Is a change upon us?

[jason305]

Ok so last night on RAW there were a couple of segments that wasnt exactly PG. Like the Katy Vick reference,the Vicky bopping segment and most notibly the Snoop "candle" relaxer angle. Now there is also alot of speculation that Cena might be moving to Smackdown and people are wondering why WWE would do this. So I've been thinking,do you think that WWE might be changing things a bit? Like maybe they are making RAW a bit more edgy and of a adult nature and maybe Cena will go to Smackdown and they will start pushing Smackdown as the PG kids show? What do u guys think?

 

[dvayne]

I have been thinking the same thing. The WWE has three brands and superstars. and yet they all are being marketed at the same audience.

Personally I think it would be great to move Cena to Smackdown and make it be their PG show. They already have Mysterio there and with its earlier timeslot and being on the weekend more kids could watch it. The only downside to that is I actually enjoy the wrestling focused Smackdown we have now. I don't want it cluttered with Cena & Batista promos, Undertaker taking souls and Santino, Chavo, Hornswoggle segments.

The only way I would be all for it is if they did a complete overhaul of all three brands at the draft and make ECW more than a developmental ground. (not the old ECW it's long gone but a wrestling focused show as Smackdown is now)

Raw - Flagship Show Attitude style - HHH, Edge, HBK, Legacy, Orton, Kane

Smackdown - PG show - Cena, Batista, Mysterio, Hormswoggle, Santino, Goldust, Taker

ECW - Wrestling based - Jericho, Morrison, Hardy's Christian, Swagger, Kofi, Benjamin

It would give us three completely different styles and could bring back some fans that left because of the one dimensional thinking that creative has

 

[hawaiianbulldog]

I was thinkin this same thing and i think it would be a great idea to have smackdown PG raw edgy only problem is that smackdown is my favorite show and it cold take away from it however i could fastforwerd like i do on raw and i would like to see raw going that way. ECW for skills without mic Smackdown for PG and Raw with attitude would be mind blowing to see what happens.

 

[JBK2008]

Raw being the edgy show again would be great and SmackDown being the PG show would be nice with ECW remaining the developmental show. This way, WWE can draw in all ages and be more worthy of watching. I like all 3 shows as is but this will have a different element to each one now.

 

[wewanttables]

Hold on folks. The WWE is just doing what they have been wanting to do while staying kid appropriate. And yes, last night's show was kid appropriate. Proof that they are really changing would be the Godfather hosting RAW. Gimics that involve sex, blood, or drugs just are not occuring. The staight-edged star Edge got married (even if it was to Vickie). Just wait and see if these changes do actually occur.

Cody Rhodes America's Dream, WWE's Nightmare

 

[JoeDubb]

SIGH! I wouldn't read too much into the happenings of Monday. There isn't any edge coming to Raw unless Adam Copeland gets traded. And in terms of Cena going to Smackdown, unless they turn him face, I wish they would keep him on RAW. No sense in having him screw up the one good show they have left with his WORN schtick.

 

[gd]

I really doubt it. The WWE is PG, and will likely be that way for a long time. That's just how it is. Just because they had a few "edgy" things on Raw last night, that doesn't mean they're going to change anything. Hell, I doubt kids even understood any of the references that were made.

As for the Cena thing, that doesn't have a bunch to do with it. Even if he does move, which isn't certain, that doesn't mean that'd change the whole Raw brand. Since when was Cena the "PG Superstar." Sure, kids love him, but plenty of adults do, too. I don't see why anytime the PG era is brought up, it's all "blahblahblah Cena blahblahblah antichrist."

 

[Jack-Hammer]

People, PG is here to stay for a while. Vince McMahon has made a number of comments in the media, a number of press releases stating that the WWE is committed to more family friendly programming.

If anything, Raw was poking some fun at what I perceive to be some big complaints internet wrestling fans have. While it doesn't happen often, there are still threads popping up about the Katie Vick angle now and again, criticizing it. Nearly anytime any thread on Triple H starts, someone always says something along the lines of Triple H sleeping his way to the top or he only married Stephanie McMahon to further his career and all that. DX poked a little fun at that one last night as well.

According to Vince in some of these statements, the vast majority of WWE fans do prefer something more family oriented so that's what he's going with. Personally, I'm fine either way. If he wants to go PG, great, if he wants to go a little more edgy, that's fine too. But, "edgy" isn't all that necessary for me really. A handful of wrestlers flipping the bird to someone or saying a few four letter words here and there doesn't impress me in the least. Having women wrestlers run around as close to naked as legally allowed on television is a nice thing, but it's not necessarily going to keep me tuning in. I personally would like to at least see the no blood policy changed in some cases since some matches just don't reach their full potential without some bloodshed.

