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When The Fiend debuted to rave reviews, it was hard to imagine that they could mess up that character. Yet, they did, and lately we see far more of Bray Wyatt's funhouse and swamp personas than we do of the Fiend. Has the Fiend character run its course, or does it still have enough steam where they can keep going back to it from time to time?
I knew Vince could mess it up. Why? He messed up Bray already when he totally blew the Wyatt Family. Remember the first time they met The Shield? The fans were chanting THIS IS AWESOME before they even locked up. Then, Vince ruined it, I guess because he didn’t understand it. So I am not shocked at all he did the same thing to The Fiend. Can it be saved? Sure, if someone other than Vince started booking it.
Within the past several months we will have seen the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, a Horror Show, and an Eye for an Eye match where one allegedly wins by gouging out the eye of his opponent. I get that Vince McMahon is trying to come up with ways to hook the audience during these challenging times, but are hokey taglines the answer, and do you expect these taglines to continue as long as viewership is down?
Obviously he thinks it will draw fans and it’s compelling. I am with you (and the people who tuned out), it’s not working for me. I get that they want to make movies and all but it sure seems like it’s not drawing in any new fans, and is alienating old viewers. I am very curious to see what the WWE Network numbers will be when they report in 10 days. If TV viewership is down the Network numbers are as well, WWE blew a golden opportunity as they were unopposed for four months by sports. Now, with the NBA, MLB and NHL coming back, in shortened seasons where every game means something, the TV ratings very well could take a bigger hit. And that doesn’t even take into account the NFL in September (provided they can work out all of their issues). I know he hates the idea but it’s time for Vince to have WWE go back to being a wrestling show, not whatever it is right now. As Bayley says (way too often), “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Do you think that the WWE Women's Division is overexposed right now as it seems as WWE is never satisfied with just one women's match as most episodes of RAW, SmackDown and NXT generally have two or three women's matches per show (one episode of RAW had five women's matches)?
Not at all. If women and men are equal now, they need to be present equally. And generally the women’s stuff is more compelling than the men’s to me.
With the ratings for RAW taking a nose dive, does this all fall on the plate of Drew in Vince's mind?
I would never go into that dark place. I think what’s probably fair to say is that he isn’t blaming himself, since he never does. He is the head of creative. Creative is what draws fans or bores them away. It all falls on him and what he gives talented people work with, or the lack thereof.
Can you explain how WWE contracts work? I saw the Ryback video you had on the site a few months ago but I don’t understand how the downside guarantee works? Was Heath Slater being paid for his raw appearance?
OK, this is the basic gist of it. You sign a contract. Let’s say it’s three years at $104,000 a year. You are guaranteed 104 grand a year, two thousand a week. If four months in you have made 104 grand, and you tick them off, they can send you home and not pay you another dime for 8 months. WWE can execute a 90 day out clause whenever they choose. So if they do that and you have met your downside for the year, they don’t have to pay you a penny. If you haven’t met your downside, they pay your weekly rate for the 90 day period. I don’t know Slater’s circumstance.
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