8 Things WWE Want You To Forget About The Raw After WrestleMania
3. Expectation Management
WWE loves to have control. Wrestling at its core is about control - control of audience emotions, of decision-making and most importantly spending habits. The organisation still believes that it works best maintaining order over every aspect of the industry, often leading to self-destructive micromanagement that even extends to the stands.
It's that that has resulted in the promotion behind the post-WrestleMania Raw becoming so focused and frenzied in recent years. For a long time, the company simply couldn't get a handle on it.
One of the few certainties even during lean creative years for the organisation post-Attitude Era was a hot live audience the night after the biggest show of the year. That blessing eventually became a curse when the crowd's collectivism resulted in matches collapsing under the weight of unified derision, disdain or disinterest.
2013 was perhaps the most (in)famous case. A year removed from a 'YES!' movement formed in the wake of Daniel Bryan's mistreatment at WrestleMania XXVIII, the audience again tried to use their voice to dictate/destroy creative direction. A Randy Orton/Sheamus clash descended into utter chaos, whilst instant midcarder Fandango received a monster response for his daft music alone after a misguided WrestleMania victory over Chris Jericho a night earlier. It wouldn't last...