This is less a fantasy booking and more a fantasy...promoting? Company running? kind of thing. Basically it's the hypothetical question of what would you do if you were in charge of the WWE? Here's what *I* would dooo or just wish that they would do and maybe some of this stuff is easier to write in an internet post than actually accomplish but WHATEVER HERE'S MY THREE
1) No more booking like it's the 80's or Mark Trail! Read http://joshreads.com/?p=835 for reference on that last part. Basically, I'm sick of overly long title reigns and angles that take months to pay off. I realize it's pretty hard to come up with two hours of compelling TV 50 times a year, but god DAMN maybe make each week each show different from the last one. which leads to my next point...
2) Enough with the rematches already, jesus! I hate when they do this. I think maybe the worst example was when Batista was the World champ on Raw, and feuded exclusively with Triple H the entire time. God. If you have to do a rematch, do one and make that the gimmick match and then END it.
3) It's easy as hell to come up with a feud for the world title. Guy A has the belt, Guy B wants the belt, and will do anything to get it. Vince Russo was right, it's just a fucking prop. It's a fairly convenient mcguffin, though, and if it's as important as they pretend it is, then someone should always want to take it. This bullshit on Raw with Cena not defending the belt since fuck knows when (was it the cage match with Edge?) is crap. Nobody wants a title shot? Really? Nobody?
Sick of overly long title reigns? I didn't know it was possible to be sick of something that doesn't happen. You realize the same two guys have passed the IC title back in forth like three times this month? Lita's Women's title gets passed around more than Lita does. I think they should make title reigns LONGER, because right now their titles don't mean jack squat. The only one that has been a decent title reign is Helms' cruiserweight title and I think Vince has probably just forgotten it exists.
Of course it doesn't matter either way if the titles don't mean anything. They can start with fixing that.
On the other hand, you know when a title lacks the competitors to substain it, you get them lasting months as with the case with both tag team divisions and the already mentioned Cruiserweight farce.
They hung the womens title on Trish Stratus longer than they should because they lacked ideas when she was injured.
1) I still think they should bring back Goldberg. 2) I still think they should beg Lesnar to return 3) I still think they should kill the women's division.
You improve everything by killing the "GM vs. top face" angle.
Also, you don't have to have the champ face somebody for the title or be in the main event each week. Title defenses mean more when they happen less frequently. That may maintain long reigns but it gives more interest for the PPV bouts. Cena shouldn't defend the title against just anyone, and RAW hasn't built up a singles guy except Umaga or those buzzing around the IC title.
Blasphemous as this might be, I'd focus more on the backstage presentation. The current skits are not well done; I don't like the camera work or the purpose of the skits. The wrestlers shouldn't randomly encounter each other in the bowels of the arenas. They should focus more on the locker rooms (no, not that way) and underscore just how much these guys travel and prepare together for the matches. That way, you can spark a multitude of angles using any combination of people.
I much prefer the interviews with Maria or Todd to happen in the ring instead of backstage, and they should happen right before or after a match. The performer should talk his way to the ring or up the ramp. If NFL camera people can shoot and walk backward, the WWE guys can too.
And, as much as it's almost cliche to say, I'd change the way the shows are announced. It does nothing to help when an announcer simply repeats what a performer said or uses one of a handful of catchphrases to present an angle development. Keep the ringside guys, but change how they talk to us. React organically, and the shows won't feel so by-the-numbers.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Oh god, Big Show defended that ECW world title every week for like, a month and a half and it SUCKED. Seriously. Maybe if the title ever changed hands on an unhyped match there would be some suspense involved, but there was no fucking way Batista or Undertaker were going to win that thing.
Bring back a strong tag team division, if only to utilize some of the talent they have and DONT use.
Stop the "everybody has a turn as GM" bullshit. Have one boss, make his word final, and make him seem like he is trying to do the best for the company, ala Teddy Long.
Make the titles important. I remember watching Flair on TBS, he'd interview every week, but seldom wrestle. Make the champs appearance mean something. You are still gonna sell the same amount of Tshirts and whatnot if you push his gimmick properly, so let him only defend on PPVs or BIG matches to blow off angles.
