NXT - WWE's best show, but bad for business?

[Just Zay'n]

NXT is undoubtedly the best product WWE has put forward in a long time. The combination of extremely solid booking, extremely talented superstars (who I firmly believe to be more talented in the ring and on the mic than the vast majority of main roster superstars), and level of crowd participation makes it the most consistently entertaining show WWE produces.

Could this actually be a problem?

It's generally accepted that this developmental division is better than the main product, but think about it, it really shouldn't be. WWE are currently wasting their best talent, and these amazing matches. Imagine if that very Zayn/Owens match (not a future main roster Zayn/Owens match, if it happens - but this one) had happened in front of a crowd of thousands, with millions of home viewers, instead of a crowd of hundreds, and thousands of home viewers? What about Bàlor/Neville? The womens' Fatal 4 Way?

Those guys aren't getting any younger. Look at Zayn for example, he's 31, and he's spectacular in the ring right now, as a performer and storyteller, but how long can he keep going? Bear in mind that Cena's 37 and there's talk of him taking a big step down (relative to where he's been most of his career). So by the time Zayn gets to the main roster, how many more years will he be able to perform at his peak? Nowhere near as much, for example, as Orton, who was on the main roster in his early 20s.

The point - there's no point in having a developmental show. These guys should have always been on the main show. They should've been on the main show from day one, and most of them are world renowned for their in ring abilities anyway. Their 'development' would have been in front of the crowd they were eventually going to be put in front of anyway, instead of being 'developed' for a small audience in which, due to the numbers, they don't get as much recognition, admiration and stardom that they truly deserve. Basically, NXT is yet another case of WWE overlooking talent that could truly make their main product interesting. What say you?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

According to what Triple H said recently, they hope to have NXT as it's own separate touring brand by sometime next year. I think that NXT has become something that may not have been foreseen by anyone when Triple H was named head of WWE's developmental program: a legit alternative to the more mainstream WWE product. Who knows? In another few years, NXT might wind up with its own TV programming on cable with the same booking format and it could potentially grow to rival Raw & SD! in terms of audience size.

The thing about the wrestlers in NXT is that some of them seem like they should have been on the main roster from day one. However, maybe that's not exactly the case in some situations. For instance, I remember reading an interview with Sami Zayn a few months after he signed with NXT and he said that he learned quite a few things about altering his style a bit. He said he was asked to incorporate more storytelling and use of psychology in his work and to cut back on some high spots in order to keep from burning the audience out on them and, most importantly, because it wouldn't burn his body out. NXT is meant to groom wrestlers for the main roster, right? Part of that is to prepare them for the sort of rigors they'll be facing if they make it to the main roster as part of WWE's intense touring schedule. If you're a wrestler who uses primarily high spots in a match, it goes to reason that you're going to wear your body out touring with WWE some 300 days out of the year. Now while an injury can happen at any given time under any given circumstances, loading matches with little more than high spots one right after another night after night jacks up that risk all the more and wears you down.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

NXT is undoubtedly the best product WWE has put forward in a long time. The combination of extremely solid booking, extremely talented superstars (who I firmly believe to be more talented in the ring and on the mic than the vast majority of main roster superstars), and level of crowd participation makes it the most consistently entertaining show WWE produces.

Could this actually be a problem?

No.

It's generally accepted that this developmental division is better than the main product, but think about it, it really shouldn't be. WWE are currently wasting their best talent, and these amazing matches.

For $9.99 a month.

Imagine if that very Zayn/Owens match (not a future main roster Zayn/Owens match, if it happens - but this one) had happened in front of a crowd of thousands, with millions of home viewers, instead of a crowd of hundreds, and thousands of home viewers? What about Bàlor/Neville? The womens' Fatal 4 Way?

You're suggesting WWE give this away on Raw or SD for essentially $0 while they are trying to build the popularity of their network instead of monetizing it for $9.99 a month.

Those guys aren't getting any younger. Look at Zayn for example, he's 31, and he's spectacular in the ring right now, as a performer and storyteller, but how long can he keep going? Bear in mind that Cena's 37 and there's talk of him taking a big step down (relative to where he's been most of his career). So by the time Zayn gets to the main roster, how many more years will he be able to perform at his peak? Nowhere near as much, for example, as Orton, who was on the main roster in his early 20s.

The point - there's no point in having a developmental show.

It is not entirely a developmental show. It is more a separate brand that you have to pay to see if you want to see it legally. You're getting worked by WWE in to believing it is developmental.

These guys should have always been on the main show. They should've been on the main show from day one, and most of them are world renowned for their in ring abilities anyway. Their 'development' would have been in front of the crowd they were eventually going to be put in front of anyway, instead of being 'developed' for a small audience in which, due to the numbers, they don't get as much recognition, admiration and stardom that they truly deserve. Basically, NXT is yet another case of WWE overlooking talent that could truly make their main product interesting. What say you?

No, it is a case of you being a mark and not understanding WWE's business goals. WWE knows they can put some of their NXT talent in a Raw ring and they would compete but they are trying to use certain talents with Indy and international credibility to sell their network to Indy and international wrestling fans. Sami Zayn loses value when you start to give him away for no more than the price of someone's basic cable subscription that they are already paying.

