Every Monday and Friday I write a wrestling column for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Today’s column is all about the announcement of ESPN covering WWE. Here’s an excerpt:
ESPN announced at 9 p.m. every Tuesday they will feature the top moments of the week in WWE. Cue the cries from critics.
For WWE, this is a total win. The company craves mainstream attention and exposure for obvious reasons. Being featured on ESPN weekly allows for a boost of legitimacy. It will also provide a large platform to tout and possibly educate. They can tout that John Cena has granted more wishes than anyone via Make-A-Wish. They can educate people not aware the annual WrestleMania week is bid on years in advance by cities and generates a lot of money.
WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans two years ago brought in $142 million to the city with more than 80,000 fans visiting for the event.
For ESPN, there is going to be some backlash from people turned off by the male soap opera whose winners and champions are predetermined.
I can’t say I fault the audience, which is going to feel WWE regularly featured on SportsCenter is out of place. ESPN covers sports that have legitimate winners. Even the Nathan’s hot dog eating contests on Coney Island aren’t predetermined. At least I don’t think they are. Could you imagine a creative meeting on how to prevent Joey Chestnut from winning to build to a big-money rematch?
If the upset audience sticks with the predetermined finishes argument, that’s fine and it has weight to it. But the moment they bring up the argument with the word “fake,” that’s when the ignorance shines.
CLICK HERE for the rest of the column on those who are going to use the “fake” argument against ESPN covering WWE. Do they know some of the ESPN anchors use to work in the “fake” stuff.
