WWE Pushing for More Edgier Storylines?

[Glorious Maxxwell]

The idea behind WWE's ongoing storyline between AJ Lee and Paige has definitely been to tease sexual tension between the two. There was a creative decision made last weekend that they want to go further with the angle. No word yet on what they may have planned but nothing risky was done on this week's RAW and it appears the same goes for last night's SmackDown tapings.

With the AJ vs. Paige storyline and a few other incidents like more adult language being used and Rosa Mendes being exposed on Main Event, it would appear that WWE may want to do more risqué angles because they need buzz to push the product. However, WWE is still working with Mattel and have promised sponsors they won't ever go back to how they were. It was speculated in a recent issue of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that we'll likely see more slip-ups and minor adult language on WWE TV but not enough that it will attract attention past the wrestling audience.

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WWE constantly goes in cycles like this. They'll push the envelope, take the high road, push the envelope, take the high road. They just go in cycles depending on how Vince is feeling. WWE will never return to an Attitude Era type product and frankly they don't need it.

[Rob]

:tv14:


ATTITUDE ERA IS BACK!!!!

/troll

[Glorious Maxxwell]

Spammin' n00b!

Attitude Era was a poor man's ECW.

*eloquent hipster fan remark*

[Rob]

Spammin' n00b!

Attitude Era was a poor man's ECW.

*eloquent hipster fan remark*

Actually it was a rich man's ECW.

And I'm not a spamming n00b, I'm a spamming admin, get it right.

[Glorious Maxxwell]

Rich in wealth, but poor in spirit... or whatever the fuck that quote was from the Night Before Christmas...

Fine... Spammin' n00bert teh admin!

[Big Evil]

I'm all for an a more risque product. WWE has been too bland with the PG product for too long. I understand completely why they did it, but you have fans that have been watching since they were kids, and they are getting turned away because they remember the Attitude Era all too well. You can't pander just to the little kiddies and expect to keep the fan base that matters, the adults who make all the money to spend on WWE.

[the madscotsman]

The WWE finally get a female wrestler who can actually wrestle, get over with the crowd and be a positive role model for young girls (and god knows they need it) and they turn her into a bi-sexual whore.

[Glorious Maxxwell]

I'm all for an a more risque product. WWE has been too bland with the PG product for too long. I understand completely why they did it, but you have fans that have been watching since they were kids, and they are getting turned away because they remember the Attitude Era all too well. You can't pander just to the little kiddies and expect to keep the fan base that matters, the adults who make all the money to spend on WWE.

Cause WWE was teetering on the brink of bankrupsy in the 80s?

WWE's success or failure has nothing to do with content, it's the inconsistency of the writers and bookers creating weekly television shows. The reason why the Attitude Era worked... wasn't because of edgy content, even though it helped... It was a direct vision from a small group of guys that were actually building towards something with their main, marquee feuds and consistent use and pushing of undercard talent to create new stars...

Nowadays you have diverse array of writers, coming and going... Different tastes. Different views on characters. Differing styles. And then you have Vince McMahon, who really doesn't play a direct role in the vision of WWE, just pitches ideas and approves ideas and the like.

If you want to break down the logisitics of edgy, adult fans vs. family friendly... In a perfect world, family friendly is going to win every time. With an edgy product... 18 to 34 male demographic... You're going to have smaller shows, with patrons shelling out less money. Sure you may have groups, or friends, who go together... but usually it's just a singular show goer. He buys one seat. He may buy a few beers, some food.... Maybe a t-shirt. Even though he may be a superfan. He's not going up there to buy souviners. And what other WWE products he would buy (DVDs and action figures), he's going to be a more savy collector. Looking for a better price on the internet for said action figures, for said dvds. Collecting old dvds and VHSs. WWE doesn't make that money on less expensive product on a secondary market. Not to mention, the savy 18 to 34 may not buy every payperview... for various reasons, interest (cause he's the more sophisticated viewer) or for financial reasons and would opt for an illegal feed. Even though I think the Network would kill that option in all honest. It was that way for the last 10 years... or download the PPV the following day.

On the other hand. You have a more family friendly product. Family's go to the show. Make a family event out of it. They buy tickets. They buy food and drinks (way more than just beer and hotdogs). The kids get shirts. The parents get shirts. The kids get Cena foam fingers and Rey Mysterio masks... They buy a collectable program for the Raw/Smackdown/Live Event. Outside of the event. The parents are going to buy their kids WWE clothes, dvds and toys from direct sources like k-mart, walmart, toys'r'us so the WWE can make a profit off those sales. Not to mention, with the younger viewers and larger incomes. They are far more less likely to pirate content.

Just a thought on the logistics of making money with edgy vs. family... You can make money and garner interest with both... Cause remember in WCW's hottest period with the nWo... That was a family friendly product. WWE back in the 80s with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage... family friendly.. Any sort of wrestling product that predates 1984. Family friendly...

[Big Evil]

Damn you went all in there... beat my argument to shambles lol

[Glorious Maxxwell]

Sorry buddy... lol

[LionDen]

The WWE finally get a female wrestler who can actually wrestle, get over with the crowd and be a positive role model for young girls (and god knows they need it) and they turn her into a bi-sexual whore.

