8 Ways WWE RAW Can Beat NFL Monday Night Football
Football season is back, but WWE can still move the chains.
When
WWE’s social media accounts announced that John Cena would face Braun Strowman
this past Monday on Raw, fans buzzed about the company giving away a future
WrestleMania main event on free TV with zero buildup. The decision reeked of
desperation, because that’s exactly what it was: Raw needed a huge attraction to
lure viewers away from the start of Monday Night Football (MNF).
Since
Vince McMahon bought WCW in 2001, ending the Monday Night War, his company has
dealt with even stiffer competition 16 weeks out of the year. As Raw’s ratings
have spiralled in recent years as is, MNF raids even more eyeballs as casual
viewers are more invested in games with actual stakes on the line. According to
Forbes, Raw’s rating dropped to 2.68 against the season premiere of MNF last
year, down from 3.1 the previous week. This year’s ratings haven’t been
released yet, but Raw most likely lost, handily, to a double header of New Orleans Saints
vs. Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers.
However,
there is hope for Kurt Angle’s show. Ratings for NFL games have fallen similar
to WWE’s in recent years, indicating that casual viewers are hungry for
compelling programming. Giving away pay-per-view quality matches is a short-term
fix but a long-term problem (Goldberg vs. Hollywood Hogan on Nitro comes to
mind). With its current roster and storylines, Raw has better options for winning
the new Monday Night War.
8. Have Brock Lesnar Wrestle
Brock
Lesnar hasn’t wrestled on free TV in 13 years. Since defeating Hardcore Holly
on a Smackdown before WrestleMania XX, the Beast has competed only in dark
matches, house shows, WWE Network specials and pay-per-views. You have to pay
to see Brock Lesnar, and that’s what makes him special.
But
if his contract is running out and his time in McMahonland is coming to an end,
why not use him as much as possible? If his contract stipulates that he can’t
work televised matches, throw a few more bucks his way to change his mind.
Lesnar’s first match on Raw in over a decade will surely make people tune in.
It doesn’t even matter who his opponent is because the Beast is the attraction.
Plus, there’s always the possibility of a bait-and-switch, like when Stone Cold
first faced Mr. McMahon on Raw and Dude Love emerged to attack the Texas
Rattlesnake.
Lesnar
draws the eyeballs – it’s up to WWE officials to capitalize.