5 Wrestlers WWE Should Re-Sign To Win At Social Media

3. Matt Hardy

Screen Shot 2014 03 17 At 18 41 31 Yes, Matt Hardy's an oftentimes mess of a human being who has seen his worth as an in-ring performer by the standard of the top-tier of WWE's current product probably dwindle considerably in recent years. However, one thing Matt Hardy knows is how to translate on-screen success to sustainability in the social space. Long before Zack Ryder took the viral road to in-ring success with his "Z! True Long Island Story," Matt Hardy's "Hardy Show" (now available via Youtube) has existed for a decade and in featuring largely self-shot content that ties in strongly with his in-ring persona and his non-wrestling reality. As well, in creating a 360-degree universe unto himself that is supported by a rabid fanbase (a combined total of 1.6 million between Twitter, Facebook and Youtube followers alone), he's become a draw now used by everyone from Impact Wrestling to your favorite local indy to assist them in achieving their economic goals. Do we want Matt Hardy in the ring? Maybe every so often. Do we want Matt Hardy maybe sitting with rising talents who want to learn how to ensure financial sustainability both while in WWE and as well, if/when their WWE careers come to a close? Certainly. Helping a wrestler (who is, at the end of the day, an independent contractor) learn how to be an all-around valuable asset to a company (and industry) now discovering how to manipulate considerable revenue streams both in the ring, at the merchandise table and now in multiple ways online? It's probably something worth considering the potential headache of having Matt Hardy back in the company absolutely worth the time and effort.
Contributor
Contributor

Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.