I love AH and Paige matches. I would love them to keep wrestling each other. Best Diva wrestlers right now IMO. No bias because Paige my favorite Diva lol :shifty:


Damn you went all in there... beat my argument to shambles lol

lol

I guess they will stick with the Bellas storyline until they have a match at a PPV. Also, they seem to be highlighted on Total Divas, so I am guessing that reason is in the back of everyones mind. I am actually sick of the Bellas storyline, the segments go to long and they just say the same things over and over again.

I still say Brie should have been in the 4Divas Champpionship match at Night of Champions. I think it would have had a nice dynamic with it. Paige and AJ / Nikki and Brie feuds / sexual tension lol

[Glorious Maxxwell]

II guess they will stick with the Bellas storyline until they have a match at a PPV. Also, they seem to be highlighted on Total Divas, so I am guessing that reason is in the back of everyones mind. I am actually sick of the Bellas storyline, the segments go to long and they just say the same things over and over again.

I still say Brie should have been in the 4Divas Champpionship match at Night of Champions. I think it would have had a nice dynamic with it. Paige and AJ / Nikki and Brie feuds / sexual tension lol

The problem is the story is way too overwritten... instead of just saying hey Nikki, you hate your sister out of jealousy and imagined sleights, ACTION! They overwrote it to protect the girls... and it comes off very wooden cause both girls are trying like hell to remember their overly verbose lines... Steph/Brie worked a lot better cause Steph's better with a script, and she had the heat to carry it. I don't think people care for Nikki as a heel and would just prefer to gawk at her voluptuous titties...

Paige/AJ is really the way to go...

[LionDen]

It is silly, they are letting the Bella twins have so long for their segments and they do not even let any other Championship feus get some talking time, only Cena and Heyman (with Lesnar lol). All they do is put them in some type of match against each other before the PPV.

[Will]

Cause WWE was teetering on the brink of bankrupsy in the 80s?

WWE's success or failure has nothing to do with content, it's the inconsistency of the writers and bookers creating weekly television shows. The reason why the Attitude Era worked... wasn't because of edgy content, even though it helped... It was a direct vision from a small group of guys that were actually building towards something with their main, marquee feuds and consistent use and pushing of undercard talent to create new stars...

Nowadays you have diverse array of writers, coming and going... Different tastes. Different views on characters. Differing styles. And then you have Vince McMahon, who really doesn't play a direct role in the vision of WWE, just pitches ideas and approves ideas and the like.

If you want to break down the logisitics of edgy, adult fans vs. family friendly... In a perfect world, family friendly is going to win every time. With an edgy product... 18 to 34 male demographic... You're going to have smaller shows, with patrons shelling out less money. Sure you may have groups, or friends, who go together... but usually it's just a singular show goer. He buys one seat. He may buy a few beers, some food.... Maybe a t-shirt. Even though he may be a superfan. He's not going up there to buy souviners. And what other WWE products he would buy (DVDs and action figures), he's going to be a more savy collector. Looking for a better price on the internet for said action figures, for said dvds. Collecting old dvds and VHSs. WWE doesn't make that money on less expensive product on a secondary market. Not to mention, the savy 18 to 34 may not buy every payperview... for various reasons, interest (cause he's the more sophisticated viewer) or for financial reasons and would opt for an illegal feed. Even though I think the Network would kill that option in all honest. It was that way for the last 10 years... or download the PPV the following day.

On the other hand. You have a more family friendly product. Family's go to the show. Make a family event out of it. They buy tickets. They buy food and drinks (way more than just beer and hotdogs). The kids get shirts. The parents get shirts. The kids get Cena foam fingers and Rey Mysterio masks... They buy a collectable program for the Raw/Smackdown/Live Event. Outside of the event. The parents are going to buy their kids WWE clothes, dvds and toys from direct sources like k-mart, walmart, toys'r'us so the WWE can make a profit off those sales. Not to mention, with the younger viewers and larger incomes. They are far more less likely to pirate content.

Just a thought on the logistics of making money with edgy vs. family... You can make money and garner interest with both... Cause remember in WCW's hottest period with the nWo... That was a family friendly product. WWE back in the 80s with Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage... family friendly.. Any sort of wrestling product that predates 1984. Family friendly...

I agree with your basic point but you really think nWo was family orientated?

[LionDen]

I agree with your basic point but you really think nWo was family orientated?

It was not as bad as DX lol

[Glorious Maxxwell]

When did nWo curse, drink on television, do overtly sexual things on television, and perform overly violent acts that caused any sort of blood loss?

They were cool heels that could've easily been a villainous group fitting in with Batman or Spiderman's rogues gallery...

[Will]

When did nWo curse, drink on television, do overtly sexual things on television, and perform overly violent acts that caused any sort of blood loss?

They were cool heels that could've easily been a villainous group fitting in with Batman or Spiderman's rogues gallery...

ok i see what your doing there. When your talking about the nWo era, your only talking about that one group and in that one regard I can agree that they were no where near as bad as what was going on in WWE but there was plenty of sex and ridiculously adult storylines, especially after Russo came on board.

[Glorious Maxxwell]

But what other overtly sexual angles did WCW have at the time? Ric and Liz spending Macho's alimony checks? The Bootyman? When Russo came in... Absolutely? But before... I must've missed it tbh...