I've realised lately that if I could make just one minor change to the WWE product - a change that could be made instantly without any negative consequences - it would be to get rid of the Wrestlemania sign.
Seriously. It represents everything that's wrong with the product right now.
Unfortunately, at some point Wrestlemania became the biggest star in wrestling. Vince McMahon realised that the hype behind that show was enough, and that they didn't have to try anymore. Wrestlemania was no longer just the biggest show of the year. It was enough to draw all on its own. And WWE stopped trying to build great matches and feuds for the show and got on with just hyping the show. Not the matches. Not the wrestlers. Just the idea of Wrestlemania.
In recent years, wrestlers and commentators have spent at least a quarter of the year talking about the "Road to Wrestlemania". Every week we see a countdown of how many days are left until Wrestlemania. The Wrestlemania sign can be seen in every arena from the Royal Rumble until Wrestlemania. Just so people know it's coming.
We're at the beginning of the Road to Wrestlemania! Wrestlemania is only 60 days away! Wrestlemania is coming! Wrestlemania Wrestlemania Wrestlemania! It's incessant.
WWE is so relentless in hyping Wrestlemania, that we almost don't have time to realise that it's just a name. Without the right wrestlers, the right matches and the right feuds, it doesn't mean a damn thing. And yet people will pay for a terrible looking show just because they've been told to get excited about it for the previous three months. Not because there's actually anything to get excited about.
So when it comes to booking feuds and stories, WWE tend to be extremely lazy about it. They just do whatever comes easiest. And if all else fails, their wrestlers can always just point to the Wrestlemania sign. As long as the event gets over, it doesn't matter if the wrestlers don't.
If a wrestler wins the Royal Rumble for the first time, guaranteeing him a spot in the main event of the biggest show of the year, the absolute pinnacle of the industry, he could react to that kind of accomplishment with some level of emotion. He could try to sell us on how much it means to him. Or he could point to a sign. I know which sounds easier.
Going back and watching old Royal Rumbles now, the wins seem to feel like a bigger deal. The celebrations feel less rehearsed. They didn't have a big fuck off Wrestlemania sign to point at. They could just enjoy the moment and try to end the Royal Rumble pay-per-view on a strong note, without worrying about Wrestlemania just yet.
Feuds often begin in the laziest way possible too now. Two wrestlers look at a sign and BAM! We're supposed to want to see them fight so badly that we'll pay for the privilege. WWE hyped a confrontation between Sting & Triple H for Fast Lane. There was the potential for some violence, or at the very least some cool theatrics from Sting. But what did we actually get? A shitty Raw promo and Sting pointing at the Wrestlemania sign. Major anti-climax.
Okay, so getting rid of the Wrestlemania sign probably wouldn't make the Road to Wrestlemania any better. I know I'm exaggerating its importance. The company is always going to be able to find lazy solutions to its problems as long as people buy into the hype behind Wrestlemania. It's just one small symptom of a larger disease. But the sign is a great example of what the problems are with the product these days. WWE book feuds and angles that are extremely thin and ask us to fill in the blanks ourselves. They show a green rookie standing in front of the Wrestlemania sign and think it will convince people that he belongs in the main event.
It's a bad attitude for the company to have. They think they can do whatever they want and fans will still buy the show, so they won't bother putting in the effort. And fans are starting to see through this attitude, but not nearly fast enough.
I just wish they'd stop trying to sell the show, and start selling the wrestlers, the emotions, the rivalries. If they did that, the show would sell itself. These days they're only selling the concept of Wrestlemania. Given how terrible the show looks to be, I hope that this year people don't buy it.
