10 Reasons Why WWE Fans Are Rapidly Losing Faith
A company in crisis? Not quite, but WWE aren't truly "super serving" their audience either.
WWE would love you to believe that all is well in 2017. They'll tell you that they're meeting all their targets by "super serving" the audience, and their outlook has never looked rosier. Vince McMahon & co. point to rising profits and a healthy balance sheet as evidence, and while the company are certainly prospering in some areas, these numbers don't tell the whole story.
Fan apathy is at an all-time high. The company's TV audience has dropped by 20% over the past 12 months, and ratings are in the gutter. The viewership's median age has doubled since 2000, and the average WWE viewer is now 54 years old. WWE's dominant market share shields them from the consequences, but fans are turning away from the product at an alarming rate, and it's not slowing down.
There's still plenty to enjoy about the modern product, but WWE are clearly losing sight of what attracted these disenfranchised fans in the first place. There are many reasons for this, and while WWE can't please every section of their fanbase at once, the decline has gone on for years, and their lack of serious competition makes change extremely unlikely.
10. In-Ring Restrictions Have Gone Too Far
WWE’s in-ring environment has never been safer. Wrestling is a dangerous sport, and freak injuries are always going to happen, but WWE have mitigated these risks by placing clear limitations on what happens between the ropes. This is obviously beneficial to the wrestlers' health. but while the company’s best performers have found ways to thrive regardless, it’s impossible to shake the feeling that they’re being held back.
Great matches will inevitably happen with such a talented roster, but WWE’s in-ring standards often fall way short of what can be found in other companies. Athleticism and creativity have been curbed to a level that even the biggest contests suffer. TV matches almost always turn into headlock-fests, while pay-per-view bouts routinely devolve into an endless stream of finisher kickouts.
Nobody’s asking for a return to the days of unprotected chairshots and reckless dives, but WWE could stand to benefit from loosening the reins a little. They’ve got some of the best wrestlers in the world on their roster, but they’re not allowed to show the full breadth of their talents. Instead, we get watered down versions of the wrestlers they’d be in NJPW or on the indies, and it continues to drive fans who value in-ring action above all else away.