Is the Information Age Hurting Pro Wrestling?
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r.prince18
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COMMENTARY | I remember as a child in the 1970s and 1980s having to looking up information in an encyclopedia or asking my teacher a question to satisfy my curiosity.
Although teachers are still a valuable source of information, the Internet is the fastest source of information in the history of our world. Just as the Internet has changed the way we live our lives in numerous ways, the same thing has happened to the spectacle that is professional wrestling.
Distinction
The focus of this article will be information found via the Internet in general and not specific social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. I believe that social media is unquestionably a positive development for wrestling. Social media gives fans the opportunity to connect with each other and occasionally, even the wrestlers themselves. Some fans believe that wrestling promotions are working social media too heavily, but that's a topic for another day.
Old school 'information'
While I was using dusty encyclopedias and newspapers for information decades ago, my main source for wrestling information came from classic kayfabe magazines such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Wrestler, and Inside Wrestling. Since mainstream newspapers and magazines didn't cover wrestling, Bill Apter's publications were manna for a wrestling junkie like me searching for information in the desert.
The best thing about these magazines was that they presented information to wrestling fans in the same respected format as other sports publications, while at the same time, respecting the kayfabe nature of ongoing storylines and angles. These were the glory days of pro wrestling when promotions made their product look as real as possible and wrestling magazines respected this.
? Foley incident
In the 1990s, the Internet changed everything. Wrestling fans who witnessed titles changing hands and injuries taking place posted this information immediately on the Internet before promotions had an opportunity to broadcast their taped programs. But the most famous example of this phenomenon did not occur on the Internet. The information came courtesy of WCW Nitro announcer Tony Schiavone.
While ECW, WCW, and the WWF were engaged in a no-holds barred, three-way dance for wrestling supremacy, Schiavone dropped a bombshell on Nitro. At the behest of Eric Bischoff, Schiavone opened Nitro with the news that ? Foley would win the WWF Championship on the tape delayed broadcast of Monday Night Raw later that night. Unfortunately, for WCW, viewers actually switched over to Raw to see the title change hands.
The Internet today
Over time, wrestling websites continued to increase exponentially. It got to the point where fans were using these Internet sites for "real" information rather than traditional publications and promotion websites such as wwe.com for "kayfabe" information. Knowing that its fans were going elsewhere for information, WWE began posting a surprising amount of real information on its website.
For example, the WWE now posts articles on its website when its wrestlers violate the Wellness Policy. Also, fans can now go to wwe.com to find major news that took place when Smackdown was taped before the show airs on Friday night. This policy seems insane, but the WWE has no choice since that information gets out on other websites. If the Smackdown ratings are a lost cause, at least wwe.com can try to increase traffic on its website.
TNA
TNA is not immune to these problems either. Most wrestling fans know that Kurt Angle was recently arrested for DWI in Texas. In the old days, a promotion would simply stage a backstage attack to fake an injury so a wrestler could be off television to attend rehab. But Dixie Carter felt compelled to break the fourth wall and go on Impact Wrestling to give fans the information on what really happened to Angle.
TNA had another storyline get ruined by the Internet. Bully Ray kayfabe married Brooke Hogan to set up drama between Aces and Eights and Hulk Hogan. However, a quick trip to the Internet would reveal that Bully Ray is already married. Then news broke that Brooke Hogan got engaged in real life.
Information hurts ratings
Despite the boost that Raw received from Schiavone's spoiler, today's evidence is overwhelming that taped wrestling shows perform more poorly than live shows. Raw typically draws nearly a million more viewers than Smackdown does. And TNA's Impact Wrestling, which alternates between live and taped shows, draws more viewers when live. Clearly, many fans go to the Internet for immediate spoilers instead of waiting for taped shows to air.
Conclusion
I believe that being a wrestling fan in the information age isn't nearly as much fun as it was during the glory days of kayfabe. However, I don't think Al Gore will be shutting down his Internet invention anytime soon. The challenge for wrestling promotions today is to adapt with the times and make use of Internet information instead of fighting it. But old school fans like me will be gone one day and no one will be around who even remembers the simpler times.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/information-age-hurting-pro-wrestling-151200645.html
Although teachers are still a valuable source of information, the Internet is the fastest source of information in the history of our world. Just as the Internet has changed the way we live our lives in numerous ways, the same thing has happened to the spectacle that is professional wrestling.
Distinction
The focus of this article will be information found via the Internet in general and not specific social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. I believe that social media is unquestionably a positive development for wrestling. Social media gives fans the opportunity to connect with each other and occasionally, even the wrestlers themselves. Some fans believe that wrestling promotions are working social media too heavily, but that's a topic for another day.
