Are Punk's Fans Being Worked?

[johnbragg]

After reading what people were saying on the Punk-is-being-punished thread, I started to wonder if WWE is working the Internet smarks.

Let's say that Punk was already scheduled to lose the title, that the SD world title match was first because it has less star power than DX or Cena, that it was short because the Undertaker's hip is gimpy.

Now imagine that Punk and Undertaker had a serious adult conversation about the dress code, Punk's gimmick and how to accommodate the two. Or imagine that Punk smarted off to the Undertaker and so management decided to dial back the throttle on the Punk push as he's letting it get to his head.

Who is CM Punk's core fanbase? Internet marks like me and maybe you. What is one of his biggest assets? The idea that he lives his gimmick, that his Straight Edge persona is real. LEt's get stereotypical. John Cena fans own and play with his action figure. CM Punk fans own and play his ROH DVDs. What attracts and excites a CM Punk mark? Authenticity and standing up to authority.

"Getting your heat back" is a longstanding wrestling concept. Now that the decision to have him lose and look kind of bad is taken, WWE's gnomes start to thinking about how, long term, to protect the CM Punk character, a valuable WWE property and merchandise machine.

How could WWE make Punk look good to his fanbase? Have him lose, not because he isn't ready to carry the WWE franchise or doesn't work well enough with WWE management, but because he "stood up to The Man." He dresses the way he wants, not the way some corporate lackey tells him too! He's real!! He's Straight Edge!

And, what better red meat to throw to the CM Punk Internet mark fanbase than the Cena favoritism card? John Cena doesn't have to follow the dress code! It's not faaaaaaair!!

Or am I being a little too paranoid?

 

[Razor]

After reading what people were saying on the Punk-is-being-punished thread, I started to wonder if WWE is working the Internet smarks.

I blame this thought process on Matt Hardy. I promise you, Matt Hardy is the only one who remotely gives a shit about what the IWC thinks. McMahon just doesn't want his match outcomes leaked. He could give less of a shit if they like Cena or not. He cares more about the majority of fans, not the 0.5% the IWC represents.

Let's say that Punk was already scheduled to lose the title, that the SD world title match was first because it has less star power than DX or Cena, that it was short because the Undertaker's hip is gimpy.

Or it was short because the writers wanted it short to give plenty of time to the DX/Legacy match.

Now imagine that Punk and Undertaker had a serious adult conversation about the dress code, Punk's gimmick and how to accommodate the two. Or imagine that Punk smarted off to the Undertaker and so management decided to dial back the throttle on the Punk push as he's letting it get to his head.

That's the most probable excuse, if the rumor is true. You don't smart off to Taker, and you don't get pissy when a Legend gives you a tip on how to represent the company. You're representing the company when on tour, you present an image in line with the company/your gimmick. And if Taker thinks you're doing it wrong, you're doing it wrong.

Who is CM Punk's core fanbase? Internet marks like me and maybe you. What is one of his biggest assets? The idea that he lives his gimmick, that his Straight Edge persona is real. LEt's get stereotypical. John Cena fans own and play with his action figure.

I don't play with his action figure...I just get excited when someone who can actually work a match with Orton is feuding with him. Triple H was beyond shit terrible with Orton. Cena is much better.

CM Punk fans own and play his ROH DVDs. What attracts and excites a CM Punk mark? Authenticity and standing up to authority.

Lulz, sure. That's why Punk's finisher almost always misses. Or why they lambaste Cena for having the "5 moves of doom" while Punk hits a Running Bulldog and the GTS for the pin.

"Getting your heat back" is a longstanding wrestling concept. Now that the decision to have him lose and look kind of bad is taken, WWE's gnomes start to thinking about how, long term, to protect the CM Punk character, a valuable WWE property and merchandise machine.

Right. Because the IWC buys soooo much merchandise on our own.

How could WWE make Punk look good to his fanbase? Have him lose, not because he isn't ready to carry the WWE franchise or doesn't work well enough with WWE management, but because he "stood up to The Man." He dresses the way he wants, not the way some corporate lackey tells him too! He's real!! He's Straight Edge!

That doesn't make him look Straight Edge. It makes him look like a ****** who couldn't do what the company he works for wants him to do.

And, what better red meat to throw to the CM Punk Internet mark fanbase than the Cena favoritism card? John Cena doesn't have to follow the dress code! It's not faaaaaaair!!

John Cena also didn't have Taker come to him and tell him he was doing it wrong. I'm sure if Taker or HBK or Trips took him aside and said "Hey John, I think you should tighten up your attire for these tours. You're the face of the company now, after all" Cena wouldn't have said "BUT CM PUNK DOESN'T HAVE TO!!!!" He would have said "Yeah, I'll take that into account" and do what they said. Because they're the legends, they're the leaders of the locker room. Consider their word gospel from McMahon.

Or am I being a little too paranoid?

Paranoid. If I sounded smarmy, it's because that Punk thread went hella overboard with the ridiculous notion that Punk shouldn't have to be punished for not respecting the company and Legends he works with. I'm just a little annoyed right now.

 

[johnbragg]

I'm not arguing the merits of should-Punk-be-punished or does-the-dress-code makes sense anymore. This is based off of the passion of the Punk defenders.

I brought up working the Internet smarks because I see them as the core of Punk's fanbase. If Punk loses his connection to them, he loses something important to his marketability.

I don't even know for a fact that Punk did disrespect the Undertaker. The question he was supposed to have asked, all the disrespect is in the tone of voice. I'm saying that even if he, UT and Pat Patterson sat down and worked out how Punk could apply the dress code and his gimmick, leaking the story is red meat for CM Punk's marks.

