Do Wrestling cards need more variety?

[mikde_]

So i was thinking...Is there a lack of attractions on a pro wrestling card these days?

Now, i don't mean that in the sense of star power because WWE and even TNA have some great attractions such as Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan but what i do mean is certain things that break down the card and keep it fresh and mixed up. I hate to do this but for example take the Attitude Era, You had a plethora of different characters that catered to different niche's in the audience. It was always fun to see The Godfather with his Ho's or see The Headbangers running down the aisle going apeshit. You had Road Dogg's fan interaction bit that although was the same every week it still got great reactions. Backstage segments where more than just simple interviews used to get from Point A to Point B ect ect. You had the hardcore division and the cruiserweight division. Basically every match offered something different to the last but now we seem to just have basic characters in simple matches where they use the same spots and finish as they did nearly every other time they faced off.

Now let me try and get this clear THIS IS NOT A ATTITUDE ERA THREAD! i am merely using that as a example but do wrestling cards need more spice and variety or are you happy with the way they are?

 

[MINISTRYrising]

I agree, we could do with a bit more variety at times. I don't think the characters are the problem thought. If anything TNA and espesially WWE need to be using more match types on a weekly basis. Triple threat,four way,cageand ladder matches used to feature weekly on tv. but over the last couple of years these matches have appeared less and less. Know you only really get to see these matches on PPV unless they are being used to advance a storyline like it was this week on raw (Punk vs Lawler in a cage).

Bringing back the hardcore division in WWE might help. but with wwe pushing the PG, i don't see this happening any time soon. Tna could also start pushing the X division a bit more as it was one of the things that put them on the map in the first place. at the moment the only time you get to see a ultimate x matches is at Destination x which only happens once a year. but I am hoping that once the Bound for Glory series and the Aces and Eight storyline is out of the way that TNA will start pushing the X division again.

But For the time being we will have to put up with the same format that we have become acustom to seeing for a little bit longer.

 

[#MrScissorsKick]

Yes. The WWE has the talent available to mix up the cards so that isn't an issue. Maybe the WWE should take a page from TNA's matches and come up with some fresh ideas. Standard 1 on 1 matches get boring, especially at a PPV. Add some stipulations or something along those lines.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

First off, I do agree that a lot of cards - I'd go so far as to say MOST WWE cards - feel boring, and lack real attraction. Every once in a while you have WrestleMania, which is always a big spectacle, or Extreme Rules in Chicago with the in-ring return of Brock Lesnar. In between not a lot feels important. There's no "big fight feel" to most PPV's, and no reason for me to take out $40 or $50 (double that if you're a TNA fan as well) every month.

But I don't think it's the card, or even the gimmick matches on the card that are the problem these days. The problem is that half the roster wrestles the same match. I like the Miz, and I love guys like Cody Rhodes and Dolph Ziggler. But when you look at a 6 or 7 match PPV card, you can expect to have seen pretty much every match in some way, shape or form before. You may never have seen "wrestler #1" vs. "#wrestler #2" before, but they're pretty much "wrestler #5" and "wrestler #18" with slight variations in their move-set.

It adds to the problem that as a WWE and TNA fan, I have about 23-24 events a year I have to pay for and watch. Do I actually pay for all of them? Thaaat's....not the point. But there's simply not enough variety on the rosters, and not enough storytelling to stretch between that many events. I usually come away happy, or at least mildly entertained, so don't take this as another "WWE sucks, they have no good wrestlers" post. It's not. And I think for the most part there is a vast improvement in recently months. We've seen new characters debut, a spark of interest in the current talent pool with guys like Ziggler, Sandow, Bryan, Punk, etc etc. And TNA has developed a great mid-card and solid main event scene. There's progression, but there's no promotion in the history of the industry that could put together 12-13 ppvs a year, with 5 hours of TV content a week, and still have blockbuster appeal to every event.

 

[Final Form Snyper.]

It's a case of over saturation. Think of it this way. How many times can you see John Cena and CM Punk wrestling in the same
match every PPV before you start thinking "Damn, when will Punk get a new challenger?" With so much time that has to be filled, certain things will have to be overplayed or over used. WWE alone use 27-28 on air hours each month.

There is not much that can be done on that aspect due to the limited legit maineventers, but what can be done is installing different and innovative matches and characters to help revive the entertaining aspect. Things are starting to change now, it's evident with the promotion of such wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio into the upper midcard/mainevent or even child friendly talent like Sin Cara and Brodus Clay things are really starting to look up.

 

[SickJames]

Damn, I thought you were talking about matches as far as the match card goes. Yeah sure we had our best cards in The Attitude Era even if the thread isnt about it. Characters excelled and connected and like any good TV show there was something for everybody. But more importantly there was more to get into and see as far as the action IN the ring went when it came to different matches. Match Types are a must when it comes to variety.

 

[Killercam]

WWE needs to stop taking great, original ideas such as money in the bank, hell in a cell, etc and turning them into ppvs. He'll in a cell matches are great, once every two years and $in the bank was a great WM attraction. It really hurts the credibility of these matches by having ppvs built around them. He'll WM II was main evented by a steel cage match! Which at the time was a novelty match but now a steel cage match is a poor mans HIAC, I know things have to evolve but damn. If anything they should bring back King of the Ring and get back to 6 ppvs

 

[Final Form Snyper.]

King of the Ring was scrapped due to the low interest not once, but twice. I don't think the WWE will gamble on that again. Also if they go to six PPV's that will severely cut their profit lines die to decreasing in advertising, gate takings and buy rate revenue. It's a business first and no business will ever willingly cut that much profit to please the few that think the it's too much.

 

[King Patrick Star]

If by variety, you mean:

WrestleMania XXX – Night Of Champions (because every Championship should always be defended on every PPV)

• NXT 20 Man Battle Royal – Winner gets a WWE Contract to the show of his choice
• 6 Man Money In The Bank TLC match
• Lingerie Divas Championship Pillow fight
• Elimination Tag Team Championship Steel Cage match
• Fatal Four Way Elimination Submission United States Championship match
• Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship match
• World Heavyweight Championship 6 Man Hell In A Cell match
• WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match

Then YES!! YES!! YES!!

If not, then NO!! NO!! NO!!

There really is only so much you can put on any given card. Look at Extreme Rules 2011 and 2012 for instance. Last Man Standing, Tables, Country Whipping, Falls Count Anywhere, No-Count Out / No DQ, Ladder, Lumberjack, Triple Steel Cage, 2 Out Of 3 Falls, 2-on-1, Street Fight, Extreme Rules, they, in one way or another are all the same with the ending already “spoiled” to a certain extent, because of the added “Extreme” stipulation. Plus, putting all your eggs in one basket could harm the rest of the years PPV buys…like I give a $#!+!!

 

[ABMorales787]

It's not a matter of variety on your cards as it's that your talents can be pretty bland. When Rob Van Dam walks down the aisle people sing his theme song. When Brodus Clay shows up, we get dancing. And people learn to care about these particular characters. But when you build your PPV around filler matches and your main events, there's just not much energy to go with. You look at a PPV card and you have a Ryback match, is there much to look forward to in it other than the squash we are expecting? Is there any concern for a midcard title match other than "challenger challenges champion?"

Mixing up a card with new twists won't solve that and neither will filling it up with gimmicks because at the end of the day, if it waddles like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, if has a beak like a duck, it's still a duck.