Does WWE Need an Off Season?

[Last Week]

Wasn't sure if I should create it's own thread, but I think this article suggests a good idea.

The time has finally come when an off season for WWE sounds appealing and appropriate.

For years, I’ve rejected the idea each time a fan would bring it up. Professional wrestling being the traveling circus that never stops was a fact I always interpreted proudly. For all the negativity, misunderstanding and misinformed that can be attached to professional wrestling — it always had the around-the-calendar commitment as a badge of honor that no other sport or athlete could claim.

As time goes on, it seems that badge is filled less with honor and more with an obligation to continue making towns in the name of the almighty dollar. Making money is the goal of every business, but at what point does the risk taken by these characters, who the entire money-making operation is based off, become such that it has hindered money being made consistently?

Randy Orton, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Luke Harper and Neville are dealing with injuries keeping them out for many months. Daniel Bryan has been forced to retire. They are all money-making characters WWE has long-term investments in.

Professional wrestling is always going to have risk of injury. Taking time off won’t eliminate all injuries. As Jim Ross famously would say, “this ain’t ballet.” But it takes away weeks of their bodies having to be at risk, it adds week for their bodies to rest and, ultimately, that’s a better probability for long-term health so the wrestlers consistently can be money-making assets for the company.

Take eight weeks off each year. Create an off season to rest physically and mentally. The quality of the performer will be better, and the quality of the programming undoubtedly will go up.

You can’t miss something that doesn’t go away. Right now, WWE doesn’t go away. I’m suggesting this for WWE’s good as I know its absence will make many of the viewers hearts grow fonder.

WWE powers would have eight weeks of not having to produce five hours of content each week. They can recharge their batteries while preparing for the next 10 months of touring and programming.

It’s 10 months of worldwide touring and live programming. WWE can still stake its claim in the amount of programming produced compared to its competition on television.

Read more at http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/689...eason-how-to-make-it-work#k7qHmPz5RtFKXiOQ.99

 

[Last Week]

Ok, I liked the idea of it when I read it, but the more I think about it, I realise it just won't work.

 

[Misanthrope]

Split this off so it didn't get lost in the shuffle.

The idea certainly has merit, and would also allow wrestling to build towards a cliffhanger ending and/or satisfying resolution.

It's one of the things I enjoy about Lucha Underground, although I wouldn't want WWE to go 100% in that soap opera style direction.

 

[Parra Pride]

Wouldn't mind it. Plenty of periods of time where you get junk filler pay per views and storylines that really aren't worth the time, especially coming straight after Mania

 

[steggz]

Guess the big questions are 1) where would you take it? and 2) would you need to move any major PPVs to make it happen?

 

[Valheru]

The obvious timing would be between mania and Summerslam so mania is the Super Bowl so to speak.

It won’t happen though, the WWE still get tremendous gates on a daily basis, not to mention the hit it would take on the bottom line with TV deals and network subscribers.

 

[lafai]

Less ppvs I support but an off season? Nah

 

[steggz]

There's roughly 12 PPVs a year, what would be your ideal number lafai?

 

[lafai]

There's roughly 12 PPVs a year, what would be your ideal number lafai?

6-8. Ideally I'd have just the big 4 PPVs, Royal Rumble, WM, Summerslam & Survivor Series but if they ever cut down on PPVs they'd never cut it down more than half.

 

[d3@t3h]

The obvious timing would be between mania and Summerslam so mania is the Super Bowl so to speak.

It won?t happen though, the WWE still get tremendous gates on a daily basis, not to mention the hit it would take on the bottom line with TV deals and network subscribers.

that why you would have a brand split, having one brand in the on season and the other brand running in the off season

 

[Iafeta]

I've had around about a 15 year off season from wrestling... They used to run 4-6 PPV's in the mid 90s, then Bischoff wanting to increase revenue thought why not 8, that worked, so he went to 12. I think it worked for a while, but once the Attitude Era died down I think overall storylines became less and less interesting, and thus the appeal of monthly PPV's died down.

In terms of WWE taking an offseason, can't see it happening. They draw crowds who pay for tickets and merchandise, and they sell ads so networks don't want their live product to stop. The issue of wrestler injuries ... well, there's no wrestler union, no promoter will allow that to happen in the states, and the top dogs have usually had the view that if one packhorse gets injured, there'll be another that can draw crowds somewhere to replace them.

 

[Eddie Lab]

he didn't mention CM punk either who was burnt out physically and mentally when he retired. if they did the brand split properly and held a draft/FA between smackdown and Raw they could make it work. also gives an opportunity to rebuild feuds and refresh characters. unfortunately though pro wrestling is about the money and doing a bunch of house shows a week and a PPV a month is how they do it.

 

[Shaun Hewitt]

Quality of the product, yes an off season would be best!
The season finale could be Mania, imagine having the Mania moments and then having to wait say 3 months till it kicks off again! It gives bookers a good 3 months to plan ahead and on a regular basis. Bookers are the ones I feel get a rough deal. There is no off-season, so they too have to come up constantly with ideas that seem fresh and cutting-edge.

Bottom dollar, no. Why would you cut down your possibility of profit via gates, PPVs, merchandise.

I'd love an off-season, but it wont happen