The WWE is having a PR problem and it isn’t even aware of it. The corporate entity, so desperate of late to retain and grow their WWE Network audience, is losing sight of one of the key components to its success - quality of talent. There have been a lot of reductive roster changes over the past 12 months, a good number of which was meant to ‘streamline’ the corporate top line and behind the scenes payroll. Corporate downsizing isn’t anything new and talent has come and gone over the years at WWE. “No wrestler is bigger than the company” is part of the WWE philosophy.
Yet, throughout the history of the company, WWE has made exceptions for various superstars whenever they’ve done something immoral or even illegal. Run-ins with the law over drugs or other charges have led to dismissals before. Most times when it happens to a superstar however, the company finds a way to accommodate a return to action within a 6-month period. This was not the case with the recent dismissal of former WWE and World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio.
Del Rio had a very successful run with WWE starting in 2009 that included titles, a Money in the Bank contract and a Royal Rumble victory. Del Rio’s in-ring abilities were always in evidence, providing memorable feuds and highlights. That ability gained him favor in the locker room and in this writer’s opinion, helped the product overall. His dismissal in August was the result of a physical altercation with another WWE employee who allegedly hurled a racist slur at the superstar. Rather than go to bat for a talent who provided a strong point person for your Mexican audience with the absence of Rey Mysterio AND helped put numerous other superstars over including Sheamus and Big E, the management at WWE decided to fire him.
This hypocrisy makes no sense. Behind the scenes, reports say that the WWE wanted Del Rio back but the damage had already been done. Alberto Del Rio (nee Rodriguez) now wrestles under the moniker of El Patron in Mexico and is looking to book matches in the U.S. and Japan - despite the standard one-year no-compete clause imposed on him by WWE. To his credit, Alberto has admitted that he wishes he’d handled the situation better but I can’t say I blame him for being mad about the way the WWE handled this entire affair (the other party involved in the altercation is apparently still part of that streamlined payroll). By backing the racist employee, the company appears to be condoning racism as part of the corporate business plan. The price of this policy hurts the product more than the WWE would like to admit.
If something like this had happened to Mark Henry or Naomi and they had been fired while the racist in question was kept on, would that be as acceptable? I like to think that this company is better than this as it has taken a leadership role in so many other aspects of business and taking care of the people who make your product a worldwide commodity.
So who will the WWE bring in to make up for Del Rio’s gaping hole in the superstars roster? Sin Cara II and Kalisto combined aren’t enough to make up for one Alberto Del Rio. Instead of worrying about retention numbers to satisfy stock holders, the WWE needs to start worrying about appearing as if racism and poor decision making determines what’s “best for business” going forward.
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