8 Things We Learned From WWE's First Quarter 2017 Earnings
1. Jinder Mahal's Push Is What We Expected
Jinder Mahal’s push has become one of WWE’s biggest talking points in 2017 so far, and his sudden ascent has been met with widespread cynicism from the audience. Many fans have suggested that 'The Maharajah' has only been thrust into the main event scene because WWE's identification of India as a growing market, and their desire to promote a native star to spur growth there.
A caller addressed this directly, and while Barrios was initially reluctant to address the topic, he noted that local characters do have increased popularity in local markets. Jinder’s push, he stated, “won’t hurt” the company’s efforts to expand in India, but added that they’ll let the storyline determine his long-term push, not his ethnicity.
This all but confirms fans’ suspicions on the subject. Jinder’s main event run will likely continue until there’s conclusive data on how his rise has impacted interest levels in India, which Barrios stated was WWE’s second-biggest online market. Mahal’s push might not make sense from a creative standpoint, but as far as business goes, it’ll be deemed as a success if he brings new fans through the door.