Former Announcer Says Vince McMahon Doesn't Care What Fans Like
03/28/2017 07:53 pm EDT
Week after week, it appears that WWE continues to push talent that doesn't seem to be "getting over" with the fans while other, more popular superstars dwindle in mid-card obscurity, waiting for a chance to grab the mythical "brass ring." Many in the WWE Universe assume this is because the creative team is oblivious to the roar of the crowd, but former WWE announcer Justin Roberts says that's not it at all. In his new book, Best Seat in the House: Your Backstage Pass through My WWE Journey, Roberts dishes all the good & bad aspects he experienced throughout his 12 year run with the company.
In a recent interview with Memorabiliaguy.com, Roberts professed that the reason WWE creative ignores the whims of the masses is because Vince McMahon doesn't actually care what the fans think.
"When you do a live wrestling show you have a live audience telling you what they like and what they hate. Instead of appeasing the fans and writing the show the fans like, and believe me they have some of the greatest minds and talent in wrestling, they could put on a WrestleMania every week. Like the attitude era. You watch it now and its really flat for three hours and once in while the crowd kind of like some of it. It's not the talents fault. As an example, say the crowd really like Cesaro but the company wants you to like Sheamus so they are going to give you Sheamus until you like him in the same way you like Cesaro. Look at Roman Reigns, the company wants you to accept him, but if you like someone else, no you have to like who the company wants you to like. The fans aren't getting a show that is catered for them, it's catered to running with the guys who they want to push."
Roberts continued with his criticism of the company and said he believed WWE could be putting on better shows than they currently are.
"The higher-ups at that company are the sort of people who say, "You're not going to tell us what to do. This is our company and we will run it how we want" – that's it. Wrestling fans are so loyal they will find one or two things every week that they like about a show, even if they hated everything else. Its unfortunate and I want WWE to thrive. I just want the fans to have great shows and the shows I had growing up. I loved wrestling as a kid because it was great, and I want it to be the same way for current fans. I want the business to keep going strong."
The assumption that WWE isn't thriving seems a bit ridiculous considering all of the recent success WWE has had with expanding their brand and branching out into new original programming on the WWE Network. However, long time fans like Roberts generally always believe the product could be better and more "like it used to be."
While I tend to agree with that view point, its hard to say Vince doesn't know what he's doing. His 30 plus year track record of keeping us on the hook leads me to believe he may what we want even better than we do.
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