10 Biggest Problems Facing WWE Creative At The Moment
WWE's current malaise was created in the writers' room, but can it be solved there too?
There are a lot of great things going on in WWE today. In-ring standards have never been higher, brands like 205 Live and the UK Championship have brought unparalleled variety, and the roster is as talented as it has ever been. The company is headed in the right direction in many ways, and this is reflected in their financials, with revenue soaring every time a new set of reports is released.
The product itself is far from perfect, however. WWE Creative are easy targets, but for all the good things they’ve given us over the years (and there have been plenty), their offerings are regularly run of the mill, disposable, or downright bad. Their shortcomings are the primary reason for Raw and SmackDown’s continued ratings struggles, and while restricted by Vince McMahon’s influence, only their ideas can enact change.
Apathy levels are greater than ever, and overcoming them will take a Herculean effort. Creative face a number of challenges in doing so, some of which must be worked around, and others eliminated entirely. They’re not all of the team’s’ own creation, but many are, and each is a roadblock preventing the product from escaping its current malaise...
10. Creating Buzz For 205 Live
While last year’s Cruiserweight Classic tournament was a huge critical success, the revived division has struggled to sustain fans’ attention since becoming part of the main roster. Airing immediately after SmackDown, 205 Live never retains the blue brand’s full audience, and there have been several reports of disappointing WWE Network viewing figures since the show’s inception.
People just aren’t invested in 205 Live, despite the shows continuous leaps in quality throughout 2017. This is a huge shame, as wrestlers like Austin Aries and Akira Tozawa are shining in their respective spotlights, while Neville has become one of WWE’s most consistently excellent performers since joining the division. Fans aren’t buying into it, however, and the Cruiserweights spend much of the show performing to silent audiences.
Creative have a huge task in their hands to save 205, and increase the brand’s wider appeal. Recent reports suggest they’re looking to implement more women from the main roster to spike intrigue levels after Sasha Banks’ recent spell teaming with Rich Swann against Noam Dar and Alicia Fox. A small step, but one that should go some way to relieving a larger problem.