WWE: The Benefits of Them Reporting on NJPW Rumors
By Dean Siemon
WWE.com has posted an article of their own regarding A.J. Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura and other NPJW stars – a smart move by the WWE in more ways than one.
Over the years, the wrestling news websites have been the source a number of rumors of who the WWE is preparing to offer a contract – ranging from bodybuilders to stars of the independent circuit.
But it seems that the staff at WWE.com are wanting to get in on the action by having an article about the potential signings of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s A.J. Styles, Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and Shinsuke Nakamura. Some fans might consider this a change from their normal status quo of wanting to keep things a surprise.
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According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com, the signings are not official. However, that hasn’t stopped Triple H from approving the rumor article in an effort to attract attention to their website. If you think about it, the way the WWE is approaching these rumors is similar to how many professional sports leagues have their own staff of news writers who will report on rumors.
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How often do we see NFL reporters like Ian Rapoport having the insider information on the potential trades and contract negotiations in addition to keeping fans updated on punishments handed down by the league and other reports. WWE has had a history of providing brief “press releases” regarding releases and suspensions, but the signing of independent superstars has been few and far between.
NFL.com has established itself as a major news source because of how they like to get the news out first. This could be something that WWE.com can do more of in an effort to continue building traffic to their website; which is why it was very interesting when the company had articles linked to their partnership with EVOLVE – an independent promotion out of the New York and Florida markets – back in Oct.
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Maybe the WWE can expand on this recent rumor coverage by maybe having more articles about some of the independent and international talents they are possibly scouting. It’s no secret to today’s wrestling fan, so it shouldn’t be something the WWE should hide any longer.
The WWE has continued beyond the recent news article about the contract rumors to even posting a video of Styles’ one WWE match back in 2002 – followed by promoting the video through their social media channels.
The benefits of continuing this editorial strategy will benefit WWE in more ways than just building their website’s traffic. Fans will have more interest in what the WWE is doing and many some people who have tuned out of boredom might have their interests piqued when they here that there are major independent stars like Styles possibly joining WWE.
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It can also get a better grasp of rumors that may or may not be true. While there are legitimate news sources online who have contacts within the WWE, there is always a risk that one of those contacts inside the WWE backstage community might hear wrong or is feeding false information – a common risk in journalism that doesn’t go straight to the main office for confirmation.
And while WWE.com is not announcing that these four NPJW wrestlers are now coming to WWE, the possibility feels more real than if the news was only posted on some of these insider websites.