WWE has been scraping the bottom of the barrel with their TV ratings for quite some time.
The numbers for both Monday Night Raw and Smackdown Live have been slipping. The former recently achieved its second-lowest rating of all time – and that’s a title they certainly didn’t want to win.
However, company heads seem to be taking notice. Here are five ways WWE is improving its product.
01 - Bringing the Universal Title Back to Raw
Raw’s ratings have been plummeting, due in large part to the absence of one, big, important part of the show – the WWE Universal Championship. As questionable as its name (and design) may be, the title is the prize every male superstar on the roster is supposed to be chasing.
Now that title-holder Brock Lesnar is appearing a bit more often, there’s a bit more buzz and people have more of a reason to tune in. Speaking of The Beast Incarnate, his latest feud is pretty interesting. Which brings us to the next point…
02 - Creating Credible Title Contenders
Samoa Joe is a perfect example of how to build a credible title contender. The man has been booked like a monster over the past several weeks. He’s now 2-0 on company-favorite Roman Reigns, and even got the jump on Brock during his entrance on an episode of Raw.
As Joe was squeezing Lesnar’s neck, it made me realize – this pay-per-view may actually be worth watching. Great Balls of Fire just got a lot more interesting – though the event really deserves a better name. Joe has hovered around the main-event scene before. But some superstars are being brought up to this level for the first time.
03 - Building Up New Talent
Whether it’s Carmella heeling it up on Smackdown or Big Cass betraying his little buddy on Raw, there are more than a few instances of new stars being built up on both brands. More mic time has helped us get to know these two a little better, and I think it makes it easier to get invested in their characters.
People like Tozawa, Baron Corbin, and Goldust all have varying levels of experience, but WWE has been investing time into building them all up. It makes things feel new and fresh. You could even throw in names like The Drifter. Samson may not be the best singer, but he is one of the more promising heels on Raw.
04 - Bringing Closure to Storylines
One of the biggest gripes I’ve had with WWE over the years is their habit of letting storylines die without a proper conclusion. Whether things are reversed or simply abandoned, it makes you hesitant about getting invested in any story the company is telling.
Keeping characters consistent and having things make sense within the confines of the environment is a big part of what makes wrestling watchable. WWE has lacked that quality for a long time. There were times when the writing was all over the place. The improved focus is much appreciated.
05 - Getting a Bit Edgier
Attitude Era fans like myself are often misunderstood. The main thing we miss from this era is the edge. Not Edge, though we miss him as well. But the edgy nature of past WWE made every episode a must-see event. Giving characters a bit of room to do heelish things or show a bit more urgency in their matches makes the program easier to watch.
It isn’t as much about the blood or the profanity – it’s the realism. WWE stays on a tight leash, as a publicly traded company known to give it to the demands of sponsors much quicker than they’ll give into the demands of fans. It’s good to see some tenacity and intensity in wrestling these days – if the trend keeps up, WWE may be able to keep their ratings on the upswing.
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