Browsing lordsofpain.net today, I saw a headline regarding the WWE and how it wants to rebrand itself. One major change is simply going by the name of WWE, to take wrestling out of the company's name. In addition, they want to expand their offerings beyond their in-ring product. Reading comments, a lot of people are viewing this change negatively, but was this announcement really a surprise? They stopped calling their performers "wrestlers" a long time ago, have movies they created ("Knucklehead" and "The Chaperon"), and Vince McMahon even tried the XFL a decade ago.
My thoughts on this change are mixed, with my biggest fear being that the WWE will begin straying from the in-ring product that it always has been known for. As a viewer of WWE since 1985, this prospect is distressing to me. What is also distressing is the fact that WWE became as huge as it did for its wrestling, and it almost feels like a slap in the face to fans who've helped make the company what it is today by going to live shows, purchasing merchandise, etc.
Another thing I personally didn't understand is why are they making this move now. As mentioned in my opening paragraph, they've been dipping their fingers in other entertainment avenues for awhile now. Back in 2001, when WWE had their restaurant in NYC, and the XFL, the company was in the tail end of their mega-successful "attitude era". Back then, it was okay to say you watched professional wrestling. In 2011, it's not as hip. Try to think if you saw anyone recently wearing a piece of WWE merchandise (and not a kid in a John Cena shirt). Chances are, you probably haven't. The WWE is going through a time now where their product just isn't going over with fans, and they are having difficulty with bringing new fans into the fold. This was reflected in last Sunday's Wrestlemania XXVII, where they had to bring in The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. There are possible reasons for this, but now is not the post for it. What it comes down to is the WWE realizes their in-ring product now caters to a niche market (as it did before the attitude era), and their current entertainment offerings don't expand outside of this market.
In the end, Vince McMahon and the WWE want to disassociate with wrestling as much as they possibly can in order to make money. Why? Perhaps McMahon is being greedy, but at the end of the day (or financial quarter), they have to answer to their shareholders as WWE is a publicly traded company on the NYSE. Despite my lack of embrace with this rebranding it is understandable. In the business world, companies are always changing strategy to earn profits. However, I am very concerned about the future of the in-ring product, or at least how they approach it IF their expanded entertainment offerings are actually successful. Only time will tell.
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