This cryptic column title does not have to be a traditional column in which the WWE gets bashed. Numerous people have seen the light at the end of the tunnel only to retreat back to the cold hard world.
Smackdown’s much bally hooed move to Friday nights has really been a move to Saturday nights for many markets in the United States. Here in New York, Friday nights have only shown New York Yankees baseball games since Smackdown was supposed to start on Friday nights.
We know that TV watching is habitual. Asking your fans to move their fannies from Thursday to Friday is one thing. Asking us to move from Thursday to Saturday and back to Friday sometimes and back to Saturday is going to result in a huge ratings drop which amy be permanent.
Vince McMahon and the WWE have often based their decisions on major cities and their reactions to the product. Over the next few weeks the WWE is not going to get a good feel for their 2nd product if it can not be seen by their largest market. SD! was already the little brother. If the WWE can not think of a wat to get thier show exposed it masy quickly go the way of WCW Thunder.
A moron can identify a problem with the WWe but only a person with a brain can offer some feasible solutions.
With the roster split, the WWE was hoping to create a distinct difference between their two shows. The only difference that has really been noticeable is that the Raw announce team is a million miles from the action compared to their SD counterparts. Peep these recommendations:
1. Give Smackdown a permanent home.
ECW did it rather succesfully as did WCW. Creating a Smackdown arena in a major wrestling market could give SD a steady fan base. I would buy season tickets to see SD! 40 times a year. Wrestling’s top talent would also clamor to be on the show simply because it would allow them to have a semi-permanent home. If the WWE wanted to travel during the week, they could, but having a home field could create a real sports feel that fuels teams and their success. Raw’s appeal is that it is a live show. Smackdown could counter that offering their fans and the wrestlers a home team.
2. Web Cast Smackdown.
While UPN would likely deny the WWE such a request, there is a way around this. With the invasion of digital cable into millions of homes, the WWE could make SD available via the ON Demand option on the users’ remote controls. SD when we want, where we want? Sign me up for that!
3. Create real divisions.
Spike TV is launching an assault at professional wrestling in their ads by stating it is fake (why sign a pro wrestling company and then attack them?). The WWE could help counter this reason that fans continually give for not watching, by creating rankings and three divisions. The tag team division could be a place for less over but technically sound wrestlers to compete. The US division could supplant the World title for fans of wrestlers that are talented but just not in the World title hunt. The idea that grown men are fighting simply because they hate each other is growing a little stale. If you really hate some one, then finish them permanantly like Matt tried to do to Edge. Dragging a personal feud out over the course of 6 month is entertaining to the die hard fan but we are trting to lure the fringe fan.
JR openly admits to reading Internet wrestling sites. Hopefully the WWE takes it into consideration that Smackdown is possibly at the end of its rope. While these suggestions are my personal views, a dialogue is required to keep my favorite brand alive.
Honor Roll – The feedback from these readers is the best you will find on the Internet. Don’t forget to do your homework via e-mail (eviluther99@yahoo.com) or AIM (MrBrownsClass) See your assignment at the end of the column.
Last week’s homework assignment dealt with elevating the status of the World title.
Oscar Rodriguez from NYC writes:
Regarding your question as to who would help elevate the World Title on Smackdown: I dont think its so much about WHO would elevate the Title, its more about WHAT would elevate the Title. So what if Dave is not the BEST wrestler. Neither was the Ultimate Warrior, Sgt. Slaughter, Hulk Hogan or Diesel to name just a few.What the Title is missing is longetivity. It has been prostituded all around so many times.
Monsta Mammoth added:
I say that Chris Benoit deserves a shot at the World Title…NOT GUERRERO, NOT MYSTERIO…Benoit was traded to SD! and has been buried ever since his debut…I don’t like how the US Title is “holding its own” — that’s not good enough…Give the man who struggled to keep his family afloat…GIVE HIM THE CHAMPIONSHIP…GIVE HIM THE GOLD!!! “Wolverine-4-Life, baby!”
John Scala’s two cents:
Christian should be the SD! champion… he needs his
huge summer push to continue and he can easily carry the brand as a heel
or face
Joe Blackshield disagrees:
Orton, Eddie, Benoit, Captain Charisma (no, not Christian
cause he sucks).
The most unique answer came from the keyboard of Jeremy DeBose:
Well, who could elevate the title, without one of those after the deadline trades? The answer is more simple than we may think. Who can STILL fill more seats than anyone, even after 15 years of show? That’s right, the Phenom.
A ton of good replies makes for a succesful class session. Get busy on this week’s homework.
This week’s homework: What suggestion would you offer to the Smackdown powers to elevate the show’s status?
