10 Reasons Why WWE's Stagnation Will Never End
1. The Star-Making Machine Is Broken
Stars sell tickets.
It sounds like an oversimplification, but it's true. Having a roster stuffed with wrestlers that people actually want to watch is always been key to any successful wrestling organisation, and while WWE are still clinging onto the likes of Brock Lesnar and John Cena, their talent pool is frighteningly low on star power.
Guys like Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Dean Ambrose are great performers, but they don't scream "megastar" like their predecessors. The way they've been presented means it's impossible to see them on the level of a Steve Austin or The Rock, and that's a massive problem. Even when WWE happen upon a potential star, they're rarely able to maintain their momentum, as illustrated by Braun Strowman's dismal No Mercy loss to Lesnar.
The reasons behind this are legion, with 50/50 booking, oversaturation, and micromanagement all to blame. The problem shows no sign of easing off either, and the company will be forced to rely on guys like Bill Goldberg to come back and pop ratings. Unfortunately, WWE's current "stars" just aren't up to the task.
WWE can't improve without fixing their broken star-making machine, but this would require a fundamental overhaul of the way they book talent. It's never going to happen.