a lettter to wwe

8/18/2019 A Lettter to WWE

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OriginalCheezIt

316 Jabroni Drive

Cheap Pop, AE 42069

19thApril, 2016

Paul M. Levesque

1241 East Main Street

Stamford, CT 06902

Dear Mr. Levesque,

Hello, my name isIT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT MY NAME IS, and I am writing to you

in regards and with concern to the rising rate of injuries currently sustained by WWE

talent. As a lifelong wrestling fan, I feel it is imperative to address this ongoing andincreasingly detrimental problem for the wellbeing of the wrestlers and the sports

entertainment business as a whole, as well the enjoyment of fans such as myself. I write in

hopes that you will put into effect one or more of my proposed solutions.

Professional wrestling is an athletic, artistic medium with more potential danger

than any other sport, and the passion to match. It is common knowledge in this day and

age that outcomes are predetermined, and that the wrestlers are working together to

create a dangerous looking display while actively taking measures to keep each other safe.

However, the fans’ suspension of disbelief does not allow for talent to perform slams, falls,

and dives onto a safe surface, thus creating a very real element of danger in the ring.

Recently, we have seen the superstars we love, and the ones we love to hate, fall victim to

this reality of wrestling. In the past 12 months alone, Tyson Kidd, Luke Harper, Neville,

Cesaro, Randy Orton, John Cena, Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt, Sting, Nikki Bella, and Daniel

Bryan have found themselves out of action for a significant amount of time, with Sting

and Daniel Bryan retiring as a result of their injuries.

Sometimes wrestling can go very wrong, as does any other discipline that involves

such intricate and precise actions with unforgiving consequences. In some cases, these


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injurious mistakes are freak accidents that could happen at any time, without notice.

However, there are many instances where a talent may have a lingering or worsening

problem, and he or she may still compete with receiving little to no medical attention,

causing further damage and increasing the likelihood of a more severe injury to them or

one of the other wrestlers that they are working with. These small, nagging injuries can be

minimized, along with the chances of those more severe, while still providing high quality

entertainment to the fans, by limiting the amount of time wrestlers spend performing.

This can be achieved by increasing the number of part-time contracts for main event

workers, instituting a rolling offseason for mid-card wrestlers, and reestablishing the

brand split.

The longevity of some older, more experienced superstars can be attributed to

working part-time instead of wrestling a full schedule. A perfect example of this would be

your own in-ring career under yournom de guerreTriple H. Physically you are in the best

shape of your life, arguably due in part to your reduced wrestling schedule. The

Undertaker has been wrestling since 1984 and has successfully extended his longevity

through the same means. Placing more superstars on a part-time contract will likely

extend their in-ring careers by providing them with lengthy recovery periods between

touring sessions and reducing the number of matches they are wrestling on the whole.

Because the superstars that are on a more relaxed schedule tend to be those who are more

popular or more experienced, it is of utmost importance that their bodies remain healthy.

While protecting the talent, this will also increase the fans’ enjoyment of the product by


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reducing overexposure of performers and providing meaningful returns that can feed into

storylines. For example, Brock Lesnar is one of the most popular superstars in WWE, due

in no small part to him not being on television every week. It is an event when Brock

Lesnar wrestles, and when he returns from absence, it is a big deal for fans. Increasing the

number of these limited-schedule contracts will make some main event wrestlers into

must-see special attractions instead of just another member of an ever-growing roster,

while also protecting them from injuries caused by a lack of time off.

However, if everyone was on a part-time contract, there would be a lack of talent to

fill the cards for weekly shows. As such, to assure that there are always wrestlers able to

fill these shows while limiting the risk of injury to these workhorses, I propose putting

into place a sort of “rolling” offseason, where wrestlers can take turns spending time on

the road. Talent could be split into a number of groups, where one group is off tour at any

given time. When those wrestlers come back, then another set can begin their off-season.

This way, those that do perform every week are given sufficient time off to recover for

their next tour stint. This will also provide an opportunity for some less popular

superstars to shine, as the active roster will be smaller than it is currently.

A possible flaw in this approach is that it will reduce the exposure of talent,

particularly on pay-per-view events. This can be minimized by structuring the schedule so

that every superstar is available for the “Big 4”: Royal Rumble, WrestleMania,

SummerSlam, and Survivor Series. Also, Q4 is a typically slow quarter for WWE, due to

competition for viewership with Monday Night Football, so using this period from


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October to January to provide more superstars with time off before Royal Rumble and

WrestleMania season would be most beneficial to maximizing the rebound of the product

during Q1 (NASDAQ).

Another way to alleviate the side effects of a rolling off-season and provide more

instant relief for talents would be to split Raw and Smackdown into two distinct rosters

with separate touring schedules, similar to the brand extension that was in place from

2002 to 2011 (“WWE to Make Raw”). This will reduce the number of shows that wrestlers

would work in a given week, reducing the risk of injury and allowing ample time for

small ones to heal. It will also bolster the ratings of both television shows, as fans of one

wrestler will have to watch their respective show to see him or her in action. Also, much

like the original brand split, there would be potential for inter-promotional storylines and

lengthier builds for feuds should pay-per-view events become brand-specific as well.

It may seem easy for some to say “Why not just reduce the number of house

shows?” in regards to this problem; however, live events have proven to be a significant

amount of the business conducted by WWE. According to the corporate financial report

released by WWE for 2015, live events (including television shows) grossed $124.7 million,

approximately 18.9% of total revenues in 2015 (“2015 Annual Report”). Although filming

for television programming is included in this total, untelevised events make up the

majority of live events. As such, it would be rather detrimental to decrease the number of

house shows, which could in turn be reflected in the wrestlers’ pay, along with

merchandise sales.


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It has become clear that the current state of the WWE roster is a direct result of

overworking the wrestlers and not providing them with the proper time to harbor aches

and pains that could potentially lead to a serious injury to them or another talent should

an accident take place in the ring. As a performer yourself, you have experience with

dealing with touring while hurt, and you also know what it is like to suffer a debilitating

injury. Although some injuries can come at random and cannot be prevented, the chance

of these injuries occurring would be reduced by limiting the amount of time talent spends

touring and in the ring, while also providing ample recovery time when less severe

injuries occur. It is possible, and in fact ideal, to provide quality entertainment to the

members of the WWE Universe while also looking out for the wellbeing of the members

of the WWE roster.

I would like to thank you greatly on behalf of myself and all the fans of wrestling all over

the world for taking the time to read and consider these proposals. Please do not hesitate

to contact me at the above address should you have any questions.

Sincerely Yours,

Original L. CheezIt


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Works Cited

“2015 Annual Report.”WWE Corporate. World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., 31 Dec 2015.

Web. 15 Apr 2016.

“World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Interactive Stock Chart.”NASDAQ.NASDAQ, 7 Apr

2016. Web. 7 Apr 2016.

“WWE to Make Raw and SmackDown! Distinct TV Brands.”WWE Corporate. World

Wrestling Entertainment Inc., 27 Mar 2002. Web. 7 April 2016.

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