10 Small Changes That Would Improve WWE
It's time to stop kicking out of finishers.
There's no doubt that WWE has some major issues. 50-50 booking, a lack of ability to make new stars, too many authority figures, WAY too much Stephanie McMahon, and the Never Ending Story that is the Roman Reigns push are just a few of those.
The trouble is, despite what the audience may be saying (the smarks, at least), WWE doesn't seem to be interested in changing course on some of those major issues. While the big problems are a topic for another article (and oh, we'll get to that), there are smaller changes that could be made that could add up to make a big impact on WWE's television shows.
Here are 10 small changes that could make a big difference on WWE TV.
10. Treat Backstage Interviews Like They Matter
When "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Lance Russell or Gordon Solie used to interview wrestlers on TV, they ran the segments. They introduced the performers (who, unlike now, didn't make an off-camera entrance), asked specific questions, responded to the answers and threw the show back to the play-by-play announcers, just like on a sports broadcast.
Now, the reporters look scared on camera, ask generic questions ("Roman, what are your thoughts on your match tonight with Sheamus?") and after wrestler ignores the question, cuts a (boring) promo, and walks off, the reporter is left looking clueless as the segment fizzles out, as though they don't have a director in their ear telling them what's going on.
If you're going to bother having an interviewer backstage, they need to be treated like a competent journalist (and not be made to squat to look shorter, in the case of Tom Phillips.) Simply hiring someone who has a nice smile and looks good in an evening gown makes it seem as though WWE has transferred the disdain it had for women's wrestling from 2004-2015 and transferred it to backstage interviewers.
It's one thing to avoid having the broadcaster come across as more of a star than the wrestlers they interview (and it could be argued that Mean Gene frequently did, although in fairness, he usually had more charisma), but what's the point of the segment if no one gets over?