The State of WrestleMania (2017) - Part 1

It is called WRESTLEMANIA

This time of year – even two weeks out – Mania is always in flux. The card is never truly set until a few days before the show.

Even when the actual card is set in stone, the show itself is still in flux until that final WWE Credit and the Fade to Black. This is because the WWE tries to always have surprises, and keep those surprises under wrap as much as possible.

This year, I think the biggest surprise would be if they delivered a good wrestling show (aka Sports Entertainment.) The last few years have not be stellar earth shattering shows, not like they used to be. Yes, they were big on pomp and circumstance and spectacle, but really it is called WRESTLEMANIA.

The matches have been average for the most part, with good ones sprinkled throughout.

WRESTLEMANIA should be THE show of the year no matter what promotion (s) puts on a card. When WrestleKingdom is better, ROH's Final Battle, and maybe (gasp) TNA’s Bound for Glory are better cards, something is wrong.

Maybe not for Wrestling fans in general (I love WrestleKindom events), but for the WWE and Mania. Casual fans and WWE only fans will disagree. But Die Hard Wrestling fans will know what I mean.

Let’s look at it this way, WWE is not the pop culture extravaganza, WRESTLEMANIA is. During Mania season all eyes are on the WWE. News Organization that normally wouldn’t think of mentioning the WWE (unless it’s a scandal or something negative) cover Mania (CNN, MSNBC, FOX). It used to be that this was the only time of the year ESPN would even think of WWE.

Even advertising dollars go up this time of the year, as advertisers that wouldn’t normal touch the WWE, zoom in on the audience. Normally even RAW and SD LIVE (and the old Prime Time and Superstars shows) would get a rating boost from casual fans and new ones checking out the buzz.

During this time of the year, when more eyes than ever are checking out what you do, wouldn’t you want to put on your best? The answer is yes. But lately that yes has become maybe.

Unfortunately, for many people as long as the show is big, loud, with entertaining skits and the Rock shows up to do something stupid people think is cool, it’s all good. Substance over quality. The BlockBuster, Epic, Spectacle.

While that is all good, what about the actual matches? The booking? You know the Wrestling?

Hmm . . . novel idea Wrestling at an event called WRESTLEMANIA . . .

The State of WrestleMania – Part II – next Sunday 3/26/2017