WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog at JRsBarBQ.com with his thoughts on some of the problems with WWE’s weekly television presentation, as well as a “strange” chant he noticed during the NXT TakeOver: London special on the WWE Network. Below are some of the highlights.
On the trend of wrestling matches stretching through commercial breaks on WWE TV:
“I see the reason that some wrestling TV shows need to stretch some bouts through one or more commercial breaks but I’m sensing that most matches that carry through a break, or two, disconnect from many fans thanks to the three minute commercial break or even a two minute break. I’d like to see more matches start and end in the same segment which should help maintain the focus of the fans and consequently help get talents over more, or so I feel. If that means that if a promotion has to format a shorter, reset segment to get back on their timeline then so be it.”
On the problem with heavy advertising on commentary during WWE TV shows:
“Broadcasters who are forced to speak on loosely connected topics such as what’s trending on Twitter even though it’s graphically displayed on the TV screen and don’t stay true to the talent are on course to not get the talents over. If I’m watching TV and am visually seeing physicality and athleticism but I’m hearing yet another train of thought what of it am I supposed to process? Exactly.”
On “strange” crowd chant during Bayley’s match at NXT TakeOver: London:
“I went back and looked and the live audience at the NXT Takeover London event and the live crowd did actually sing a pop tune while Bayley was ‘selling’ and it did feel strange. Is this type of crowd reaction good for the business? I’m leaning toward the negative side of that answer. But as everyone knows, I’m an old school, bitter dude who’s angry at the world and I yearn for the days of wool tights and mullets.”
