Paid Members air_raid Posted August 22, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted August 22, 2018 @Kaz Hayashi I understand what you're saying re : stylistic differences between NXT and the main shows. Financially speaking however, the leap from NXT to the main shows is so huge in terms of gates, exposure on telly to sell your merch to non-Network customers (e.g. parents of kids who don't let them get it) etc that it would take gigantic strides for it to ever NOT be a promotion to go to the other shows. Artistically NXT competes (utterly twats the main roster programs, for me) but in every other sense it's a completely different world. From a wrestlers point of view the only way NXT becomes the "third" brand rather than where you need to break out of would be with the main rosters touring schedule in similar sized buildings with internationally broadcasted weekly TV. Which of course, would make it completely different artistically to what it is now. From a selfish point of view, call ups from the proving ground need to stay because as artificial as it is in reality, it restores some surprise factor and creates a handful more "oh shit" moments per calendar year than they've really been able to pull off since, truly, WCW was at its peak and talent could surprise you by showing up on the competition unexpectedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Kaz Hayashi Posted August 22, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted August 22, 2018 @air_raid - nice one and cheers for your views. I’ll be honest, I’m gathering insight for a potential future pod discussion I’ll be on, this is a topic which has been mentioned a few times and I fully appreciate just how highly hypothetical it is. The idea is, Is NXT at a tipping point and is it now as big/good is it can be in its current form. The gulf as you say, is bloody tremendous in regards to exposure and monetary gain for a wrestler, so yea, the lure and appeal of Raw/SmackDown is completely understandable. I also agree entirely in regards to the touring aspect of exposure (gate receipts and what not).. however, is NXT anywhere near the point of being a viable product for a TV deal? I appreciate to be what it is, it’s fine on the Network, but, if they ever wanted to increase its audience reach and potential profitability, is there any scope/need for it to gain a TV deal, tour more in conjunction but keep PPVs on the Network in order to potentially raise subscriptions? Again, my initial question that you answered and the above are all in relation to the question of, where does NXT as a brand go from here... and does it need too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator Onyx2 Posted August 22, 2018 Awards Moderator Share Posted August 22, 2018 NXT hasn't felt like a developmental show for a couple of years. We used to say "well he's not great and he botched, but this is developmental after all" and then it became ROH 2.0. The talent roster in NXT is so deep that the stuff that makes TV is pretty much perfect competence. Like EC3 or Ricochet or Adam Cole or Kairi Sane, these guys already have dozens of hours of TV experience and hundreds of in-ring hours already. It feels like we rarely see true Performance Centre talent. I'd love for NXT to be a proper roster - where you can aspire to be - but it isn't a model that makes money. It needs a lot of structural reorganisation to get profitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briefcase Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 (edited) Wasn't NXT meant to be on TV as part of one of the new TV deals or am I imagining that? Also would love to see during a draft for somebody to actually be traded to NXT, even if its a one off just to keep things fresh and change the dynamics slightly. Also don't think its a bad thing for someone to be in NXT for 6-9 months rather than be wasted on the main roster exchanging wins waiting for a push or something to happen. Edited August 22, 2018 by Briefcase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator Onyx2 Posted August 23, 2018 Awards Moderator Share Posted August 23, 2018 8 hours ago, Briefcase said: Also would love to see during a draft for somebody to actually be traded to NXT I meant to mention this in my post, that wrestlers 'dropping down' to NXT was a thing a couple of years back. Cesaro was a regular - had the best matches of his career - heck even John Cena turned up. Guys should rotate down there to freshen up the roster and keep their skills sharp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted August 23, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) Pete Dunne is really really good. I never want a promotion to fail, but in retrospect maybe it’s for the best that World of Sport looks to be heading to the bin. The quicker that fails, the quicker WWE can abandon NXT U.K. after one season, freeing up Pete Dunne, Tyler Bate and Trent Seven to become regulars on NXT and Takeover events. Saw a suggestion online that this year’s War Games should be Undisputed Era vs. British Strong Style vs. Ricochet & War Raiders. That would be incredible. Edited August 23, 2018 by Supremo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 I doubt talent would want to drop down. To