Old school 'information'
While I was using dusty encyclopedias and newspapers for information decades ago, my main source for wrestling information came from classic kayfabe magazines such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Wrestler, and Inside Wrestling. Since mainstream newspapers and magazines didn't cover wrestling, Bill Apter's publications were manna for a wrestling junkie like me searching for information in the desert.
The best thing about these magazines was that they presented information to wrestling fans in the same respected format as other sports publications, while at the same time, respecting the kayfabe nature of ongoing storylines and angles. These were the glory days of pro wrestling when promotions made their product look as real as possible and wrestling magazines respected this.
? Foley incident
In the 1990s, the Internet changed everything. Wrestling fans who witnessed titles changing hands and injuries taking place posted this information immediately on the Internet before promotions had an opportunity to broadcast their taped programs. But the most famous example of this phenomenon did not occur on the Internet. The information came courtesy of WCW Nitro announcer Tony Schiavone.
While ECW, WCW, and the WWF were engaged in a no-holds barred, three-way dance for wrestling supremacy, Schiavone dropped a bombshell on Nitro. At the behest of Eric Bischoff, Schiavone opened Nitro with the news that ? Foley would win the WWF Championship on the tape delayed broadcast of Monday Night Raw later that night. Unfortunately, for WCW, viewers actually switched over to Raw to see the title change hands.
The Internet today
Over time, wrestling websites continued to increase exponentially. It got to the point where fans were using these Internet sites for "real" information rather than traditional publications and promotion websites such as wwe.com for "kayfabe" information. Knowing that its fans were going elsewhere for information, WWE began posting a surprising amount of real information on its website.
For example, the WWE now posts articles on its website when its wrestlers violate the Wellness Policy. Also, fans can now go to wwe.com to find major news that took place when Smackdown was taped before the show airs on Friday night. This policy seems insane, but the WWE has no choice since that information gets out on other websites. If the Smackdown ratings are a lost cause, at least wwe.com can try to increase traffic on its website.
TNA
TNA is not immune to these problems either. Most wrestling fans know that Kurt Angle was recently arrested for DWI in Texas. In the old days, a promotion would simply stage a backstage attack to fake an injury so a wrestler could be off television to attend rehab. But Dixie Carter felt compelled to break the fourth wall and go on Impact Wrestling to give fans the information on what really happened to Angle.
TNA had another storyline get ruined by the Internet. Bully Ray kayfabe married Brooke Hogan to set up drama between Aces and Eights and Hulk Hogan. However, a quick trip to the Internet would reveal that Bully Ray is already married. Then news broke that Brooke Hogan got engaged in real life.
Information hurts ratings
Despite the boost that Raw received from Schiavone's spoiler, today's evidence is overwhelming that taped wrestling shows perform more poorly than live shows. Raw typically draws nearly a million more viewers than Smackdown does. And TNA's Impact Wrestling, which alternates between live and taped shows, draws more viewers when live. Clearly, many fans go to the Internet for immediate spoilers instead of waiting for taped shows to air.
Conclusion
I believe that being a wrestling fan in the information age isn't nearly as much fun as it was during the glory days of kayfabe. However, I don't think Al Gore will be shutting down his Internet invention anytime soon. The challenge for wrestling promotions today is to adapt with the times and make use of Internet information instead of fighting it. But old school fans like me will be gone one day and no one will be around who even remembers the simpler times.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/information-age-hurting-pro-wrestling-151200645.html
Comments
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I agree 100%. The flood of information has spoiled the fun of wrestling. Now you can skip one RAW or PPV and just look up the results instead of waiting until next week (which means you don't HAVE to watch it to know what's happened).
Fans have the ability to ruin gimmicks (I guarantee some ? is gonna start a Primo and Epico chant when they re-debut), spoil the show for others in forums (like this one), and ruin surprises (like the Brock Lesnar surprise was ruined last year).
It exposed the business too much, kayfabe is hanging on by a thread these days. The information flood has done some good things too but it mostly bad for the business.
SN: TV ratings are a nonfactor though, with YouTube and other sites giving you the ability to watch the show without adding to the ratings I don't know why people even still talk about it. Not to mention the Nielsen system was flawed in the first place.
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Article is like 13 years too late. Information Age + Oversaturation = WWE today.
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/thread
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I just don't like the spoilers because how would you be surprised if you always know what's going to happen?
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If you check out this video below from 1994, this is around the time the internet started popping.
Bob Backlund calls Diesel out by his real name, Kevin Nash.
Shawn Michaels and Vinnie Mac are on commentary, and when Nash's name is called out, Shawn asks Vince, "did you hear that?", "do you know who told him that?"
