WWE: 5 Bold Predictions for 2018
By Josh.0
Courtesy of WWE.com
3. 205 Live Will Be Cancelled
205 Live is trying all sorts of wacky experiments in an attempt to stay above water. Move loudmouth trouble-maker Enzo Amore off the main roster and onto an internet-only series? Sure. Invite the United Kingdom Division on the show because that Pete Dunne is so hot right now? Why not? The show’s one year anniversary was celebrated with a WWE Fan Council survey asking such questions as, “How often, if ever, do you watch WWE 205 Live?” and “In your own words, please share why you have not watched or are not regularly watching WWE 205 Live?” This does not bode well for the purple brand.
205 Live is doing so poorly because that’s how the WWE has presented the product, despite having some incredible talent in their ranks. The show occurs independent of anything that happens on the main roster so fans literally have no reason to be invested. 205 Live is an afterthought and since it’s on the WWE Network, fans can always tune in later if they decide to actually watch a match or two.
The program’s timeslot doesn’t do it any favors either. The WWE assumed wrestling fans would commit to several hours of wrestling on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights perhaps because they assumed we don’t have jobs or school or social lives. Someone did the math and thought, since Monday Night Raw is 3 hours (too) long and Tuesday night SmackDown was only 2 hours, fans would logically switch on their network for that third hour at 10 pm on a Tuesday night, and then again on Wednesday night for NXT. Believe it or not, 205 Live used to come on at 11 pm on Tuesdays, right after Talking Smack. Raise your hand if staying up until midnight to watch wrestling fit into your schedule. Anyone?
I don’t see it as a pure money issue since 205 Live is relatively inexpensive to produce (compared to Raw and SmackDown) but think about the ripple effect this show has had on the roster. Both Austin Aries and Neville were “demoted” to 205 Live and despite being the most high-profile names on that roster decided instead to leave the company entirely. 205 Live simply wasn’t worth their time and effort. Yikes.
The WWE is unlikely to do away with the entire Cruiserweight Division as a whole but I forsee these talented men being absorbed into the main roster in some way. You can still keep their title belt but make it just like any other championship and ensure the stakes surrounding it actually mean something in order to get fans invested. Either way, 205 Live will become too much of a burden for WWE in 2018.