3 New Year’s Resolutions For WWE In 2020
By Dorathy Gass
As 2019 comes to a close, it’s only natural to look forward to what should (or could) be, come 2020. While there were many things that the WWE did right the past 12 months, much like any brand out there, there are also things that can be improved upon.
As a fan of the company and its rich history for decades now, I can’t help but want to place my two cents forward on some potential New Year’s Resolutions the WWE can adopt for this coming year. These suggestions offer a fresh start, with opportunities to not only retain long-time and loyal fans, but welcome in new viewers as well.
Work On RAW and SmackDown Programming
While ushering out NXT from the WWE Network to the USA Network was one positive in 2019, there needs to be something done about Monday Night RAW and SmackDown’s weekly programming. I know I’m not the only fan out there that thinks it can feel like a chore than entertainment navigating through three hours on Monday nights and two hours on Friday nights.
The importance of these shows is not only to build audiences and retain loyal viewers, but also to help sell pay-per-views (PPV) (and thus, Network subscriptions), as storylines within each of these shows help to stack up those cards and get fans wanting to tune into these monthly events.
With that said, the challenge lies more within RAW and its daunting three hours that need to be filled and keep audiences captivated. There really is a simple formula in the idea of creating an opening intro that catches fans and creates a compelling reason to stay up for three hours to watch the main event, with some highlights and “meat” in the middle; then, something explosive at the end the show – a cliff-hanger if you will – to offer up reasons as to why fans should catch the next RAW/SmackDown show, next week (or potentially a Sunday PPV if we are talking about a go-home episode).
Way easier said than done, and the challenges WWE Creative have to face in terms of constant injuries, illnesses, and controversies at times inhibits them to actively engaging this formula weekly – not to mention the fact that both programs have been ongoing for 26 and 20 years respectively. This longevity makes it very hard to re-invent the wheel, or create fresh and compelling storylines each and every week. So while the formula seems “simple”, I can see how much more complicated this must be.
Yet, I remember a time when both RAW and SmackDown felt fresh. I remember a time when I would get excited consistently to see both shows, week in and week out.
Well, It’s time to let those good times roll once again. How? Lessen the recap clips throughout the show. Focus on building up solid and compelling stories, you can recycle older concepts when it comes to storylines and add a fresh twist. Continue with the good versus evil theme around babyfaces and heels, but WWE Creative shouldn’t be afraid to dive into a face versus face story (or heel versus heel).
We fans dig going against the grain, and sometimes there’s a cool feel to not knowing who to cheer for and who to boo. Plus, there doesn’t always have to be a bad and good in every storyline; blurring the lines is incredibly fun, and offers another layer to the story that is being told.