ECW: Another Missed Opportunity

I don't know who out there watches wrestling, but that's what this blog deals with. The WWE website has a feedback option that i sometimes use, and I don't know why I bother. I don't really believe that anyone who matters actually reads what I write, but I do it anyway. I guess it's cathartic, in a way. I personally believe that only interns at Titan Towers are reading this stuff, hence the greeting...

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Hey interns...

ECW's on right now...Boring Lashley is having his thing with Rene Dupree, so I thought that would be a good segment to ignore and write you guys.

I just don't get it, ya'll. I really don't. You had a unique opportunity and it's not the first time this one has landed in your lap. I'm not talking about pushing a certain wrestler or about Paul Heyman no longer being involved (although I don't like that, either). You guys...you just don't even want to diversify your audience, do you?

Twice now, actually three times...you've had the opportunity to cover multiple bases in the wrestling industry and failed every time. I don't think it even occurred to you. In fact, I know it didn't, because you didn't even try. When WCW closed, you had the opportunity to actually have two distinct fanbases under one umbrella. Instead, you alienated the old WCW fan and forcefed them the WWE. You could have continued to serve the WCW fan, to keep them interested, but instead, you crapped on the style of wrestling they knew and loved. You even brought it up on that Raw episode, having Michael Cole bring up that WCW fans might not get to see their brand of WRESTLING again. And they haven't. There is only WWE.

Then came the brand extension. Once again, there was an opportunity to have two distinct shows, each with a feel different than the others. Instead, it's all WWE. Raw and Smackdown are barely different. They just have different wrestlers, but it's the same mentality, the same tone. The same style of wrestling. No real difference.

Now, there's ECW. And I know you're thinking this is where I get into how you should have brought back the old ECW, that you should have left Paul Heyman to his own devices and let him do what he does. But i'm not going to do that. Yes, it would have been fun for a while, but the truth of the matter is, there's only so much garbage matches that I can watch before I get bored. But that isn't the point. The point is that once again, you could have done something different, something that wasn't WWE, and at least tried to recapture some of the audience that isn't even considering watching WWE programming.

Let's face it: the WCW fans have not come back. The ECW fans are most likely watching Japan, indy wrestling or TNA. The tape traders are also watching Japan, indy wrestling, or TNA. These fans don't want to see John Cena. These fans don't want to see Batista. These fans don't want to see Boring Lashley. They want wrestling: they don't want sports entertainment. Once again, you let a grand opportunity slip through your fingers by trying to make everyone love the WWE.

It's never going to happen. Why? Because there are too many styles of wrestling out there to try to boil everything down into the "WWE style." And sometimes, you just don't want to see that. But you don't care. That's why we have three identical shows.

Of course, Vince isn't listening. He'll probably never even see this letter. Stephanie or Triple H won't see it, either. All of them are too busy splashing around in their money-and-mermaid fountain.

Oh, Jesus...first a Boring Lashley interview, now a Borecore Holly interview. Apparently, you don't want good ratings, either. So much for growing the business.