 

[byrnside]

Having three separate shows with different "attitudes" would never work, because you'd still have the kids wanting to watch the racier shows. And let's be realistic, the kiddies are the ones that watch EVERY show. We all [for the most part] just tivo it, or watch specific matches on youtube, etc.

 

[wrestling fan 666]

I'd like to see an edgier Raw, but in all seriousness, it's not going to happen. The marketing involved to separate all the brands is too much...let alone if someone switches brands. What makes one wrestler in one brand could kill the same wrestler in another brand if the ratings were different. It kills me to see Jericho and HHH censored every week when they had some of the most classic scenes and lines in WWE during the attitude era. Last nights Raw hinted about HHH "going out with Kane's ex" when that could NEVER be shown in today's show. It was classic him having sex with a corpse...so tasteless it rocked!!

 

[GlobalWrestlingAlliance]

Having three separate shows with different "attitudes" would never work, because you'd still have the kids wanting to watch the racier shows. And let's be realistic, the kiddies are the ones that watch EVERY show. We all [for the most part] just tivo it, or watch specific matches on youtube, etc.

No offense meant, but I surely don't TiVo or watch specific matches on youtube. I have the time and the desire to watch Raw in its entirety every Monday night and I enjoy it a great deal.

Now, in regards to having different attitudes on each brand, it would be very difficult to pull off and I'm not sure it would be wise. I mean, you can't say that adults tune in to the 9-11 Raw on Mondays and families to the 8-10 Smackdown on Fridays. ECW is just ECW, no offense meant to any die-hard ECDub fans here. By segregating your brands, it would mean that any superstar who wants to switch shows for an angle or something would have to revamp his/her character for a week to fit a new mold. It would be like Taker now vs. Ministry Taker... the fans would be confused and it may not make a lot of sense.

As for Cena being PG... I've always seen him as PG, even when he was rapping and acting like he didn't have any sense. He was still PG and the fans STILL ate him up.

That's all.

 

[dangerduck2]

I have been thinking the same thing. The WWE has three brands and superstars. and yet they all are being marketed at the same audience.

Personally I think it would be great to move Cena to Smackdown and make it be their PG show. They already have Mysterio there and with its earlier timeslot and being on the weekend more kids could watch it. The only downside to that is I actually enjoy the wrestling focused Smackdown we have now. I don't want it cluttered with Cena & Batista promos, Undertaker taking souls and Santino, Chavo, Hornswoggle segments.

The only way I would be all for it is if they did a complete overhaul of all three brands at the draft and make ECW more than a developmental ground. (not the old ECW it's long gone but a wrestling focused show as Smackdown is now)

Raw - Flagship Show Attitude style - HHH, Edge, HBK, Legacy, Orton, Kane

Smackdown - PG show - Cena, Batista, Mysterio, Hormswoggle, Santino, Goldust, Taker

ECW - Wrestling based - Jericho, Morrison, Hardy's Christian, Swagger, Kofi, Benjamin

It would give us three completely different styles and could bring back some fans that left because of the one dimensional thinking that creative has

HBK won't shine on RAW. HBK deserves to be given the ball again, but on Smackdown!

Keep Kane on Smackdown, send Taker to RAW.

Goldust should be on ECW with a title run.

Jericho, Morrison, Swagger, Kofi & Shelton are better then WWECW.

 

[Sharpshooter51]

HBK doesn't want the ball though. He likes the light schedule of not being champion, also he wont go to SD because that would interfere with his religious schedule.

Undertaker on Raw however, could definetly open some doors, except that 'Taker/Orton has been done and I don't think HHH/Taker would really work. Now, Taker could be used to elevate Swagger/DiBiase [to give teddy credibility when he turns on Orton]/Rhodes

 

[Southwind]

I found the Katie Vick skit to be hilarious have you seen the youtube clip of it classic. " Katie I think I screwed your brains out" hahah.

Anyways Sidous would love this to come to fruition as would I but it was a one week thing if it happens again then we can talk for now call it a fluke.

I liked Raw overall last night and I don't care who you are when Shawn told HHH about sleeping his way to the top that was funny shit !

 

[Ryan420]

i dont think it is anything, im sure they did it cuz of Snoops reputation (didnt notice the katie vick reference) and it was a one time thing....i for one think that DiBiase will screw Orton this sunday, turning him face in the process, Cena isnt going anywhere

 

[The Gribbler]

Having three separate shows with different "attitudes" would never work, because you'd still have the kids wanting to watch the racier shows. And let's be realistic, the kiddies are the ones that watch EVERY show. We all [for the most part] just tivo it, or watch specific matches on youtube, etc.