 

[Drew Holiday]

I never thought Punk was due for a long reign anyway, it seems no one in creative even gives a care about him. A damn shame really, because if Punk was still world champion after a feud with the Undertaker, imagine how much more over he would have been with the fans(not saying he isn't now, but the reaction then would be even better.)

And about the Cena comment he made, I think it was blown out of proportion, the first amendment states that we as Americans get freedom of speech. If The Undertaker got offended by Punks comment about Cena, then maybe he should have done something else instead of complain.

 

[Rated_R_Superstar2010]

haha maybe a little paranoid. i really dont think the wwe gives a shit about the IWC. what is it like maybe 10% of all wrestling fans actually use the internet to talk about wrestleing. i know that this would be like a dream come true. that vince actualy cared enough about what we say to screw with us. and the whole story accutally lends itself fairly well to this all being a work but i doubt it.

 

[Mr. Steve]

No, we're not being worked. That'd be rather pointless if you think about it. Like I sad on the other thread about Punk, when the locker room leader tells you that you're doing something wrong and you need to fix that, well, you pretty much listen and don't talk back. Straight-Edge or not, you dress according to the dress code when you're working for a corporation. The WWE is no different. If Punk's the champion, he has to present himself in a way that reflects his status with the company as a champion.

 

[waylonmercy]

Ok, if CM Punk is being "punished" why did he just beat Batista on Smackdown? It makes NO sense to have him not job to Batista if they say the next feud will be Batista vs. Undertaker after Bragging Rights. I honestly don't think he is being punished. Maybe UT or CM Punk were very ill that day or suffering from an injury that restricted them and the writers decided to just have CM Punk lose a quick match? I just don't think it makes sense to keep Punk strong if Batista is being pushed into the main event for future feuds.

 

[Tastycles]

This whole thing is probably why I am starting to resent the IWC. We don't know that the confrontation was true or not, it probably was, but it either happened or it didn't, it was not some sort of outrageous work. Nobody except Vince Russo has ever booked with the internet audience in mind because they are such an insignificant minority that it doesn't matter. This kind of lame arse storyline wouldn't benefit anyone. The people who like Punk in the IWC aren't suddenly going to go all out on a Punk offensive, because they already buy his stuff. To construct this kind of storyline would be stupid, and it isn't happening. As a simple rule, if its not on WWE.com or TV programing, its not a work.

 

[maar130]

I really don't thing he is punished now, crap maybe he is for something even better into the future.

Yeah maybe he lost too fast but who know where he is heading after Survivor series, he won't be lost in the shuffle tha this for sure, and yes the WWE does not give that much about the IWC since it is a small percentage of their audience.

Besides Punk now seems to have the time of his life, (I know he seems high, but since he does not do drugs he seems happy), he seesm to really start enjoying his time with his matches and maybe he is been build to something better going into Wrestlemania since no match seems to be set at all. Maybe this year it will be his big break, who knows, the sky is the limit.

 

[the 3X0dus]

The WWE writers don't care enough about their target demographic to market their programming to the liking of said demographic, so I seriously doubt they'd care enough about the fraction of said demographic that frequents the internet to actually work them. Gotta shoot that one down ASAP.

 

[BigAdz]

Really, really doubt it.

Not to say it's not possible. Could very well be that Vinnie Mac is finally paying attention to what we rant on about on his product. The same way Dixie Carter alters TNA's creative direction based on her Twitter followers....

No, still doubt it lol

I think it just boils down to the fact that Punk's an employee and has to comply with the same rules and policies that everyone else on the pay roll has to, regardless of their standings on the ladder.

 

[Henry Hill]

Not only do I not think "we're" not being worked, and I use that term loosely because with all due respect to ROH fans, I never thought Punk was that great there, nor that the promotion itself was all that great. I am a CM Punk fan because I grew up listening to Minor Threat and Punk Rock, and straight Edge Hardcore. I think the idea that the way he dressed is the reason the belt came off of him is ridiculous. There is no 30-35 year old remnant of the Punk Rock Scene who works for a company who won't follow the rules because "its punk" thats just fucking stupid. There is also no way that if WWE thought Punk was the most bankable commodity as champion, that he'd have lost. Whatever the reason is, Punk probably would've lost that match whether he said anything to the Undertaker or not. And also if anyone should mind their own business about a dress code its a guy who in real life dresses like a biker and on TV dresses like a bat.

 

[Smackdown!]

That was nothing but a phony excuse thet wwe used to take the title off of him. Beside he shoul be able to dreass the way he want's to not the way some else does. If wwe cares about the way he dressedthat bad then give him a fucking dress code.

 

[the 3X0dus]

Trust me, we aren't being worked.

To work us is to pay attention to us. If they were paying attention to us, their marketing would focus on dictating to our wants and needs as an audience in order to appeal to their market and to turn profit.

They are paying attention to merch sales, which is totally different. They don't care what makes Cena popular, they just care that he sells stuff. They know that the buyers of his merch aren't their target demographic.

So really, why bother working us? Our wants and needs aren't of any importance to them anyway or they would be translated into storylines and character directives.

 

[Freddy4190]

The IWC isn't a big enough demographic for Vince to really give two squirts enough to work us. It's not gonna happen. I'd laugh if it was, but seriously? Nah. If CM Punk did mouth off to Undertaker, then you know.. it was kind of deserving. Undertaker knows what to do, he's been around for 20 years. He's been there, done that. CM Punk shouldn't act childish like that. That's a bitch move for him to say something like that. He already got in trouble because of his attitude before, he needs to learn.