10 Huge Mistakes WWE Have Made With The WWE Network
Stream of Unconsciousness.
The WWE Network is often a wrestling fan's biggest gift, but can at times be a hand-wringing source of frustration.
With separate confirmation from both Renee Young and Daniel Bryan that their (company endorsed) renegade broadcast 'Smacking Talk' had been discontinued after just one hilarious episode, it brought a conclusive end to the weekly variant of the cult hit they've fronted through the over-the-top subscription service since the 2016 Draft.
Those who watched the daft skit featuring the hosts and Chad Gable openly mocking the Kurt Angle/Jason Jordan storyline with the thin veneer of spoof likely weren't surprised by the news. Though only gentle comedy, it was still a shot across the bow both at a major creative direction on Monday Night Raw, and WWE as a whole for taking away what they almost certainly perceived to be the most fun aspect of their diverse roles within Vince McMahon's organisation.
By all accounts, Talking Smack was binned because viewing figures simply did not stack up to budgetary investment, but a loud vocal majority's protestations in the aftermath of its cancellation highlighted a more complex challenge for WWE to overcome as it attempts to grow the Network into something that will stabilise the entire financial future of the organisation.
Though all requisite 1980s-style graphs have largely pointed in the right direction since it's 2014 inception, a total lack of strategy almost from the off has hampered what should have been a monstrous success, rather than a hefty commitment that only tiptoes towards mediocre targets.
10. (Not) Talking Smack
Briefly touched upon but worth repeating, Talking Smack's cancellation highlighted a much wider problem with creative oppression in present day WWE.
Along with sagging ratings, rumours abounded that Vince McMahon had caught snatches of the broadcast and lost faith in the performers to work without the net of the fiercely tight scripting now considered a company-wide norm.
In pulling the rug out from under the blue brand's sister act though, he served only to further restrict their progress. It may indeed be somewhat nerve-wracking to work the show, especially with the knowledge that one verbal misstep or sideways veer has the potential to be shared and seen by millions on social media seconds after broadcast. However, the same reach also applies when a performer shines.
Two powerful performances from The Miz early in the show's lifespan drew huge attention, whilst similarly strong efforts from Naomi, The Usos and Baron Corbin brought their personas on lightyears in comparison to what they were then permitted to display on the main show.
'The Lone Wolf' in particular exuded sensational confidence earlier this year, pledging at the time to win both the WWE Title and the Royal Rumble match in order to raise his own hand at WrestleMania and take the night off. His believable belligerence only grew from there, and helped him turn a gimmick into a character that now wields a Money In The Bank briefcase. Similar opportunities will no longer exist for his contemporaries.