A roundtable of writers discussing WWE’s decision to cruelly release or furlough talent, and where fans go from here.
Apr. 15, 2020 is a day that will live in infamy for wrestling fans. It is the day that WWE heartlessly laid off or furloughed Superstars, producers, writers and other talent. To lay off talent in the middle of a global pandemic is cruel and for many, unforgivable. Days after being declared an “essential business”, the action to make these cuts was completely unnecessary.
AEW, IMPACT Wrestling, ROH and NJPW are still paying their talents and have not laid off anyone. These companies are smaller than the giant corporation in Connecticut. NJPW has taken it a step further by paying the benefits of their staff and contracted wrestlers.
I led a roundtable discussion among my fellow writers regarding the company’s actions, how to support talent and where WWE goes from here. The other writers are Patches Chance, Bruce Lee Hazelwood, Bryan Heaton, Chris Jeter, and Erik Boyer.
Let’s get started.
If you are no longer supporting WWE, who are you supporting and how?
Bruce: Because I write my weekly “Smacks/Downs” article covering SmackDown, I will still watch that and PPVs. I will also continue watching NXT because many of those wrestlers are in precarious positions. I stopped watching RAW last week and it actually feels refreshing.
I also do “Booms/Duds” for Dynamite, so I continue to happily follow AEW.
In terms of who I’m supporting and how/why, my plan is to catch up on and/or begin following Major League Wrestling (MLW), Impact Wrestling, Ring of Honor (ROH), and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). At least for the “major” promotions, that’s my plan. Court Bauer has done wonders in MLW, Impact has a good to great two years of television, ROH has seen marked improvement since Marty Scurll re-signed and became head booker, and New Japan is New Japan.
My sleeper pick for what might rope me in: Stardom. Who doesn’t love good Joshi puroresu?
Patches: While I’m not supporting WWE, I will still watch to support the wrestlers still there. Impact Wrestling, ROH, and AEW have flaws but have conducted themselves far better as of late than WWE has, so they do deserve some credit and support because of that.
By far the shining example right now is NJPW, which has responded fantastically to the pandemic and is doing everything right to support the industry and their wrestlers and staff.
Bryan: My decision to no longer support WWE was honestly a long time coming, what with the Saudi Arabia shows, the uneven creative direction, and general poor treatment as reported by some former roster members. Especially in today’s world, there are so many other options for great wrestling without feeling gross — well, as gross, at least.
AEW has done a good job early on with building a better image in terms of talent relations, as well as a solid creative direction. I’ve also long been a fan of CHIKARA, because if a company can keep continuity for a storyline on the independent scene going for four years, they deserve your support.
I’ll watch shows, subscribe to streaming services, and when safe to do so again attend live events, and buy a T-shirt or two here.
Chris: I wouldn’t say that I’ve completely cut off my support for WWE, as there are still plenty of talented folks working there, but as usual, Vince McMahon’s company has made even that minuscule commitment a difficult task. But if someone has completely given up on the promotion altogether, there are plenty of alternatives.
While both promotions have their obvious flaws, Ring of Honor (ROH) and Impact Wrestling might be worth another look given how both have handled their affairs during this crisis. But this is also as good a time as any to immerse yourself in feds like New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and STARDOM if you’ve, say, canceled your WWE Network subscription and want to allocate that $10 elsewhere.
Or, you could give independentwrestling.tv a shot and have access to nearly 200 indy promotions, including places like Chikara and Game Changer Wrestling (GCW). And, if you have the resources to do so, be sure to support those on the indies and those let go by WWE by buying any merchandise they have available.
Erik: As much as I hate to say it, I am still supporting World Wrestling Entertainment. I have been a wrestling fan since before I can even remember. As disgusted as I am with Vince McMahon and his continued offering of examples relative to “how to be a rich scumbag,” I love wrestling.
I watch as much wrestling as is available to me. If it’s free and I can access it, I am going to watch it. It’s been my hobby bordering on obsession – again, since I was old enough to remember. So I’m likely never going to stop supporting the WWE unless and until they go out of business – but in viewership ONLY! As big and dedicated a fan as I am of professional wrestling, I, personally, don’t have any extra cash for championship belts or t-shirts.
I mean, it all sucks and I hate Mcmahon as I do believe WWE is the evil empire, so to speak, but I’m a professional wrestling fan! I’ve loved pro wrestling since before I can remember…I’m not giving any of it up because I remember the days when we couldn’t afford cable tv and the nWo and DX were running rampant and I couldn’t watch it so I never take it for granted and WILL watch if it’s on.
Samantha: I’ve been watching RAW and Smackdown on DVR and fast-forwarding to what I care about, which isn’t much. I record NXT to watch after AEW. I’ve followed the Cruiserweights since the Cruiserweight Classic, so I don’t want to abandon them like the company has. I have been considering canceling the Network.
I’ve cut back on live-tweeting, don’t use the show hashtags and will point out the negatives, like the body shaming that took place on the last SmackDown.
