11 Undeniable Reasons WWE Raw Ratings Are Plummeting

2. The Show Is Predictable And Formulaic

Can anyone name the last time Raw opened with anything other than a 15-minute in-ring promo? ANYTHING? What would be so wrong with switching things up? They've become so entrenched in their own formula that they either stubbornly refuse to ever deviate from it or they have genuinely forgotten how to do so. Either one is stunningly incompetent. We don't need to open every single show with one or more wrestlers rambling on, taking an entire segment to say what could be conveyed efficiently in a couple of minutes. And it's even more noticeable because so many of the current crop of talent simply aren't equipped to be cutting these extended promos. WWE never announces important matches prior to the start of the show (probably because they book on the fly) which would build anticipation by giving the fans something to look forward to. Matches are announced as the show progresses, sometimes as punishment from The Authority, which makes zero sense because they're "punishing" wrestlers by having them...wrestle matches? And while we're at it can we please talk about contract signings? Is there a more overused, insignificant booking trope in the entire history of WWE than a contract signing? In the build up to about every other pay-per-view we close a Raw with two wrestlers meeting in the ring to put their names on the dotted line for their big upcoming match, and every single time it ends in chaos. It's lame and played-out and please make it go away. If you've ever sat and watched wrestling with non-fans who causally pay attention and they're able to predict what's about to happen something is seriously deficient with the booking. My wife can accurately call what's about to transpire about 70% of the time when she's "watching" (begging me to change the channel) and she has very little familiarity with the product. Even she's sick of Big Show and Kane! If people who aren't followers can see things coming a mile away, how do they think committed fans feel about the show? Kick an episode off with a match, a brawl in the back, Dolph Ziggler's stand-up routine or Rusev tweeting if you want to, but just switch it up every now and then. Whoever is in charge of formatting the show needs to take some chances and try new things. The ratings prove the current formula has ran its course.