From Velvet Jones: WWE has a pretty awesome way of doing things. I (@Velvet478 on IG and Twitter) was just as surprised as anyone wh...
WWE has a pretty awesome way of doing things. I (@Velvet478 on IG and Twitter) was just as surprised as anyone when news came of a press conference in the UK being held by Triple-H came across my facebook feed. I started watching around the middle of the conference. Trips outlined a lot of things going on with the Machine to ultimately say that WWE will create a United Kingdom championship. So far, the reaction among my peers has been mixed. One of the most obvious stances is that WWE now has too many championships. But if all you take from this announcement is the creation of another strap, you are truly missing the big picture.
It is easy to look at WWE and think that when it comes to diversifying and expanding the brand, the alpha and omega of this concept is the tv shows and their respective rosters. But for people who have been fans for decades, WWE has tried to expand their brand with mixed results. A few years after changing their parent name from Titan Sports to World Wrestling Federation, Inc., the fed that would become WWE created the World Bodybuilding Federation. The goal was to become a direct competitor with the well-established International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IBFF). After two years or so, the organization ceased operations. Nearly a decade later, WWF Inc. created the Xtreme Football League (XFL). A joint venture between WWF and NBC, the organization only lasted one year.
There is a bit of organizational ego that got backhanded by the end of each attempt to expand the WWF brand. WWE attempted to buy into other sports avenues and compete with the leaders in each industry. They did so by trying to passively remind the viewers that these were WWE entities. Ultimately, that would be the downfall of both those organizations. It wasn’t until NXT came into fruition that the brand extension concept truly saw some long-lasting success. Say what you want about it, but no one does pro wrestling better than WWE. For that reason alone, NXT has surpassed anyone’s expectations and grown into its own brand.
Certainly, WWE wants its newest excursion to be successful. And it seems that they will be using the same business model applied to the Cruiserweight division to help accomplish this goal. I’m truly optimistic about this concept. Here are three reasons I (me, @Velvet478 on IG and Twitter) think it will do well:
WILLIAM REGAL and ROBBIE BROOKSIDE: The WWE used to be infamous for releasing talent by the tens at about the same time every year. With established brands and those in development, this may not always be the case. Every person hired is an asset and can contribute in some way. Regal and Brookside have proven to be valuable to WWE in their post-ring careers on NXT and Breaking Ground, respectively. It’s a safe bet to say they’ve both had a hand in the formation of this new brand and will continue to do so. If not, they can surely contribute to its initially moves and/or mentor those who are not familiar with the United Kingdom wrestling scene.
THE WWE NETWORK and LIVE EVENTS: Before making his announcement, Triple H spoke of how the cruiserweight classic not only led to the crowning of a new champion, but a television show as well The WWE’s streaming service not only provides a limitless library of vintage pro wrestling footage, but it also gives WWE the freedom to produce and showcase any of its new projects. Many thought the network would fail. Millions of subscribers later, nothing could be further from the truth. WWE plans to create a television show for their newest brand as well as a live events schedule. Both will be infinitely beneficial to establishing the truth presence of this brand.
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LET.. IT.. LIVE!!! During one of the two WBF shows, the biggest story was not Gary Strydom capturing the championship, but Lex Luger lying in a hospital bed. XFL games were in their infancy when The Rock popped up on the screen making macabre football references. And while they were not pro wrestling brands, it was kind of hard to tell.. ..especially when Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler started calling the football games and bodybuilders hit the stage in gimmick outfits. These two brands were never given an honest chance to establish their own distinctive identities. A decade and change into its existence, TNA is still trying to get out of the gate for that exact same reason. WWE UK will ultimately show us what it is, but only if WWE lets it.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this new brand. You should be too.
Thanks to everyone who has read my blog this year. Lovers, detractors, and everyone in-between. Everyone have a safe and Happy Holiday season.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Trained by former NXT Trainer and WCW United States champion Bill DeMott, Anthony "Velvet" Hall has been a professional wrestler for over eleven years under the name Velvet Jones. A noted blogger and vlogger, Anthony works remotely as a Brand Development/Sales Representative for Masters Of Ring Entertainment - a special-events pro wrestling company based in Wilmington, NC.
