10 Major Flaws With WWE's Current Pay-Per-View Model
4. The Cram
Making it onto a WWE pay-per-view card used to mean something. In the past, spots on the big show had to be earned. Only the company’s hottest feuds and acts (and those they wanted to transform into a hot act) would get the opportunity to shine in the biggest spotlight, and swathes of wrestlers were routinely omitted from cards, even at WrestleMania.
This isn’t the case anymore. It often feels like WWE’s main pay-per-view goal is to cram as many performers onto the show as possible, regardless of whether it makes sense or not. WrestleMania 33 featured a whopping 68 in-ring competitors, and other PPV cards are routinely packed with repetitive multi-person matches, completely devaluing the glory of making it onto the show in the first place.
WWE want to make as much use of their bloated roster as possible, as well as catering to fans of every superstar, but they’re doing so at the expense of storytelling and match quality. Few wrestlers genuinely shine in these crowded matches, and it’s difficult to stand out when sharing the spotlight with four or five peers at a time. It’s great that more wrestlers are receiving a nice little PPV bonus than ever before, but it’s not always enjoyable to watch.