This storyline not being in kayfabe... what else is new? This whole angle hasn't been.
I've been of the opinion for a while that the fanbase as a whole has become more IWC-heavy, with all the internet darlings getting over to a large extent, the modern day world where social media runs rampant and groupthink is stronger than ever, there's less people that are casually into things at all, and WWE is responding with the emphasis on "ROH-style" in-ring work and all the indy talents they brought up.
The phrase "Reality Era" signifies this change in attitude which hopefully will continue to take place at Wrestlemania. WWE doesn't decide who the fans want anymore, ask Batista, but the fans know who they want and it's on WWE to give them to us.
But the biggest change in philosophy has to come from the WWE Network. Even if the fans are mostly "hardcore" now, they had to keep pushing Cena because marketing to kids was the best way to sell $50 PPV's. But with the Network being an IWC come true, they can cater to what most fans actually want now.
Lets hope Wrestlemania doesn't prove this entire point wrong.

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