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By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

Every year, a double-digit percentage of winter, spring, and summer-time WWE Raw viewers migrate to ESPN for the fall season to watch Monday Night Football and take a chunk out of WWE's weekly viewership on Monday nights.

The migration already started last week when the August 31 Raw dropped 12.4 percent compared to the previous week thanks in part to ESPN drawing its most viewers ever for a pre-season NFL game between the Brett Favre-led Vikings and the Houston Texans.

ESPN also drew very strong numbers for its first college football offering. Their opening game on Thursday night, Sept. 3 was up 38 percent compared to their college football opener last year. (TNA's not-so-thankful card will be in the mail.)

For the entire week, ESPN averaged 3.73 million viewers in prime time. USA Network was left in ESPN's dust with an average of 2.77 million viewers in prime time.

USA isn't going to sit by and let ESPN dominate every week. Oh no, that won't be the case for the cable TV channel that prides itself on sending out press releases about the Best Month Ever or Best Summer Ever.

With ESPN starting its fall college and pro football coverage on a high note, USA will assuredly be looking to WWE Raw for some three-hour specials and PPV-quality match-ups on free TV to combat ESPN's MNF coverage.

Problem is, WWE has gone through seemingly every possible match-up with the current top stars. John Cena vs. Randy Orton? Seen it. DX vs. Legacy? Seen it. Hunter vs. Orton? Seen it. How about Cena or Orton vs. Michaels? Eh, still doesn't seem fresh. Orton and Michaels would be fresh, though. I'll touch on that in a second.

WWE hasn't been building up the mid-card either to push a hot new star into the main event scene that WWE could present in regular TV main events. Does anyone remember what Jack Swagger, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, and the Colons were doing this week on Raw? Oh, that's right, they weren't on the show.

Chris Jericho is officially on the Smackdown brand, but it might be time to drop the Unified tag title program trying to boost Big Show's re-re-re-re-push (complete with new facial hair) and put Jericho in a singles feud on Raw. We've recently seen Jericho feud against Cena, Hunter, and Michaels, but the audience won't remember if WWE doesn't tell them.

WWE's best bet might be turning Hunter or Shawn Michaels against the other. It's been done numerous times in the past, but they've been "life partners" for a while on TV that it would seem fresh by WWE's standards. Plus, we would assume it leads to Hunter dropping the third-grade-level "witticisms." Maybe. Eh... Maybe not.

Other than a drastic change to the make-up and alignment of the various factions on Raw - DX, Orton & Legacy, Jericho & Show - WWE will have to practically give away PPV main events on free TV this fall to help USA Network in the weekly ratings battle.

Batista could be a factor depending on what his "career-altering announcement" is next week. He's also been involved in a program with every top star on the Raw brand. His strength is that, like Goldberg in WCW, he can help draw ratings when surrounded by other top stars. Not alone, though.

Then, there's the weekly guest hosts. During the fall season, WWE will need some "publicity magnets" to incorporate into each week's show, especially when WWE doesn't have a mid-card ready to support the top stars on a weekly basis.

There hasn't been more chatter on the speculated Shaq vs. Big Show match-up, but it would be a one-time ratings draw if it happens. There also hasn't been a three-hour show in a few months, so expect WWE and USA to push out at least two of those during the fall season.

USA probably already has a press release template ready to declare the Best Fall Season Ever. But, they need WWE's help along with strong showings from their other scripted TV series to top ESPN, which already has momentum. C'mon, WWE, don't let us down.

But, I'm looking at the Raw Roster page on WWE's website and I just don't see it. Where is the spark going to come from when the top feuds are on replay, the mid-card is non-existent while ECW and Smackdown are on fire with their mid-card, and the weekly guest hosts have been hit or miss?

Perhaps we'll find some answers starting at the Breaking Point PPV on Sunday leading into the fall season. WWE needs a spark for Sept. 14 when ESPN's regular season coverage of the NFL begins. Batista's announcement and Trish Stratus hosting are good starts, but that's not enough.

Otherwise, commence the annual migration of Raw viewers to ESPN barring something new, fresh, or a re-fried main event served to the audience in a different way. That USA Network press release depends on it.

TORCH READER WRITE BACK: What are a few possible sparks for the Raw brand going into the fall TV season to compete against ESPN's NFL football? Send your thoughts to pwtorch@gmail.com for a follow-up feedback article.

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