WWE MUST Change Their Booking Format (Here’s Why)

When Vince McMahon stepped down from his position, WWE talent and fans wondered how the company would operate without its creator. The moment Triple H stepped in as head of creative, fans hoped to see something they once loved, possibly bring back the spunk it once had. While it seemed WWE was getting back in the groove, things changed once again when TKO, the parent company of UFC, bought WWE.

One specific outlier that had made a drastic change was WWE’s booking of its product. Lately, WWE has been inconsistent with its main storylines. Here are some ways WWE can adjust its booking style.

Balance Long and Short-Term Booking

Not every WWE feud should take so long to play out. Sometimes, it’s valid to create a rivalry one or two weeks in advance. That way, a new story erupts following a PLE. It may be interesting to plant seeds in the long run, but things don’t always go according to plan. Sometimes, long-term storylines leave fans unsatisfied. There are so many instances where fans have more questions than answers.

For example, Randy Orton has been eyeing Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship for over a year. Since then, WWE hasn’t made any moves in escalating that story. If WWE wants to continue that approach, they should stick with the idea of possibly turning Orton heel. 

There is also nothing wrong with short-term booking, as long as WWE properly applies it. Short-term bookings can help fans anticipate upcoming rivalries while fueling excitement and speculation about what’s next.

WWE can still use the long-term booking technique, but instead conduct it at any event that’s not WrestleMania. Although WrestleMania is WWE’s biggest PLE, the show doesn’t always have to be themed as “the be-all, end-all”. 

WWE once made their second-rate PLEs mean something. PLEs that weren’t among the biggest shows were treated as if WWE can’t be missed, no matter the time. Wrestlers would go great lengths to win the World Title.

Although it wasn’t long ago that fans saw a World Title change hands on RAW, the shock value wasn’t delivered. Instead of waiting for their top PLEs to execute huge turning points, WWE can use their standard PLEs instead to form their angles.

Change The PLE/TV Match Quantity

After WrestleMania 40, WWE adopted a five-match formula for its PLEs. Not only have they decreased the number of matches at PLEs, but also in their televised shows, such as RAW and SmackDown. At the PLEs, WWE would book no more than five, while the same goes for RAW or SmackDown, with sometimes five, but mainly four. Understandably, WWE wants to go with quality over quantity, but sometimes, that’s not always the case.

WWE has so many wrestlers under contract, which raises the question of why they can’t feature more of them at PLEs. If WWE wants to create some interest, it should split the brands for PLE events. The only shows where all brands can be involved include Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, Money in the Bank, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series.