How WWE Partnering with Independents Can Save Pro Wrestling

WWE’s recent partnership with WWN might be the start of the sports-entertainment giant creating a “minor-league” system that can not only feed NXT, but save professional wrestling as a whole.

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Think about how many of the largest sports leagues in the world have minor league systems in place that help develop the athletic superstars of the future – the best example is the different levels of Minor League Baseball with A, AA and AAA levels before players make their way to Major League Baseball rosters.

We’re starting to see signs of that possibly developing with the NXT brand becoming a very popular show that is designed to showcase the potential future of World Wrestling Entertainment. There has been a lot of buzz and success for the debuts of NXT stars like Kevin Owens and Neville, while fans away the highly anticipating debuts of Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Tyler Breeze.

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Similar to someone who isn’t doing very well on a MLB team’s roster who is sent to the AAA affiliate to fine tune their hitting and defensive skills, there have been WWE veterans who have been able to revive their careers in new gimmicks – i.e. Zack Ryder’s new tag team with Mojo Rawley.

There’s a chance we could see a continued evolution of the WWE product we know as they have recently started a partnership with World Wrestling Network, the parent companies of independent promotions EVOLVE and Full Impact Pro. This came after a period where WWE was working with Ring of Honor – which produced talents that include Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk.

When looking at the recent WWE.com article titled NXT’s next breakout stars? earlier this month that focused on some of the top stars of EVOLVE prior to an upcoming show, it seems the company is starting to create some awareness for the independent circuit of professional wrestling.

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This is interesting because it wasn’t too long ago that you would never hear about the wrestling past of a debuting star on Monday Night Raw or SmackDown. Maybe some vague comments about finding success in other countries like Japan, Mexico or England, but for the most part, it the WWE Universe was expected to believe that WWE was the long company for sports entertainment – previously known as professional wrestling.

Obviously, a business wouldn’t want to advertise that there were alternatives to their product in a company like Total Nonstop Action Wrestling – although they are unlikely to be a strong as World Championship Wrestling was in the 1990s and early 2000s.

There will come a time when the top superstars of the company will have to walk away from the ring and without having newly developed top superstars to replace them, then the company might eventually wither and remain just a shell of their former global dominance. Look at the shift where the stars from the Attitude Era has mostly left the ring.

There are exceptions like Undertaker, Kane and Big Show still appearing on television. But long gone are the days where “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson helped provide a spike in ratings. Even with the top star in John Cena, the audience is about half of that on a good day.

Maybe there’s a chance that creating a complex minor league system and a partnership with independent promotions like the one with WWN will help create more interest in WWE’s product and have even more of a feel of being a professional sport. It would make sense considering it’s the eventual goal of anyone who is willing to wrestle for $25 or less in a gymnasium filled with 50 people or less.

The new vision of WWE’s future could build on the momentum of the online buzz created with the acquisitions of independent stars like Samoa Joe and the rumored deals with independent favorites Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano.

It will definitely add more interest to professional wrestling as a sport if there is a developed network that resembles the old territory days where there would be champions of the Midwest, West Coast, South and East Coast. Just like they did when they were in their early days under the control of Vince McMahon, Jr., it is wise for WWE to scout for the best talent across the independent circuit and find their next star.

At the same time, it helps the casual fan’s overall experience if they are able to better understand and know where each of these future stars come from. Think about the fan who wants to be able to look up the minor league statistics to their baseball team’s recent call-up. WWE can have the same type of format that could replicate what is done on Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

It’s not something that is going to be done overnight and you likely won’t see WWE partnering with just any independent company. Expect similar deals for the other promotions under the WWN and not with companies that have television deals of their own like TNA, ROH and Lucha Underground.

Next: EVOLVE 49 Review

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