WWE's "interaction" with fans.... is it good for the product??

[jerry20xx]

In recent years, the WWE have allowed their superstars more freedom when it comes to fan interaction via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and many other ways.

BUT not too long ago, WWE pretty much banned all fan interaction outside WWE events. They weren't allowed to answer e-mails, they were rarely allowed to be stopped in the streets for a small chat with a fan, the only time you could ever talk to them is if you happened to catch them leaving the arena after a show, which even then, was only for a few seconds.

I will admit that TNA have always been more lenient with allowing their superstars to chat with fans, sign autographs and take pictures, answer online fans and even going as far as staying past the original timing of an autograph session or meet & greet just for the fans.

My questions relating to all of this are "Do you think that WWE's allowance of fan interaction has been good business or bad business?" "Do you think if WWE went back to it's old strict ways, would the product be any better?"

I think there have been both good and bad experiences. We have seen a few times when someone has said too much or said something too early and they were punished for it. (Brodus Clay for example)

We have also witness when this was a good thing. Zack Ryder went from being one of the Major Brothers/Edge's henchman to being a United States Champion, Assistant General Manger of Smackdown, and Interim General Manager of Smackdown. Gaining all of this and a decent a fan base just by posting videos of his daily life along with a few skits on YouTube.

I don't think it should go back to it's strict ways but maybe "supervised". Like giving the green light before any tweets, video posts or status updates are posted or something to that nature.

To be honest, I liked it better when we had limited contact with talent. I can't really explain why...I guess that watching professional wrestling from the early 90s and knowing that it just wasn't allowed, I was okay with it and I still would be today.

Your thoughts?

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I don't really see how it's hurting the product all in all because the internet has chanced the way pro wrestling works anyway. The shroud of mystery has been ripped away via the internet and there's no going back or trying to pretend otherwise. The genie is out of the bottle and there's no putting it back.

One reason why WWE has always survived whereas everyone else has either struggled or gone under is that the company has embraced changes in society and has gone with the flow. Social interaction via sites like Twitter & Facebook is part of people's lives now every bit as much as television, cell phones and the internet itself. To not take advantage of that would be ingoring a potentially valuable resource that can open up more people to the WWE and draw in more fans.

The only interaction I'm concerned about is this Raw active concept that's going to debut on the 1,000th episode. The idea of fans "voting" on matches and the WWE showing a few seconds of fan videos can be an interesting idea as long as they don't go overboard and make that stuff the overall focus of the show rather than the wrestlers, the wrestling matches and the storylines. If the voting is legit and the fans are given relevant choices to vote on rather having options like a dance off or other lame shit and it's only done maybe once or twice a show, then it might not be a bad thing. Same thing with the fan videos that they show.

Because of the internet, everybody is connected in ways like never before and there's no getting around it. To a large degree, wrestling itself has all but acknowledged that the mystique has been obliterated, so I don't see encouraging interaction is going to cause anymore damage than has already been done.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

First of all I think this is a good thread to reply. Second the innovation is always needed to get a company running, they have to evolve. I've been watching wrestling since 2004, it's not much I know but in the last two years I've been watching and researching a lot about Old School, the territories, puroresu and I think I have a good mind for the business, specially the WWE Style, so I can compare the eras a little bit.

In the mid 80's wrestlers had to be protected, they just had to do it. Kayfabe was the secret and a company didn't want to reveal that to anybody outside of the industry. When someone was introduced to the business for the first time, they were literally threat, so, if someone revealed the secret in public he would pay with his body. "Heels" and "Babyfaces" had to live with their characters everyday, they couldn't be together and if they did that, they were most certainly be fired.

After kayfabe was broken (The kliq's farewell) the wrestling business knew they were on to something different, specially the WWF. The entertainment started to evolve, bigger than life characters and wrestling wasn't enough. The variety of storylines just grew with the revelation and the attitude era was born with hands getting out of Mae Young's vagina. Stone Cold started to hit on his boss and not getting punished and people still loved it like they never did for the business.

Right now the Internet is the most popular tool in the world, specially the most popular tool for wrestling viewers and Americans. Youtube, Facebook and Twitter are some of the best tools to gain popularity in a free and easy way and the WWE is capitalizing on that. It's a new era, the internet era, not only in wrestling but also in the world and if you ask me it's awesome it's a new step. The company is adapting with the state of the world and the storylines, characters as well. You will keep up with time and you'll see the transition from the Cable to Internet so enjoy.

 

[PDX_RipCity]

Agreed. Great question and a solid idea for a post. I'm tired so I'll make it quick, plus I don't think there's much to debate. Unless you're some close-minded traditionalist dinosaur then I can't see why you'd be against incorporating social media. As people above have already addressed...adapt or die....

I don't think it should go back to it's strict ways but maybe "supervised". Like giving the green light before any tweets, video posts or status updates are posted or something to that nature.

Exactly. And this doesn't just go for larger established companies like WWE and TNA. It applies to everyone from ROH to Shimmer to Bob's Backyard Wrestling. You can't risk having your employees running around willy-nilly and saying things that could be detrimental or negative to the product.

But on the flip side, if used correctly, social media can be an extremely effective tool. In fact, like 100 yrs from now, we'll probably look back to see that we're still currently in the early stages of social media's development and full benefit.

 

[IT Factor]

I think WWE need to do this. When CM Punk had his infamous shoot promo on RAW last year, he alluded to the fact that he knows what fans want to see. He nailed it. WWE haven't been in touch with their audience in quite sometime now. They don't seem to care what fans do/don't want to see on television. Which is probably a big reason why most storylines and stars don't "get over". If you take a "WWE Superstar" and randomly push them with no real support for them, they will fail miserably everytime. I'm not sayin' that this will work everytime but it'll definetely go a long way towards putting the right people on the shows.