time of the year.


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