Wrestling Spoilers & Rumors

Usually when a wrestling program’s rating drops, its usually not just the main event scene which is to blame, many people have been turning their backs on ECW for a while now, so what could be done to bring some viewers back?

1: Make It Alternative
Back in 2006 when the concept for the new ECW was being discussed, it was widely reported that Shane McMahon was indeed pushing for the program to be as alternative to the current two brands (Raw and Smackdown) as possible.
By this he wanted the program to be held at smaller, intimate arenas, much like the original ECW was, with the Hammerstein Ballroom (venue of the first two “One Night Stand” pay per views), a great candidate for regular usage.
Although this would indeed increase costs for the WWE, who currently film ECW at the same time as Smackdown, it would really give the brand its own look and feel.

2: Make It Unmissable!
Although a 1 hour show isn’t ideal for a wrestling program, it could easily become one hour of television that a wrestling fan daren’t miss! Adopting a fast paced format, full of action and moving it completely away from what can be seen on Raw and Smackdown would be a great move, whilst keeping the competitors exclusive to the brand would also help further!

3: Paul Heyman
To many people in the industry, Paul Heyman possesses the most creative mind in wrestling today, having masterminded the upsurge of the original ECW, creating the characters and utilising the talents of wrestlers who were far from known by the fans. Since ECW closed, Heyman has worked with the WWE’s creative team and was also responsible for a lot of character development whilst working in OVW. Heyman was heavily involved when ECW resurface in 2006, but left the company following a reported conflict with Vince McMahon over the direction of the “December to Dismember” pay per view in December that year.

4: Use Developmental Wrestlers Selectively
ECW was always the breeding ground for new talent in the wrestling world and there is no reason for that to stop. However simply calling up a new generations of nameless, faceless talent does nothing for the fans and doesn’t help the careers of those unfortunate enough to be called up without time to establish themselves with the audience. A mixture of new faces and established stars would be the ideal way to grow the programs ratings, whilst working towards a bright future.

5: Diversify The Roster
Despite having a lot of hardcore matches, the original ECW also had great genuine wrestling matches, with the likes of Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Lance Storm, Eddie Guerrero and Dean Malenko amongst the alumni. The show also largely introduced the American and many other audiences to the world of luche libra, at the time there was no other company offering as much diversity as ECW. Making the show stand out more from what is available at the moment would likely attract viewers.

6: Make Matches Matter
Whilst having a fairly unique and diverse roster is one thing, making the bouts matter is another. Title shots need to be earned, not just thrown at somebody for reasons which are pretty “unique” to say the least! Also perhaps Dusty Rhodes’ wish to implement a tag team division (with titles) to the program could also be added, giving the tag team matches more purpose than is currently being offered.

7: Bring Back More Originals!
Many of the fans of the original ECW turned away once the familiar faces of the likes of The Sandman, Sabu and Balls Mahoney disappeared from their TV screens. Although not all of those faces would either be available, or indeed still involved with wrestling, having a selection of familiar and extreme faces would certainly help keep fans attention.

8: Joey Styles
The original voice of extreme has been missing from the commentary desk ever since he became the “Director of Digital Media Content” for WWE in 2008. Brining back Styles to the commentary fold would add an element of character to the program which is sorely lacking at the moment, whilst also bringing back part of what made the original ECW popular in the first place.

9: Rob Van Dam
Needn’t we say any more?! Rob Van Dam was arguably the most popular member of the ECW roster and despite (in many peoples opinions) being constantly underused and undervalued in the WWE, remained one of their most popular supserstars. Having been away from our television screens on a consistent basis for the best part or two years, “The Whole F’N Show’s “ batteries may now be recharged and he could light up the main event picture.

10: Make It More Extreme!
The original ECW was all about the Extreme! With Chairs, Baseball Bats, Tables and even Blueberry Pies being used to inflict pain on opponents on a regular basis. Although this level of violence would be frowned upon by the Sci Fi Network, extreme rules matches in moderation could also help the show stand out somewhat compared to Raw and Smackdown.

and finally:
Move Away From The Sci Fi Network?!
Although the low ratings of the current television program may not make it particularly appealing to many networks, if those at the Sci Fi channel don’t want a more adult orientated show, then perhaps there would be potential other homes for the program, where things could be a little more extreme?!