 

[King Patrick Star]

I ask, would it be better for athletes to skip college and go straight to the pros in a sink or swim mentality?? Absolutely not. If an NXT “Rookie” is that good, they would be a WWE “SuperStar” on the main roster. There are many “it-factors” one must have to make it to Raw and Smackdown. If anything, some of the Raw and Smackdown SuperStars need to be sent down to NXT. Age in this business is nothing but a number (see Flair, Ric and Hogan, Hulk). Let these “kids” develop and learn the WWE style, before we have a roster full of Sin Caras (the original, not the current). Sit back, enjoy the shows. If they are that good, they’re time will come.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

It's generally accepted that this developmental division is better than the main product, but think about it, it really shouldn't be.

"Better" is subjective. Is it a better pure wrestling show? By 100 miles, and that is what it is INTENDED to be. It is also intended for a specific audience.....It just so happens that much of the IWC tend to fall in to that audience. The lack of crossover familiarity with the NXT call-ups to the main roster are an immense example of as much. Very soon, it will be a full-blown alternative brand with not just developmental and newly signed talents, but many vets who better fit the niche of the program......One of which the hardcore fanbase will pay 9.99 a month to watch.


The main shows on the other hand are INTENDED to be what they are, and serve the purposes of generating ad revenue and continue to build the WWE brand across all demographics.

So to answer your question, no, it isn't a problem. NXT serves its purpose, and the audience it is targeted towards, and RAW + SD serves its purpose, and the audience(s) it is geared towards....The WWE Bank account supports this past any point of refuting.

 

[Just Zay'n]

No.



For $9.99 a month.



You're suggesting WWE give this away on Raw or SD for essentially $0 while they are trying to build the popularity of their network instead of monetizing it for $9.99 a month.



It is not entirely a developmental show. It is more a separate brand that you have to pay to see if you want to see it legally. You're getting worked by WWE in to believing it is developmental.



No, it is a case of you being a mark and not understanding WWE's business goals. WWE knows they can put some of their NXT talent in a Raw ring and they would compete but they are trying to use certain talents with Indy and international credibility to sell their network to Indy and international wrestling fans. Sami Zayn loses value when you start to give him away for no more than the price of someone's basic cable subscription that they are already paying.

I think you should look up the actual definition of 'mark'.

So, what you're saying is that all the stars on the main roster, don't have a whole lot of value because you aren't paying more than a basic cable subscription to see them? It really doesn't make sense from a business standpoint to try an sell the network with names that are largely unknown to the vast majority of WWE's audience. Of course the main roster guys are extremely valuable.

Superstars have always 'debuted' on Raw or Smackdown, and 'developed' in front of the crowd from day one. Look at Cena, for example, whose first match was against Kurt Angle on Smackdown. They kept all of his ring preparation work off of TV in the first place.

I think you've missed the point entirely, which can be clarified as WWE grooming these extremely talented guys to sell the network, instead of grooming them to sell out arenas. And when I say sell out arenas, I don't necessarily mean developing one's in ring and mic skills, as a lot of the guys already have that. I mean putting them on the main stage with the first place, actually giving them the opportunity to get hugely over with the main audience.

 

[George Steele's Barber]

I think you should look up the actual definition of 'mark'.

I'm saying you are someone that is being told one thing that you don't believe is true (that NXT is a developmental system and these guys need time to grow) and you are becoming further emotionally invested in it despite the facts to the contrary which you have stated yourself. You're right, you have taken things beyond a mark.

So, what you're saying is that all the stars on the main roster, don't have a whole lot of value because you aren't paying more than a basic cable subscription to see them?

No, that's stupid and is nothing close to what I am saying but a lot of them do not have much value and are very interchangeable.

If Sami Zayn gets called up he becomes another fish in the big pond. Even if the Indy fan follows him to Raw it is only one viewer and WWE may lose the $9.99 a month they are making off that viewer who tuned in to see Zayn on the WWE Network.

It really doesn't make sense from a business standpoint to try an sell the network with names that are largely unknown to the vast majority of WWE's audience. Of course the main roster guys are extremely valuable.

They are only using the Indy guys and international guys to sell to Indy fans and international fans that would otherwise not buy the network. It is a niche audience.

Otherwise they are using former Sunday night PPVs to sell the network to their more core fans and older programming to sell to fans of the past who don't know to search for something on YouTube.

Superstars have always 'debuted' on Raw or Smackdown, and 'developed' in front of the crowd from day one. Look at Cena, for example, whose first match was against Kurt Angle on Smackdown. They kept all of his ring preparation work off of TV in the first place.

Tough Enough would like to argue with you but that is irrelevant.

I think you're missing my point. This is a new age in WWE, they have found a way to monetize the "development" of wrestlers, except a huge portion of NXT has nothing to do with developing (which you pointed out yourself). Think of minor league sports, not everyone is developing. Some guys compete well at a lower level and will help a team win/make money. That may be all guys like Zayn, Steen, Neville and Itami are meant to do.

