10 Major Challenges Facing WWE In 2021
4. The Future Of TakeOver
Those in charge of NXT will likely be glad to see the back of 2020, but it's tough to gauge if they'll be reflective about why this was the worst year for the black-and-gold brand since it was a reality show.
Fingers will be pointed at the global health crisis, and with some rationale. But the year marked the first full 12 months for the Wednesday Night ratings war between the show and AEW Dynamite. The war they started, and the war they're losing. And that's where things went wrong.
Panic booking required panic finishes, requiring a lack of faith from the audience and a lack of direction completely beyond vital TakeOver events that just about kept the train on the tracks. The show's ended 2020 in better health than it started (unlike half the roster after two bruising WarGames matches), but even the last special with a crowd in February was facing accusations of overkill and excess.
TakeOver remains the entire organisation's most prestigious brand, but its legacy hangs in the balance along with the credibility of NXT itself. The booking of the first one with an audience in attendance will be extremely telling - has the rot set in too deep, or will the old magic resurface in the new normal?