Fate of pro wrestling: If I was Booking
Day 1
Im a pro wrestling fan, meaning more than just the WWE. But I admit it, much like people wont, WWE is the place to be if you want to become the best in the buisness. I also admit, some of the guys, including Vince McMahon are out of touch. They take solid performers from their other promotion NXT, which is pretty much their minor league, up to the big roster on Raw or Smackdown. At this point they dont do anything with most of these guys. Absolutely stupid.
So at this point, in this hypothetical reality I've just become CEO of WWE, everything ends and begins with me. I'm calling the damn shots people! As of today, October 24th, 2018, I'm in charge. Get used to it.
First things first, we separate the rosters. Oh wait, they did that already? My bad. What I meant was, we actually separate the rosters. We take Raw, Smackdown, and NXT and have them compete for ratings. We all know it's the same company, but I want real competition.
We have one final draft. One that separates the roster for the last time. After that, we have an NFL like off season for certain performers. Free agency, trades, and a draft.
1. Step one: Split the three promotions and bring in the 205 live guys to one or all of these shows.
2. Step two: Come up with a date after Wrestlemania, for a draft which will consist of NXT guys, performers that are on the bubble of Raw and smackdown, and free agents. Smackdown, Raw, and NXT will select their picks based on viewer votes on which promotion is best.
3. Step 3: Hire GMs for each promotion and actually give them a chance to succeed as they see fit. Everyone is different and everyone has different tastes and styles, that's part of the fun.
4. Step 4: Set the parameters for trades by having Vince be the commissioner of these moves. You cant have John Cena getting traded to NXT for a jobber, it makes no sense.
5. After separating the rosters we set the number one contenders parameters differently and set it up with rankings. This doesnt mean, a world champ cant defend against a lesser known opponent. It just means they dont have to. Having a ranking system would be fun to see because of the different matchups and potential feuds over a spot just to get a shot at the champ. This goes for all titles. And it would make things a little harder story wise, but that's the writers job to figure it out. Having guys fighting their way up to the top is a great story to begin with.
6. Hire more writers: Know what I hate? That they cant find anything to do for certain performers. So they just whither away in the dressing room, alone, crying. I wouldnt go that far, but still, I remember ECW and even their lowest quality guys or girls had something to do. They got air time. WCW, same thing, they made time for most guys, until obviously the NWO took over and it went down hill slowly from there.
7. Day one, I'm immediately setting a date for King/Queen of the Ring. I loved King of the Ring, not just because both my boys Owen and Bret Hart won in back to back tournaments, because it was fun. It was a two and a half month process to qualify and then the tournament came and we got some cool moments, some matchups we wouldnt have seen otherwise. It also gave pushes to several key stars in the WWF/WWE. So selfishly I demand we have it back.
8. Setting Triple H as my second in command. Hes smart, loves the buisness and understands the fans. Hes worked so hard building NXT to what it is and I'll completely fess up that I think I may like that promotion better than both raw and smackdown. The talent, the stories, the people he hired to make it everything it can be and he gives them the freedom to have amazing quality matches. Hes the best and cant wait until he takes over the main rosters for good.
So there you have it. This is day one as a Booker and I didnt even book anything yet. But I gotta get my backstage shit together and bring in great personal to make things run.
Next time I'll go over what I'll do with certain performers, stories, and the end game I'd have to make things a lot better with Wrestlemania coming up In about six months.