Vince Russo Blog: The Guy In WWE & What Should Decide Booking

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Vince Russo had another blog on the random site he works on now.

He talks about booking, “the guy” type of philosophy and using ratings better.

Blog:
MY DAY . . . THERE WAS NEVER “THE GUY”

I know, I know, I know, I’m starting to sound like that character that Dana Carvey played on Saturday Night Live. That grumpy, old man who always talked about the way things were “back in his day”. Unfortunately . . . it’s just so true.

Back in my day, in all three of the organizations I worked for (WWE, WCW & TNA), I can tell you that there never was “a guy”, or “the guy” that we were banking the success of our entire company on. I don’t know what the protocol is now since I left, but when I was part of the creative team, the future and direction of the company was first, and foremost dictated by the fans.

This occurred in two different ways, 1. By measuring the crowd response of what talent THEY wanted, and 2. By examining the Nielsen numbers on a weekly basis, to clearly define, and know what the MASSES were telling us. Those numbers told you everything you need to know. They broke down every minute, of every show, and told you who was over with the viewing audience, and who wasn’t.

I can tell you first hand, NOBODY looks at the ratings in today’s game the way we did back then. TNA is almost oblivious to the ratings, rather they chose to go with the views and opinions of whoever is in Dixie Carter’s ear at the time. I always despised that way of booking, simply because nobody’s opinion matters, but the masses who watch the show. They are the ones that you must listen to when they dictate what direction they want you to go in. But, don’t be confused, again, I’m talking about the masses, not the minority with the loudest voice.

I know it’s different today, I see that it’s different today, but the numbers are clearly telling us over the years that forcing a “Chosen One” down the gullet of your fan base isn’t necessarily working. As great as I personally think John Cena is, perhaps the WWE failed to listen when the fans might have been saying, “Enough with Cena already!” Again—I’m going by the one element that inconsequentially gives us the facts as far as who’s drawing, and who’s not, again—that would be the ratings.

Jonathan Widro is the owner and founder of Inside Pulse. Over a decade ago he burst onto the scene with a pro-WCW reporting style that earned him the nickname WCWidro. Check him out on Twitter for mostly inane non sequiturs