Its all about progressing to the future.
Did WWF score big in the late 70's and early 80's signing on all the guys from the individual territories when Sammartino, Graham, etc were no longer the guys that would usher in a new era? Sure they did, in more ways than one, but you have to take account the time frame now. Not everyone knew who Piper or Hogan was before WWWF signed them, not many people who were adamant WWF fans knew who the Harts were if they never went to Calgary or didn't go out of their way to learn about it. It was a total different ball game back then. It advanced the business forward for a good 20 years signing on independent/territorial guys, some who got over huge, others who did not. Not everyone knew who everyone was like they do now, so when they came into the big picture, they had not to worry about hype or expectation from a majority of the audience. Fail to deliver? Repackage, try something new.
That created a whole appeal of new sensation and potential. Now a days, you have the cult like followings with the internet, easy access and literally 24 hour up to date interest, everyone can know who anyone is and they can look at a guy in the indies and say "WOW WWE SHOULD SIGN THAT GUY, HE WOULD BE BEAST!" when in reality, chances are they may fail to even get over. You have special cases with guys like Punk and Danielson because I believe that, while Im not the biggest fan of either guy, these guys are rare. But, just because these two made it, its becoming a bandwagon where a lot of people think that just because guys work in the indies and makes a name for themselves means they are undoubtedly going to be big stars in the WWE if they sign on.
Everyone in the 1990's, when tape trading and the eventual arrival of more prominent "dirt sheets", "leaking" and internet, more interest in the business as a whole started to boom. Look at WWE/WCW and the relationships with Mexican territories, Japan, ECW - they picked up everything they could, and it helped to boom the business for another 10 - 15 years with talent. Did every guy they sweeped up from independent territories and intercontinental organizations make it big? No.
I think in todays age when indy fans, and Im not knocking anyone who is a huge fan of the indies, they think "YEAH! This guy is huge in the indies, he is one of the best, he would be HUGE in WWE."
Na uh.
There are more guys in the indies right now who are not even near the level of expertise and level of being a jobber in WWE right now. I mean no disrespect, but... Im not saying WWE is the be all end all for wrestling, there are other options for these guys. Many can make decent money going overseas or internationally in North America, but don't assume that WWE signing all these indy wrestlers that everyone will break out and be huge. WWE is not cut for everyone, and not everyone is cut for WWE.
I've lost interest in the independent scene because I felt like watching it and interacting with other fans, they had this mindset that "this is REAL wrestling" and while I admit some independent promotions and talents have made a name for themselves and stapled a great deal of amazement into the industry, that doesn't entitle any guy or company to be considered by anyone to be "the next big thing." Making it big in the indies is great but you could be the greatest wrestler in the indies, in the WWE you have to morph.
WWE signing these guys on is great, don't get me wrong. It gives both parties a chance to develop something new and become something more, but the way I see it its a bit of a detriment to the business to have so much expectancy and bandwagon fans to follow certain independent wrestlers and automatically assume every guy they think can work in the indies is going to be headlining WrestleMania some day, then get pissed off when they make the jump and can't keep up with the change/pace.
Its all about the future, those will make an impact will stay, those who can't swim will get out of the water, just don't expect everyone to be the next anything save for themselves.
Did WWF score big in the late 70's and early 80's signing on all the guys from the individual territories when Sammartino, Graham, etc were no longer the guys that would usher in a new era? Sure they did, in more ways than one, but you have to take account the time frame now. Not everyone knew who Piper or Hogan was before WWWF signed them, not many people who were adamant WWF fans knew who the Harts were if they never went to Calgary or didn't go out of their way to learn about it. It was a total different ball game back then. It advanced the business forward for a good 20 years signing on independent/territorial guys, some who got over huge, others who did not. Not everyone knew who everyone was like they do now, so when they came into the big picture, they had not to worry about hype or expectation from a majority of the audience. Fail to deliver? Repackage, try something new.
That created a whole appeal of new sensation and potential. Now a days, you have the cult like followings with the internet, easy access and literally 24 hour up to date interest, everyone can know who anyone is and they can look at a guy in the indies and say "WOW WWE SHOULD SIGN THAT GUY, HE WOULD BE BEAST!" when in reality, chances are they may fail to even get over. You have special cases with guys like Punk and Danielson because I believe that, while Im not the biggest fan of either guy, these guys are rare. But, just because these two made it, its becoming a bandwagon where a lot of people think that just because guys work in the indies and makes a name for themselves means they are undoubtedly going to be big stars in the WWE if they sign on.
Everyone in the 1990's, when tape trading and the eventual arrival of more prominent "dirt sheets", "leaking" and internet, more interest in the business as a whole started to boom. Look at WWE/WCW and the relationships with Mexican territories, Japan, ECW - they picked up everything they could, and it helped to boom the business for another 10 - 15 years with talent. Did every guy they sweeped up from independent territories and intercontinental organizations make it big? No.
I think in todays age when indy fans, and Im not knocking anyone who is a huge fan of the indies, they think "YEAH! This guy is huge in the indies, he is one of the best, he would be HUGE in WWE."
Na uh.
There are more guys in the indies right now who are not even near the level of expertise and level of being a jobber in WWE right now. I mean no disrespect, but... Im not saying WWE is the be all end all for wrestling, there are other options for these guys. Many can make decent money going overseas or internationally in North America, but don't assume that WWE signing all these indy wrestlers that everyone will break out and be huge. WWE is not cut for everyone, and not everyone is cut for WWE.
I've lost interest in the independent scene because I felt like watching it and interacting with other fans, they had this mindset that "this is REAL wrestling" and while I admit some independent promotions and talents have made a name for themselves and stapled a great deal of amazement into the industry, that doesn't entitle any guy or company to be considered by anyone to be "the next big thing." Making it big in the indies is great but you could be the greatest wrestler in the indies, in the WWE you have to morph.
WWE signing these guys on is great, don't get me wrong. It gives both parties a chance to develop something new and become something more, but the way I see it its a bit of a detriment to the business to have so much expectancy and bandwagon fans to follow certain independent wrestlers and automatically assume every guy they think can work in the indies is going to be headlining WrestleMania some day, then get pissed off when they make the jump and can't keep up with the change/pace.
Its all about the future, those will make an impact will stay, those who can't swim will get out of the water, just don't expect everyone to be the next anything save for themselves.
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