get drafted you normally need to be a house show regular , and dropping down to the few hundred nxt get would vastly ruin their pay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Fatty Facesitter Posted August 23, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) 3 hours ago, Louch said: I doubt talent would want to drop down. To get drafted you normally need to be a house show regular , and dropping down to the few hundred nxt get would vastly ruin their pay Can’t argue with the pay point, but I think you’d be surprised at the amount of talents that would consider it as a genuinely viable option. Providing you treat it as a completely fresh start you could totally repackage yourself, change and evolve your character in an environment that’s got great success in nurturing new acts and letting them grow organically. Your travel would be a LOT less crazier than the main roster schedule and you’d even get more time off. You’d get to train like an animal in the performance centre on a regular basis to sharpen you up rather than for fleeting visits, plus you’d still get to pick the brains of your HBK’s and the like too which a lot of the younger workers do with other legends on the road. Above all else I bet it would be so much more fun as well and open up some exciting new matches/feuds to work with, and if you’re a worker that’s a bit jaded with the creative and the powers that be on the main roster, it could totally re-invigorate your passion for wrestling as well. Some workers even prefer the smaller/inimate venues to work in because the crowds are more receptive to their work. Edited August 23, 2018 by Fatty Facesitter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 5 hours ago, Onyx2 said: I meant to mention this in my post, that wrestlers 'dropping down' to NXT was a thing a couple of years back. Cesaro was a regular - had the best matches of his career - heck even John Cena turned up. Guys should rotate down there to freshen up the roster and keep their skills sharp. It was about five years ago now that Cesaro did it, and it was right before NXT started to grow. Tyson Kidd did it around then as well, and was one of the top NXT guys for a bit. It’d be more difficult now, perhaps, because who from the main roster is floundering there but would warrant a good spot in today’s NXT? Gable is the only one I can think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted August 23, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) Tyler Breeze is already on the NXT house show circuit, isn’t he? I’d be more than happy with him popping up on NXT TV, too. I bet he could have a good feud with Velveteen Dream. Edited August 23, 2018 by Supremo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK Kat Von D Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Dropping back down to NXT would be great for any male wrestlers who have just become fathers. A year on a lighter schedule to spend more time at home with family, with a good chance of returning to the main roster with more value Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dart Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, King Pitcos said: It was about five years ago now that Cesaro did it, and it was right before NXT started to grow. Tyson Kidd did it around then as well, and was one of the top NXT guys for a bit. It’d be more difficult now, perhaps, because who from the main roster is floundering there but would warrant a good spot in today’s NXT? Gable is the only one I can think of. Also when Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, Zack Ryder and others were doing NXT regularly they were still doing the main roster shows too. It wasn't NXT instead, it was NXT aswell. Emma and Mason Ryan are the only ones I can think of who really went back to NXT properly. Tyler Breeze just did one tour of NXT house shows, same as the Revival & Tye Dillinger. It's not a permanent thing. Triple H has been saying for ages he wants NXT to get the the point where Raw and Smackdown talents get drafted to NXT. Edited August 23, 2018 by The Dart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 2 hours ago, Supremo said: Tyler Breeze is already on the NXT house show circuit, isn’t he? I’d be more than happy with him popping up on NXT TV, too. I bet he could have a good feud with Velveteen Dream. Tyler Breeze is a great shout! They won’t do anything with him until Fandango’s back (and probably not then either), I’d love to see him pop up to feud with Dream. Although it’d be a bit weird that the bloke who loses in two minutes to everyone can go toe to toe with one of the top guys on the brand - but that kind of thing can be ignored, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny Mustang Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 (edited) Went to the taping in Orlando last night and it was amazing!!! So close to everything and some great world class tv matches coming up in the next few weeks. No spoilers obviously but, wow (and admission is only $10!) Edited August 24, 2018 by Sonny Mustang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 (edited) Double post! Edited August 24, 2018 by Loki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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