9 Vital Ways To Improve WWE RAW

9. Change The RAW Set Design

The Monday Night RAW set has gone without a major change to its appearance since March 1997. That€™s over 18 years! Sure, there have been several changes over the years such as adding additional video walls to replace the old curtain look, the upgrade to HD in 2008, and the solid black barricades replacing the transparent guard rails, but these would be classified as minor upgrades. The basic arena layout remains the same: Titantron + ramp + ring + announce tables. I understand the old adage of €œIf it ain€™t broke, don€™t fix it,€ and while I€™m not saying the current setup is broken, it definitely is stale and if RAW is looking tor a way to freshen things up, look no further than the aesthetics of the television show. When the show premiered back in 1993, the set underwent a design change every year through 1997. During this time, the company's PPVs did not feel like €œbigger versions of RAW€ as they do now as each show had its own distinct arena layout and appearance. Currently, WWE has a tendency to brand everything so that, regardless of whether RAW is held in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas or the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, you€™ll recognize that you€™re watching a WWE show within seconds of seeing the program. With that said, having the same basic appearance for nearly twenty years is a long time to go without a major redesign. The company has changed its parent company's name twice and its logo three times in that same time span! Surely, the WWE can afford to refresh their flagship show€™s set design. As for what to change it to? Anything would be a welcome change, so long as it appears different and fresh. Bring back the video-wall appearing off to the side (think King of the Ring €™93) or what about underneath the ramp/curtain? In 2015, is it even necessary to have such a mammoth screen when it is now only used primarily for entrance videos? How about moving the announce tables to the entrance area, utilize the old side-stage for interview areas (the way they did on one of the Old School RAWs) and, hell, why not make an exit ramp, too? The point is that there are many ways the set design can be changed up to breathe new life into the show, and some of these physical changes would even create new opportunities for Creative. There may be several WWE concepts that should€™ve been kept around for 18 years, but I don€™t know if the RAW set design should have been one of them. It was fantastic when it debuted in March of '97, but the current layout has run its course and it's time to design something new.