10 Worst Ways WWE Butchers The English Language
9. "The WWE Universe"
Ugh.
We are fans, WWE. Every sport, every form of entertainment, every hobby, has fans. It's not a dirty word. You constantly hear sports teams thank ''the fans'' for their support. It is a legitimate word that everyone gets.
A decade or so ago, commentators started slipping "The WWE Universe" in every now and then. Over the next few months, it became a deluge until now we're bombarded constantly both by commentators and online, whether it fits the context or not.
It's the same with ''fan favourite.'' Again, a perfectly acceptable term, but in Vince McMahon's mind it makes perfect sense for Michael Cole to say "we know how much Keith Lee appeals to you, the WWE Universe,'' even though it's unwieldy and contrived.
Oddly, ''our fans'' is considered acceptable by Vince; he suggests it as a great replacement term. So, by this logic, it would be unacceptable to say ''we'd like to thank THE FANS for making WrestleMania such a huge success last night',' but it would be okay to say ''we would like to thank OUR FANS for making WrestleMania such a huge success last night.''
Splitting hairs, yes. But it's WWE.