What Happened to WWE?
What happened to WWE? That’s a question that many fans have been asking lately. The once-proud wrestling company has been through a lot of changes in recent years, and not all of them have been good. Let’s take a look at what’s happened to WWE and see if we can figure out where things went wrong.
WWE’s History
WWE, otherwise known as World Wrestling Entertainment, has been around since the 1950s. The company was started by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt and has been through several changes over the years. McMahon’s son, Vince, took over the company in the 1980s and is still the CEO today. WWE has seen a lot of success over the years, but lately, the company has been struggling.
WWE’s beginnings in the 1970s
WWE’s history begins in the 1970s with Vince McMahon Sr., who took over World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) after the death of his father, Vincent J. McMahon. The World Wide Wrestling Federation was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1963. In 1982, Vincent K. McMahon founded Titan Sports, Inc., which would eventually change its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in 2002. In the early 1990s, WWE (then known as the World Wrestling Federation) became the largest wrestling promotion in the world after signing high-profile wrestlers Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Ted DiBiase.
The “Golden Era” of the 1980s
In the 1980s, professional wrestling in the United States reached unprecedented popularity. Vince McMahon, Sr.’s World Wrestling Federation (WWF) became the largest promotion in the country with worldwide appeal. The 1980s saw the expansion of rival promotion Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) with help from Ted Turner, which would be renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1991. These two promotions would dominate wrestling into the 1990s until McMahon’s WWF regained momentum with the introduction of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock as leading WWF stars in 1996.
The “Attitude Era” of the 1990s and early 2000s
In the mid-1990s, the World Wrestling Federation’s (WWF) booking became more storylines-based, as the promotion introduced the “Attitude Era”, which was defined by edgier angles. The key figures of this era were “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, Mankind and D-Generation X. These wrestlers became loosely affiliated with two stables: Mr. McMahon’s Corporation and Austin’s Alliance. In addition to these groups, other stables were introduced, such as the Nation of Domination, DX’s rivals in the New Age Outlaws and the radical terrorist cell known as L.O.D. 2000.
The WWF also began a process that saw them Edge and Christian, along with The Hardy Boyz and Gangrel bring in a new crop of talent from Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW), which would be dubbed “The Invasion”. This saw the WWF being dominant in the ratings war against WCW for 84 consecutive weeks, until WCW finally regained the top spot in 1998.
WWE’s Decline
WWE used to be the top wrestling company in the world. They had top stars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan. They also had a successful show called Monday Night Raw. However, WWE has been on a decline in recent years. They have lost many of their top stars, and their ratings have been declining. Let’s take a look at what has caused WWE’s decline.
The rise of competition from other wrestling companies
The early 21st century was a boom period for professional wrestling, with WWE enjoying its greatest success. But things began to change in the mid-2000s, as WWE’s monopoly on the wrestling world began to be challenged by other companies.
In 2003, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) was bought by Vince McMahon’s WWE, ending the last major competitor to WWE’s monopoly. But while this seemed to signal the end of wrestling’s boom period, it actually opened the door for a new era of competition.
In 2006, a group of former WCW wrestlers founded a new company called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). TNA quickly gained popularity thanks to its fresh approach to wrestling and its roster of top talent.
In 2009, another company called Ring of Honor (ROH) debuted. ROH focused on presenting a more traditional style of wrestling than what WWE was offering at the time.
These companies offered stiff competition to WWE, forcing them to up their game in order to stay ahead. As a result, WWE’s product became more enjoyable during this period. The mid-2000s were truly a golden age for professional wrestling.
But in recent years, WWE has once again become dominant, as TNA and ROH have lost much of their momentum. Many fans believe that WWE has become complacent and stale in recent years, with matches often feeling predictable and scripted. It remains to be seen if WWE can recapture the magic that made them so special during the mid-2000s golden age of wrestling.
WWE’s poor booking decisions
WWE’s booking decisions have been scrutinized for years, with fans often complaining about the company’s lack of long-term planning, its unwillingness to push new talent and its frequent reliance on part-timers and legends at the expense of full-time stars.
These criticisms came to a head in 2020, as WWE was forced to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden death of one of its top stars, Roman Reigns. The company’s decision to move forward with Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia despite the global health crisis was particularly controversial, and WWE’s Payback pay-per-view was widely panned for its poor match quality and lack of star power.
WWE’s ratings and live event attendance have declined steadily in recent years, and 2020 was no different, as the company posted its lowest ratings in over two decades. WWE has also seen a decline in social media engagement, with fans seemingly losing interest in the product.
It’s clear that WWE is facing some major challenges, but whether or not the company is able to turn things around remains to be seen.
WWE’s lack of innovation
WWE’s lack of innovation is often cited as one reason for the company’s decline. For years, WWE relied heavily on aging stars like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan to draw viewers. While these stars remained popular with fans, WWE did little to cultivate new stars to take their place. As a result, when the older stars finally retired or took extended breaks from WWE, there was no one to replace them.
In recent years, WWE has made an effort to become more innovative. The company has introduced new match types, such as the Money in the Bank ladder match and the Hell in a Cell match. It has also experimented with different formats for its shows, such as the Elimination Chamber and the King of the Ring tournaments. However, these innovations have not been enough to stem the decline in WWE’s ratings and popularity.
WWE’s Future
WWE has been around for over 50 years and has been entertaining fans all over the world. However, in recent years, WWE has been facing declining viewership and has been struggling to keep up with the competition. So, what happened to WWE? Let’s take a look.
WWE’s recent partnership with FOX
In recent months, WWE has been in the news for their partnership with FOX. This partnership is a game-changer for WWE, as FOX is one of the biggest networks in the world. This deal will give WWE a much larger audience and significantly increase their revenue.
However, not everyone is happy about this deal. Many people think that this deal will destroy WWE’s independent status and make them just another wrestling promotion under the control of a major network. Only time will tell if this deal will be good or bad for WWE, but it is certainly a major turning point in their history.
WWE’s new TV deal with NBCUniversal
In 2014, WWE signed a new TV deal with NBCUniversal. The deal was reportedly worth $150 million per year, which was a significant increase from their previous deal with NBCUniversal. The new TV deal was a major factor in WWE’s decision to move to a live programming schedule.
WWE’s new TV deal has been a huge success. WWE’s ratings have increased significantly since moving to a live programming schedule. In addition, WWE has been able to generate more revenue from their live events and merchandise sales.
WWE’s plans for new content
In recent years, WWE has been facing increased competition from other wrestling promotions, as well as declining ratings. As a result, WWE has been working on plans to create new content that will appeal to a wider audience.
One of WWE’s recent initiatives has been the creation of the UK-based promotion NXT UK. NXT UK is a weekly television show that features some of the best wrestlers in the United Kingdom. The promotion has been successful so far, and WWE is planning on expanding it to other countries in the future.
In addition to NXT UK, WWE has also launched a new live event series called NXT Live. NXT Live events are smaller shows that feature wrestlers from NXT, WWE’s developmental promotion. These events are meant to give fans a more intimate experience with the wrestlers, and they have been well-received by those who have attended them.
WWE is also working on creating more original programming for its network. In 2018, WWE launched two new shows: Mixed Match Challenge, a tournament featuring mixed tag teams from Raw and SmackDown; and Mae Young Classic, a 32-woman tournament that showcased some of the best female wrestlers in the world. Both of these shows were well-received by fans and helped increase viewership for WWE Network.
WWE’s plans for 2019 include launching another Mae Young Classic tournament, as well as a new show called Cruiserweight Championship. This show will feature cruiserweight wrestlers from around the world, and it will be available exclusively on WWE Network.
