5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Feb 23)
1. The Future Is In The Red
News broke this week that NXT is what its figurehead Triple H always denied he was: a B+ Player unable to draw money.
Generating $5.96M in ticket sales, this revenue, per the latest WWE earnings report, is offset by $25M in expenditures. It cost an eye-watering $19.04M to run NXT in 2017, which makes for sobering reading. The best all-round wrestling brand on the planet - even New Japan cannot rival its expansive quality, what with its 50/50 doubles division - has not leveraged its critical acclaim with commercial success. The brand operates at a loss almost by design; it pays more to Independent talent to tempt them away from the Independents, frames them with expensive production values, and runs a Performance Center designed, ultimately, to no longer depend on the Independents. The problem is that worldwide experience is far more important than state-of-the-art training facilities, which explains why Andrade Almas, and not Tino Sabbatelli, is the man on top.
Ultimately, that initial investment should mature on the main roster. The problem there is that main roster creative treats the NXT promotees with all the grace of Inspector Clouseau. Bobby Roode was an act in NXT. On SmackDown, he is a literal poser. Finn Bálor was the face of the NXT brand at its 2015 height. Now, the beaming smile on his face betrays the booking. He is directionless on RAW in 2018. Bayley was childlike. She's now a child. And on the wheel spins.
TakeOver Saturdays probably aren't in danger. They are Triple H's baby. Still, it's upsetting to consider that WWE is hardly about to creatively mirror such a commercially disastrous approach on TV any time soon.
More rematches it is!