I have to disagree, if they had three distinct flavours then people would be more likely to tune into the one that entertains them. I mean if you only want to watch wrestling matches, then you would know where to go.

If you want promos and edgy stuff then you know where to go. If you want them both then you have to tune into both.

I really don't see a downside. The product now is okay, but as someone stated, Raw is reliant on the guest host concept to push ratings up.

Just my Opinon

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Having three separate shows with different "attitudes" would never work, because you'd still have the kids wanting to watch the racier shows. And let's be realistic, the kiddies are the ones that watch EVERY show. We all [for the most part] just tivo it, or watch specific matches on youtube, etc.

As a proponent of the three different show concept for a couple years myself, the three unique product concept would work. I have had countless debates with people as to why it is the right thing to promote a healthy wrestling business.

As far as Kids watching the other shows, you have to keep in mind that it is not fair to your Adult fans to always put Kids as your first priority. And it really isn't.

If WWE puts out a Family Friendly product like Smackdown, and a heavily-wrestling-focused product like ECW which does not contain anything edgy about it .... then WWE has done their part. They offered their viewers choices. Therefore, it's up to the parents to come in and determine if Raw is appropriate or not for their kids.

And that was the problem before. WWE did not offer that choice before when they went edgy. Instead, they only offered an adult product. By doing this, the choice would be there. If viewers want to watch one, that's fine. If they want to watch the others, that's great too. You are going to have a lot of viewer cross-over because instead of giving the audience the same thing on all 3 shows, you are actually giving them 3 different styles of programs to look forward to on a weekly basis, which is more likely to keep their interests.

Having solely the same audience watch 3 different shows is really counter-productive and a waste of resources. Instead, WWE should be focusing on ways to actually expand their fanbase, while not alienating their current one. The goal should be to bring in as many fans as possible, because the more fans you have, the more cash registers you have who are willing to spend money on PPV's, attendance, and merchandise.

So as long as WWE offers at least one product for the kids, then they've done their part.

Glad to see more and more people supporting this rather common sense concept. Keep it up, gang.

 

[Razor]

What is this "edgy" fetish people seem to have? We aren't going to have the Attitude Era again. That era that was full of nothing but sex and violence for the sake of sex and violence is done. The WWE has gone PG. Get used to it. It's not really that bad nowadays, anyway. I swear. Get it out of your head that PG = bad, and you'll see a show that isn't all that horrible.

To answer the thread question, the move of Cena to Smackdown is because Cena has literally endless avenues to explore there. And besides, a leaving Cena opens up a new face role in the main event picture. Edge or MVP can easily move into that slot. MVP only after a major feud with Orton, but you understand what I'm saying.

Cena can feud with Punk, a heel Batista, the heels of the mid-card (which there are plenty of), and Taker when it comes time to challenge for the Streak. Cena hopefully won't win it (that's more of a Swagger win, if I say so myself), but that feud still should be awesome and deserves more than now until WM to formulate. Cena literally has 2 or 3 years of new feuds to work with on Smackdown. He's really actually squeezed into the Raw title picture, if you think about it. DX/whichever heel they want to put over, and Orton/Cena. Orton/Cena can't go on forever, and I like to think they learned their lesson from Triple H/Orton. Cena should move away, and let MVP/Kofi or the other multiple faces of the mid-card that are not quite on Main Event level challenge for the title and try to prove they are ready.

..It's either this, or move Orton away and let Cena feud with only Swagger and the Miz. The move to Smackdown is meant to open up multiple new feuds, not make things "edgy" or make Smackdown "PG." The entirety of the WWE is PG. Yesterday had Snoop Dog on, no wonder it wandered a little.

 

[Sean Valjean]

As for the Cena thing, that doesn't have a bunch to do with it. Even if he does move, which isn't certain, that doesn't mean that'd change the whole Raw brand. Since when was Cena the "PG Superstar." Sure, kids love him, but plenty of adults do, too. I don't see why anytime the PG era is brought up, it's all "blahblahblah Cena blahblahblah antichrist."

Probably because Cena pretty much represents everything the PG era is. Family friendly, honest, hard working, and all that good stuff; the guy is a boyscout who can do no wrong. I'm sure he's the first person a lot of people think of when they think of the PG era; I know I do

I do agree that Cena moving would mean nothing. Sure, Raw had a few edgy things Monday, but look who it came from. DX, who always make edgy remarks, and Snoop Dogg, a guy who's anything but PG. Raw will still be the same even if the King of PG is gone.

Now if Evan Bourne or Kofi Kingston came out and started talking about kicking asses and Melina defended the Diva's title in a bra and panties match, maybe THEN I'd think things were changing.