Hire different writers for different wrestlers and give them an alloted amount of time each week. Three sets of writers total. One for Upper Card, one for IC level guys and one for Tag Teams/ladies/cruisers. Give them all 1/3 of the show and let them be creative.
If you put an end to the brand extension, you'll be putting people out of jobs. Bad idea.
Keep the interpromotional shit to a bare minimum. You don't see the characters on Lost going off to the hospital on GREY'S ANATOMY or dating a character on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. It doesn't help the show out and it's stupid.
If you want each show to have it's own champ, don't let that guy go to another show and beat up it's champ. That kills the show.
When bringing in a new wrestler, don't drag out where they are going to be placed. Just pick a show and put them there.
Hire separate writers for each show who are not related to the family. Also, don't use the show to make yourself out to be 'the shit'. It doesn't help the company and in the long run, it just takes money out of your pockets.
1: Put a wrestling FAN in charge of writing. No, don't put in a Hollywood writer, or someone who doesn't know the product. Get someone who follows the history of the feds (past and present) and knows what will work.
2: Put more shows online. I love Heat, I miss Velocity...and by God, don't put recap shows when there ware PPVs and overseas trips. Heat hasn't been original in, what...a month?
3: Put WWE 24/7 on more cable systems, and put the recent episodes of Raw on there. If they are there already, then ignore this: we don't have 24/7 here.
4: This has been said a zillion times before, but do whatever the fed can to work out SOME agreement with the World Wildlife Fund to get the old footage unblurred. They're a charity, they need bucks, right? There ya go. It's been years, yes...but my eyes burn when I see the blur.
5: Revivals never work: the new DX is nothing like the old one, the new nWo failed miserably, and chances are that if someone brought the Horsemen back, they'd be a shell of what they used to be. Let's focus on the future of the industry, not bringing back the past.
6: More PPVs outside of the USA.
7: Lower the price of PPVs. Half the time they're not worth it. Half the time, I watch the shows at a bar, or at the local movie theatre.
8: Bring back Eric Bischoff. Bischoff as Raw GM was surreal considering his history...but he was gold in that role.
For starts, I'd start bringing back the swerve. Not the overly nonsensical ones, mind you, but the ones that make people want to watch what's happening on the TV screen or live. Let's say this is rule 1.
BE LESS PREDICTABLE AND YOU MUST BE MORE EXCITING.
A title bout, every show, it's the main event. Tag titles, Intercontinental, World, whatever, it's the main event. I'd have title changes happen on normal non-PPV tv, to make the product more exciting. Only one dusty finish every 3 years. I know there are those who question; 'why give away big matches for free when you can sell them on PPV'? 'At's a good rule 2.
BUILD THE FANBASE ON FREE TV AND THE PPV BUYRATES WILL GROW.
Occasionally, throw a name out there into something a little more high profile than they're currently working at (Imagine Charlie Haas gets an IC Title shot, and wins. Boom, intrigue in Charlie Haas.) Rule 3.
PUSH AT RANDOM; YOU CAN'T FIND GOLD WITHOUT DIGGING.
Allot face time to your established names, but not too much. Keep them in profile, your fans obviously react to them, but make it so they are either sharing face time for a brief period with someone else who is less popular, or are by themselves for an even briefer period.
STARS SHOULD SHINE, NOT SHADOW.
Hold nothing sacred and you'll never be dissapointed. Especially not this statement.
You think Vickie Guerrero deserves to be out of a job? Harsh.
Here's an idea: abolish the tag divisions on Raw and SmackDown, and make the tag team titles ECW's equivalent of the Women's and Cruiserweight belts. They haven't got the tag teams to support three separate divisions, and TNA is proof that an hour-long show can be a very good place to create strong tag teams. You shuffle the rosters a bit, get the following teams on Tuesday nights:
The FBI KC James/Idol Stevens London & Kendrick The Redneck Wrecking Crew Nicky & Mikey, maybe with a different gimmick (Fratboys?) Cryme Tyme The Highlanders Burke & Turkay Daivari & The Great Khali Danny Doring & Roadkill
Plus any others they can rustle up. Maybe rehire the Meanie and do the bWo, or add Dreamer and Sandman into the mix occasionally.
