It has kind of felt for the last 4-6 months that the WWE has not been completely focused on the product in the ring. Things like launching the WWE Network and looking to secure a new T.V deal seemed and rightfully so like the big priorities. The Network is launched the number was not one that people are all that thrilled with but it wasn’t a complete disaster. The T.V Deal was rumoured to be done in Variety this morning. Later in the day it was confirmed that all the WWE Programming is staying in place. No news on what the agreed figure ended up being. Wall Street experts believe the WWE has come through on their claim of doubling rights fees or T.V rights in the U.S. Will find out in the coming days if that is the case but WWE will remain part of NBC Universal with no changes at all. Smackdown is not going live and remains on Fridays according to reports. Raw will remain on USA Network and Total Divas on the E Network.
So with all of this business stuff out of the way can we please get focused back in on the product? This has been a product that has been dropping the ratings like a stone of late. Daniel Bryan made it through neck surgery today and there have been a variety of reports speculation on return date. Some as optimistic as late June and others saying it could be as long as August. I will leave the being a doctor to the actual doctors.
The first major creative decision that lies in front of WWE is do they keep the title on Bryan? In many ways by the number of times in storyline they have screwed him of the belt you almost feel that they have to leave the belt on him. We are a long way from the days of Jack Tunney and the 30 days to defend your championship. If that rule was still on the books Dean Ambrose would have lost the U.S Belt long before the battle royal a week and half ago.
I doubt the WWE would go the UFC route and declare an interim Champion till Bryan is healthy. If they did it might make for a hell of a match when he returns. Long as it isn’t Kane I say why not give us one. It is a way you could do a re-match with John Cena or Bray Wyatt. Why not raise the stakes in that feud that is getting a little cold and make the Last Man Standing Match for the Interim WWE World Championship. This could also serve another purpose as well. When Bryan comes back we could finally get things down to having just one belt instead of the two?
In any case interim Champ or not I can’t imagine WWE would strip Bryan of the title given all the real life issues he has had hit him all at once.
Now that the big business matters are taken care of the focus needs to be placed on rehabilitating this creative that has been more misses than hits in the last 4-6 months. Thank God for Daniel Bryan, The Shield and the Wyatt’s or who knows where things would be at.
Mission number one should be trying to fix all of the NXT talent that you have broken here on the main roster. That should start with you Divas Champion who has been made to look so weak and pathetic it turns my stomach. After her there is a long list of people to correct. Also for the love of God don’t blow Bo Dallas’ and his debut. I think this character could really catch on. It has a whole Justin Bieber before he went bad quality too it.
Full steam ahead WWE you legitimate excuses and business concerns have been handled. It is time to get this company turned around with some better creative and more compelling stuff as we head to the summertime.
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