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WHY VINCE SHOULD STAY OUT OF BOOKING NXT, USING AN OLD SCHOOL IDEA IN 2019, NOT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID AT THE DRAFT WAS WRONG AND MORE

By Dave Scherer on 2019-10-23 10:00:00

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Love the site. It helps me keep updated with RAW & SmackDown, both of which I rarely watch. My question is about the draft: Is anybody in WWE management aware of how much of a laughing stock they have made themselves? I know Vince hates continuity, but drafts don't change own rules mid-draft, so how on earth was nobody across what they were putting out to the public, as they have repeatedly contradicted their own stated rules multiple times across both shows? Given it was posted 2 days prior to the show, how did nobody realise they'd released the exact draft order? Why hire actors to make the proceedings look comedic? If you're USA you must be thrilled that WWE's solution to their own created problem was to make USA look stupid, doubly so now that WWE apparently screwed that up as well and has had to double down on making USA look stupid by trading Bliss (who per WWE, USA thought so highly of that they specifically wanted her), for nobody now or in the future, as WWE will have forgotten this even happened by next draft. How was Heavy Machinery suddenly available to draft from Monday's pool but nobody else was? It didn't stop once off the air either: the rules stated that talents that weren't drafted would be "immediately declared free agents and able to sign with the brand of their choosing" - which could've meant TV Time/a storyline for EC3 or Eric Young among other options, auditioning the brands to see if they were the best fit for them - however WWE evidently forgot this, continuing the draft like they always do and in the process drafting Crews who was in Monday's pool. More of these talents (Tozawa, Carrillo, Gable) who should've already been unable to be drafted were subsequently drafted on Monday. Why even imply the execs are the ones drafting, when you're going to make them look stupid by drafting guys who have been catering regulars for eons (Titus & Sheldon) ahead of Elias & Rey - why wouldn't Fox want Cain's mouthpiece, also wouldn't it help the brand synergy if you're going to use him on Backstage? Presumably Cesaro is heading to NXT, but did someone in WWE forget AOP were in the pool? It seems odd to have them in vignettes in preparation for a re-debut to render them behind people who have been off TV for months. I understand this fairly lengthy so likely won't be answered, but thanks for reading anyway.

People in WWE know that they are making over a half billion dollars a year in TV rights fees so while I don’t disagree with all of your points, in the end they say look at the money.  The draft was just WWE creative.  I am never surprised when the creative is less than scintillating.  With that said, I think you missed some obvious things, such as WWE needed someone to make the picks since they don’t have GMs anymore.  I was glad they came up with a logical way to handle that.

I'm loving the Wednesday Night War that we've had for the past two weeks. It's got me thinking ...I think there's a great way for WWE to get NXT stars over even more than they already are. I'm remembering when Ric Flair used to go to territories and allow the local star to pin him in non-title matches, setting up the big show that was around the corner. What if a WWE champion (like Seth Rollins) came to a regular NXT Wednesday night and lost a non-title match, setting up a rematch at a pending Takeover. Would the 1980's storyline work in 2019?

There is a big difference between then and now.  When Flair lost in a territory, it was on a local show.  If Rollins loses in NXT, it’s on national TV so it has to be followed up on.  You can’t just have, say, Damien Priest, beat the Universal Champion and not follow it up.  With that said, using Priest, if Vince decides he wants him on Raw having him challenge Rollins to a match and Rollins coming to accept would be a good way to do it.  It would also keep the synergy in the USA family and probably spike a rating for NXT.

I am a pure Wrestling Fan and has followed Wrestling since the Days in LA with Freddie Blassie John Tolos.  I am all for entertainment but The WWE is insulting the Wrestling Fan with the Draft.  You and I know as well as other fans that Vince is moving the roster not the so called Fox or USA.

That’s true, but as a long time fan you also know that when Jack Tunney was sanctioning a match, it wasn’t really Tunney’s call.  I think you are off base with this particular criticism.

If AEW continues to beat NXT in the ratings, bearing in mind they are aiming for the same fans with a different presentation of Wrestling shouldn’t Vince put his stamp on NXT? Quite clearly if NXT is drawing less than AEW then Vince would have every right to do what he is doing with two shows that are beating AEW.

Vince has every right to do what he wants no matter what the scenario.  With that said, I think it would be a mistake.  If the people watching on Wednesday are looking for more serious/adult product and Vince makes NXT like Raw and Smackdown, it will actually make the fans looking for a non-Vince like product tune to AEW to get “what NXT used to give them”.  I think makes much more sense to force the fans to choose which show they want to watch on Wednesday night.

How do Nielsen families get chosen?

In the old days at least, it was at random.  They actually chose me at one point (I didn’t have time to do it).  I would guess they still do it that way.

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