I think you've missed the point entirely, which can be clarified as WWE grooming these extremely talented guys to sell the network, instead of grooming them to sell out arenas. And when I say sell out arenas, I don't necessarily mean developing one's in ring and mic skills, as a lot of the guys already have that. I mean putting them on the main stage with the first place, actually giving them the opportunity to get hugely over with the main audience.

Because WWE's main focus is this network. They already have guys that are getting them the TV ratings they want, selling the merchandise they make, and filling arenas enough. This is a new avenue to make revenue and it seems to be working.

Look at how invested you are in it. Kind of like a mark.

 

[rmp0012002]

If it was moved to a bigger platform it would be bad for business in relation to the main shows. Just like so much older territory stuff is not available on the WWE Network because if everyone was watching the older stuff they loved from the past then they wouldn't be spending time watching the watered down main roster shows and that would hurt business.

NXT for the most part is developmental but the NXT TV show is just a place where the people that have learned their craft can show it off and can be evaluated for a move up.

 

[laodaron]

This is easy to figure out. If Punk and Bryan Danielson debuted in the WWE in 2015, they would never leave nxt. This is how the WWE gets RoH, Japan, TNA, and every other Indy/International fed to lose their fans to the WWE network for $9.99.

The WWE would be stupid to move these guys to the main roster, really. Think of how many Indy kickflip mctwist fans pay the WWE a monthly sub to see their product. Vince WANTS it to be separate, because he keeps getting more marks to buy the network that way. The cynic in me believes that this is why the talent that comes to the main roster is always booked like shit.

Also, nxt really isn't that good. I just watched rivals, you can see a better show on an ippv just about any month of the year. But the hype machine is strong, and the marks are being told that its a separate brand, its developmental, the talent are held down by Vince, hhh runs it, so its more fair, etc. Nah, its just a differently booked WWE product.

 

[Navi]

I watched Rival and am glad I did, and quite honestly I don't care if they come up to the main roster or not. They put on great shows at Full Sail, and most of the talent are ruined when they do get called up.

I will continue to watch NXT, enjoy it and I'm just happy that it's there as an alternative to the shit we see on the flagship show.

 

[blindman]

NXT is giving them (and us) what no else can preparing them for WWE, people are using every damn second of it.

Could you imagine what it be like 15 years ago seeing WWF and WCW develop wrestlers on a grand scale like this? No what about OVW or FCW would Cena actually have other main event stars besides Orton to fight?

I never watched the 80's territories but I imagine this is what it felt like watching your favorites progress over the years is a amazing feeling, knowing what they truly can do it must also help them out seeing people get behind them from the start.

 

[Reflection]

I don't think a good show can be bad for business in any way, because at the end of the day, the biggest beneficiaries of both NXT and the main shows, is the same family.
I like the idea of NXT becoming a full-fledged brand, but I have a few doubts about it too: First, if they become a third brand, the aim of the superstars will not be the NXT championship anymore, it will be the WWE championship, and more so than ever before. Also, we will eventually see wrestlers skipping the climb for the NXT title and directly go for the WWE title. In a way, I feel it might lessen the value of the NXT title.
Second, if they will continue to have superstars and divas of one brand freely competing in another brand, that too will hurt NXT, because its talent are known to be fantastic wrestlers, and that is one of their main specialities. Main roster talents might contaminate the NXT product.
Third, if they become a separate brand, what if they come under the booking of the main roster writers? Within a year, they will ruin everything NXT is special for, and make it another Superstars.
Fourth, even if they become a separate brand, whenever they feel someone is ready to be a main eventer or a contender for the Divas title, they will bring him/her up to RAW. Conversely, they might instinctively send the talents that are not working out in the main roster, to NXT, hoping they will brush up and rediscover their skills. If this goes on, the NXT roster will be rid of most of its good talents and filled with a low quality lot.
Finally, if NXT ceases to be a training ground for new stars to get adopted to the WWE style of wrestling, what will replace it? Or it could be that they have decided that they have found enough future champions and don't need any more for now.

 

[Mustang Sally]

It's generally accepted that this developmental division is better than the main product, but think about it, it really shouldn't be.

I read this post and others like it and can't help thinking the forum members are actually saying: "Wake up, Vince McMahon! Look at what you're giving us on Raw and Smackdown as opposed to what your son-in-law is giving us with NXT. Can't you see how much better Levesque's baby is? Can't you see the writing on the wall? Can't you see it's time to retire and let the next generation take over? Time to step down, asshole!"

 

[Mighty NorCal]

I read this post and others like it and can't help thinking the forum members are actually saying: "Wake up, Vince McMahon! Look at what you're giving us on Raw and Smackdown as opposed to what your son-in-law is giving us with NXT. Can't you see how much better Levesque's baby is? Can't you see the writing on the wall? Can't you see it's time to retire and let the next generation take over? Time to step down, asshole!"

And that's exactly what they want members of an internet wrestling forum to say.

Tis' who the show is targeted towards, among others.