Style

These days, all that matters is style. Look at the most recent election (Note: the 2012 US Presidential election). What did either candidate say during the debates? Nothing too surprising from a substance point. So the debates were decided on style. Why? Because everyone has an opinion on style and most people aren't smart enough to sort through the substance.

Just like wrestling fans. Which isn't a commentary on their intelligence, but "smartness" to the business of pro wrestling. Most fans have no idea what good wrestling is. Most wrestlers don't either. Don't get me wrong, as a performer you can't suck (and if you do you better have the look and charisma to make up for it). But so long as you are passable (which most of the indies today are not), it all becomes about style.

So to my more advanced followers, work on character and style, because that's what gets you noticed on the national scale. Most guys in WWE today are just hype and style.

Everything of that style needs to be synchronized to make it a believable character. For example, everything Fandango does fits the gimmick. The guy has had a three month build up and will debut (and most likely win) at WrestleMania. While I'm sure many of you hate this gimmick because you're "purists," you have to look at the bigger picture of WWE. It's no longer pro wrestling. Shit, it's barely sports-entertainment. It's just "entertainment" now. Triple H versus The Undertaker being billed as the end of an era wasn't just a gimmick, it was a shoot. Pro wrestling ended and we are now in the era of entertainment.

This has been a slow transition since The Rock came back, but kicked into high gear at Raw 1000. There has been a very noticeable change in WWE's business plan. Watch Daniel Bryan on Saturday Morning Slam. It's all silly, hokey gimmick. In fact, even the wrestling resembled something that you would do when you would be wrestling in front of children. They have over the top PSAs featuring villains saying,"don't try this at home." The camera cuts away anytime someone is hit in the head. It's all story and character-driven stuff.

The WWE Network is happening whether you want it or not. Vince doesn't accept no for an answer. So he created a show, Main Event, for the purists who love to watch a longer, more technical match. A Saturday morning cartoon show called Slam Masters, and a flagship show where it all comes together with Monday Night Raw. On Friday he crams all the backwash he couldn't fit on Raw into Smackdown. You will eventually have that cruiserweight show and other niche audience products, such as the Vet House, etc.

Vince will place programming out to all the "friendly" networks right now, build the idea of the WWE Network. Plop all of his shitty WWE films on it and produce even lower budget shit movies like Syfy does, using his "superstars" as cast members. This is what he is building to. His new business model has very little to do with actual wrestling. That's right kids, WWE just got MTVed. You know how music television has very little music on it? That is where professional wrestling is going.

I am sure the majority of you are asking, "why?" Because there is a lot more money under the big umbrella of the "entertainment" business then there is with the "pro wrestling" business. Same with MTV. Overall entertainment makes more money than just music.

And sadly, kids, that's simply how this world works. And that's how art forms like music and wrestling die. My goal now is to preserve as much of the art, business, and culture of pro wrestling as I can, while I transition all of you independent pro wrestlers into independent entertainers. I'm not saying I like it anymore than you do, but I'm not here to like things. I'm here to help. And moving with the times is a necessary thing if I expect to help anyone.

Until next time,
-AWV