I subscribe to IWTV and NJPW. I record IMPACT. I’ll revisit ROH when it’s back. I’ll probably go back to watching MLW. I retweet and discuss other indie promotions. WWE hasn’t been my priority for a long time and I’m still considering only keeping up with NXT.
How do you support WWE talent that are still there?
Bruce: I support my favorites in WWE in simple ways because being unemployed, I don’t have the resources to financially support them through buying merchandise. I follow them on Twitter and like/retweet their posts. I highlight them in my articles and gush their praises. I push for them to be involved in major storylines and be placed higher on the card.
I criticize WWE/creative when they’re placed in less than ideal positions on the card, when their stories are crap, or when they’re involved in something racist/ sexist/misogynistic/ homophobic/ transphobic. Far too often in WWE, particularly because most of my favorites are people of color, they are generally regulated to the upper-mid card at best. It’s frustrating, but those wrestlers need our support regardless.
Patches: Every fan has to make their own call on how they want to support and engage, and your financial situation may change the ways you can help. If you are able to spend some money supporting them, don’t buy merch from WWE, which the wrestlers get almost nothing from. Instead, look on their social media for merch they’re selling directly, or other supplemental content like Pateron or Cameo. Support them directly.
On top of that, when you’re tweeting about shows, tweet about the wrestlers and not about the show. Instead of using WWE hashtags like “#SmackDown” or “#WWENXT”, use the names of the wrestlers themselves and get their names trending rather than WWE’s hashtags.
Bryan: This is the trickiest part of cutting WWE out of my life — how do I support talented performers like Cesaro, Becky Lynch, Daniel Bryan, and Sasha Banks, among numerous others? Buying merch still puts money in WWE’s pocket, unless the talent in question has a side gig (and even then, I’m not sure how involved WWE is in those endeavors).
I follow them on social media to keep abreast of what’s going on, and I’ll watch highlights from third-party sources like TDE Wrestling on Twitter to sing their praises. But financially, I find it really hard to toss money in their direction at present.
Chris: As repugnant as WWE’s actions are and have been in the past, I always stuck around under the idea that it was more important to support the talent; after all, those men and women shouldn’t be held responsible for the company’s questionable-at-best deeds and they still have bills to pay. But again, WWE makes it really, really, hard.
There’s no obvious answer to this question, but whether you choose to continue watching their product or not, support for those still contracted to WWE has to include a unified dissent that holds the company’s proverbial feet to the fire whenever it steps out of line. For someone in the media, that means fairly challenging the company with good reporting and thoughtful columns to keep people informed. For fans, that means criticizing the company and voicing your displeasure in a manner that the company is likely to respond to (see: The Fabulous Moolah Battle Royal)
Cheering on your favorite wrestler and buying their merch is great, but so is wanting to ensure that the place they work treats them and their contemporaries right.
Erik: As stated, I am not going to stop supporting the evil empire with my viewership. I will likely watch until the day I die. Even though the product is pretty terrible, even though the WWE continuously proves themselves to be purveyors of the dark side – I am not going to stop watching any professional wrestling that’s free or reasonably priced (like $9.99).
Unfortunately, the WWE is banking on people like me to stick with them through whatever. If you love sports entertainment enough to pay a monthly fee to get various forms of extra content, chances are, you’re not going to cancel for any reason – just like I won’t, despite me loathing Donald Trump and him being buddy-buddy with the McMahon family.
Samantha: I haven’t bought WWE merchandise in a very long time. I prefer buying from Pro Wrestling Tees or from the wrestlers directly. I’ll talk about the ones who I like that are still there such as Cedric Alexander, Street Profits, Bianca Belair and Kevin Owens. I try to avoid retweeting anything from WWE’s official accounts and stick to tweets from their accounts or TDE and Italo Santana.
How can wrestlers still in WWE respond to those releases in a way that can force positive meaningful change within the company?
Bruce: As my fellow contributors probably agree, Sami Zayn is a great example of someone who speaks for the better with little fear of reprisal from the company. Whether it’s regarding Syria, US politics, or the release of wrestlers, Zayn uses his voice and platform to lift others.
Unfortunately for every Zayn, there is a Seth Rollins who toes the company line and stresses we need unity during this time only to deflect blame from the company who made the cuts. There is also The Miz, who denigrated the recently-released Zack Ryder’s new shirt upon becoming a free agent. Ryder rightfully clapped back.
In an ideal world, wrestlers would stand up and speak for their fellow wrestlers without fear of retaliation. Having a union would help, and the best way for wrestlers to make a difference now, especially since they are contracted (not employed) by the largest and most profitable wrestling organization, would be to unionize. David Starr has been fighting for this for years.
Patches: Unionize. I know that’s easier said than done, but it is by far the most powerful thing they could do. If the roster came together, they absolutely have the power to force the company’s hand and change the business forever in a way that benefits the talent. Until the numbers are there and they feel comfortable taking that step, talk to other talent privately and begin getting the wheels rolling in the background.