To those who say people wouldn't look; they wouldn't be interested; they're too complacent, indifferent and insulated, I can only reply: There is, in one reporter's opinion, considerable evidence against that contention. But even if they are right, what have they got to lose? Because if they are right, and this instrument is good for nothing but to entertain, amuse and insulate, then the tube is flickering now and we will soon see that the whole struggle is lost. This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise it is merely wires, and lights, in a box.-Edward R. Murrow
Originally posted by OliverA few ideas come to mind:
1: Put a wrestling FAN in charge of writing. No, don't put in a Hollywood writer, or someone who doesn't know the product.
Exactly. Which is why they should put former wrestlers in charge of the writing. Not fans.
I don't care to see Paul London as World Champion and not even drawing flies to shit.
Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman, and Jim Cornette were all wrestling fans, not former wrestlers. 'Well, they all worked in wrestling before they started booking,' fair enough. But Chris Kreski wrote WWF TV in 2000, their best year ever, and he was just some dude. Kevin Sullivan, Kevin Nash, Dusty Rhodes, Jeff Jarrett, Mike Graham, Tommy Dreamer ... all former wrestlers, all not that successful at booking (though Sullivan and Rhodes each had periods of success preceding their disasters).
Anyway, I thought the original poster's point was that hiring people who are actually familiar with wrestling to write wrestling instead of explicitly making sure that they didn't watch it would be a good idea. Not that the key to success would be putting a Scott Keith-headed committee of the finest "I. W. C." nerds in charge.
Originally posted by oldschoolheroYou think Vickie Guerrero deserves to be out of a job? Harsh.
It might be harsh but it's true that she has no business on tv. Now I'm sure Vince could find her an office job or something, or just help her out but then that would mean not dragging out the Eddie storyline.
Which is another good rule. No more mention of Eddie Guerrero or the Harts for a storyline purpose. In fact you should have nobody (real or fictional) deceased in your angles.
Originally posted by Oliver5: Revivals never work: the new DX is nothing like the old one, the new nWo failed miserably, and chances are that if someone brought the Horsemen back, they'd be a shell of what they used to be. Let's focus on the future of the industry, not bringing back the past.
8: Bring back Eric Bischoff. Bischoff as Raw GM was surreal considering his history...but he was gold in that role.
Originally posted by CerebusIf you put an end to the brand extension, you'll be putting people out of jobs. Bad idea.
So what? There are TONS of wrestlers in WWE right now that either DESERVE to be out of job or you wouldnīt miss a bit if gone:
Jim Duggan, Snitsky, Beth Phoenix (Who is she? I mean it!), Conway, Viscera, Val Venis, Funaki, Jake & Jesse, Layla, The Miz, Kristal, Tatanka, Vickie Guerrero, Vito, Scotty 2 Hotty, Sylvan, Jazz, Rebecca, Rene Dupree, Shannon Moore, Tony Mamaluke, Trinity...................
And I didnīt even mention guys like Matt Striker, because at least they actually use him!
Hey, I'd miss Conway. He's pretty good, actually, not that he ever gets anything to do. Team him up w/ somebody (Chuck Palumbo is under contract, but hasn't seen the light of day, so there's a possibility, although I'd like to see a Noble/Palumbo team), send him to ECW, send him over to SD. He'd be a decent midlevel single or tag guy if given the chance.
If I'm not mistaken, Val Venis is 1 of the company's "tryout" guys. He works matches w/ guys the company might be interested in, to gauge how good they are, so I don't see them letting him go.
1 easy thing to do to improve the product would be to simply stop doing embarrassing things, i.e. STOP SHOWING MALE ASS ON TV ALMOST EVERY WEEK. How do you expect to draw new fans when people tune in to your TV show, only to see Vince with his pants down, Big Dick Johnson, etc. Wrestling is treated like a joke, and it's not hard to see why when you tune in to Raw.