I'm guessing this is when the dirt sheets and websites started popping up telling the results of events, real names and ages of wrestlers, and Shawn made a reference to the internet. This promo is PROBABLY the first acknowledgement of the internet in pro wrestling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jCaQqTcA1k
I remember in college a guy told me about dirt sheets and that I could find out who won matches and that there were more wrestling companies other than WWF and WCW. At first, I got all of my information from Pro Wrestling Illustrated and The Wrestler magazines and would see results in the back of the magazine. But just like all news publications, the internet killed them off. You can get information instantly with the internet, and not having to wait for a month or longer to get results.
The sport as a whole suffers from the same as the publications, because people leak the information to the internet, thus, the sites will broadcast a potential signing, angle, etc, before the public can see it. So when they do happen, you're already spoiled by the action because you've been expecting it.
And with only 1.5 companies in the mainstream, the tendency to be complacent and not change up how the shows are run hurts as well. You have a guy now getting shine on some website for guessing meaningless or obvious match outcomes, because of the news of injuries, suspensions, or contract status. With all of this information readily available, wrestling is scripted, but at the same time, predictable, which adds to its own pain.
There is nothing they can do about people knowing storyline angles and match outcomes, unless they inform the talent of what is expected of them right before they go through the curtain. And even then, what was planned in a boardroom will leak out because someone will always be on the take. -
social media ? like twatter & fuckbook sometimes ruins wrasslin' fo me!
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Of Course its hurting wrestling. You already know whose turning heel, whose turning face, and whose gonna show up on what show after leaving another promotion. There is no more surprises like it used to be and its ruining the shows. I remember when Chris Benoit, Eddie and Perry Saturn showed up on that one Raw episode out of now where. That was an amazing surprise and what made wrestling awesome back then. It had that anything can happen factor that its missing today.
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You guys are right .
As much as I can't stay away from the dirt sheets & such,
I hate it.
I end up spoiling the card for myself when I know the swerve already or if someone is makin a return/debut
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Internet was still a place of information in the 90's just not as it works today.
Had it been, Hogan and Macho man jumping ship, Luger, The Outsiders, Hogan's heel turn, none of it would've been as big of an impact as it was then.
Today, you have so many spoilers months in advance. You read who's planned to be champ, who's returning, who's getting pushed, when stables are forming and disbanding, new belt designs leaked etc..
I wish the ppl who worked backstage wouldn't ruin it. It is in their hands to spoil, not necessarily the internets.
But I'm not sure it does as much damage, though.
When Lesnar returned in 2012 at the end of RAW, the crowd was already chanting for him. Did the leak bring in more Lesnar/Attitude Era fans? Would he have gotten the same type of response if he had not been rumored to return?
It ruins the element of surprise but does it actually HURT wrestling? Is it good to know what's going to happen so that the fans can approve or disapprove of what's going to happen? (like with Batista)
I love being surprised, it gives it more of an impact. But then again, knowing something in advanced sells me on making sure I catch RAW or a PPV. -
what i can say now is that the writers are hurting wresting. Its unbearable to watch now. Like its a real soap opera. i wish it was still the attitude area for real.
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apollo greed wrote: »what i can say now is that the writers are hurting wresting. Its unbearable to watch now. Like its a real soap opera. i wish it was still the attitude area for real.
Nah that's just WWE not wrestling in general. When you guys learn to tune out WWE and focus your time and attention on the many other promotions around worldwide you'll probably enjoy wrestling again. That's the one thing I do like about this era. There are options and you could always realistically take those options now since we're always connected and walk around with computers in our pants pocket. When I was a kid I could only watch NJPW or classic territory days footage through bootleg tapes and AAA on Galavision. Now all that ? is all over the interwebs along with the countless indy promotions worldwide. -
apollo greed wrote: »Of Course its hurting wrestling. You already know whose turning heel, whose turning face, and whose gonna show up on what show after leaving another promotion. There is no more surprises like it used to be and its ruining the shows. I remember when Chris Benoit, Eddie and Perry Saturn showed up on that one Raw episode out of now where. That was an amazing surprise and what made wrestling awesome back then. It had that anything can happen factor that its missing today.
I appreciate being a kid during the Attitude Era because everything was believable for the most part. When Eddie, Perry, Dean and Chris debuted, I thought "they're fans, they don't know how to wrestle" Once again I was a kid though and didn't watch WCW. I don't think it ruins it if you're allowing yourself to be entertained but since we're adults and the quality Vince gives us is ? majority of the time. You can't help but to pick through what's in front of you. -
In my opinion, the business just has to evolve. People like Jim Cornette and Eric Bischoff called this a long time ago. Work with the Internet instead of trying to beat it. Evolve to keep up