Bryan: Unionize, unionize, unionize. From many indications, the atmosphere in the WWE locker room is very different than it was even 10 years ago, let alone 20-30. John Morrison recently said everyone seems to be pulling for one another much more than in the past. If the superstars really are in each other’s corner, they need to band together to improve conditions across the board. Without a Hulk Hogan-type of personality to stand in the way of a united front, there’s a better likelihood of meaningful change if the leaders at the top of the card stand up for their brothers and sisters.
Chris: A couple of years ago, I watched an SB Nation video about the 1987 NFL players strike, the producers used oversized Jenga blocks to illustrate the importance of union solidarity and show what happens when profit-motivated organizations chip away at it; the more pieces you pull out, the weaker the integrity of the structure becomes.
Of course, WWE workers aren’t unionized, but for any sort of response to spark change in the wake of these releases, ALL of the wrestlers there have to voice their dissatisfaction — including the top workers — and not in some wishy-washy way that attempts to absolve the company and treat the firings as inevitable. Having everyone leverage their labor instead of leaving it to just lower card wrestlers or a handful of the roster members lends credibility to their objections while also decreasing the chances of management reducing their alliance to a pile of blocks.
Erik: That’s difficult to say. Despite their wrestlers not even having employee-status (they’re referred to as independent contractors instead, as I’m sure you know), the WWE has their boot on those that work for them’s throats. I’m doubtful that anyone can force any positive, meaningful change without the last name McMahon.
Samantha: Unionize. This is the absolute best time to do it. After all the BS in Saudi Arabia, being forced to perform in a pandemic, and having your co-workers fired in a global crisis; what more do you need? Someone needs the balls to step up and do something. My hope is with younger talent, especially those that have spent time on the Indies, will see what We the Independent is doing in the UK and get inspired. I’m sure anyone associated with We the Independent would be more than happy to help WWE talent organize. They have a responsibility not only to help themselves, but for the people that come after them. If not now, when?
What would a path to redemption for WWE look like or is that out of the question at this point?
Bruce: This company has shown time and time they care more about money than they do people. Until they show otherwise in a consistent manner over several years, I have more faith that our country will pass the Green New Deal than I do the WWE will actually change (hint: I’m very, very pessimistic).
Patches: WWE shows their true colors just about every time people start to forget how terrible they are. This is just who they are, and it would take a drastic management change and months or years of visible change and results to alter that perception. In the meantime, they will continue to operate as a capitalist dictatorship led by Vince McMahon.
Bryan: A path to redemption for WWE, in my mind, is definitely a possibility — it’s very hard to convince me that any person or company is beyond repair. But it would take a complete culture change from the top down to even begin to set things right. The mindset of Vince McMahon is incredibly immoral, because he values profits and stockholder happiness over the talent that makes his product possible.
Of course he has a responsibility to shareholders as the head of a publicly-traded company, but that should not make the workers disposable cogs in the midst of a global crisis. And judging by the amount of guests on Talk is Jericho who spill the beans about the inner workings of the company, it’s a long-standing issue. Perhaps when Vince is no longer involved with the company, things may change for the better, but who knows when that will be?
Chris: If history has taught us anything, it’s that change seldom happens from the top down; it often comes when pressure is applied from the outside. Truth is, WWE could undertake a number of measures to win back the goodwill of the fans — it could hire everyone they fired back, for example — but, as great as that would be, most fans would still see it as a naked PR move. After all, what would stop the company from doing something else scummy in the future without any checks or balances?
At the end of the day, WWE is a company that aims to make as much money as possible, just like any other company. But in the midst of all of its money-making, it and the people who run it have to display, at the very least, some level of decency if they want to attract disillusioned fans. It would be great if WWE’s small heart grew three sizes on its own one day, but that will also likely come from a chorus of people challenging them.
Erik: Even though they have not and likely will never lose my business, I would be much more proud of my fandom if WWE really stepped up its philanthropy – especially within the confines of their own company, first. I don’t want to see them fund a soup kitchen, I want to see them give benefits to the wrestlers that put their bodies and even lives on the line several times per week for the betterment of the evil empire.
If they began taking better care of their “independent contractors” – almost to the point of letting them form a union or making enough concessions that their contractors no longer need to entertain the notion of any union – then I think they will start to win back a great deal of their fans. Professional wrestling fans are a passionate, opinionated bunch that LOVE their performers – take care of the performers, regain positive faith within the community.
Samantha: I honestly don’t know. WWE isn’t going away anytime soon. As long as Vince McMahon is around, nothing will change. We might get something along the lines of “we’re going to listen to the fans” and then they immediately go back to doing what they do.
Shane is reportedly next in line to run the company. Can he finally make the changes that should’ve been made decades ago? I want to say I’m hopeful, but he’s a McMahon. I do think that it would be more likely with Shane in charge versus his sister or brother-in-law. Without a union in place, it’s probably not likely that anything will truly and meaningfully change.
Thank you to everyone that participated in this discussion.