What could be done to boost ratings?

[Str8Shooter]

So the Raw rating dropped again this week from last week's record low. If Vince was furious about it last week then he's probably going nuclear this week.

I'm not sure there's any quick fix that could boost the ratings significantly. I mean at this point their audience pretty much is their audience.

The one thing I could think of that would me a massive boost would be their last ace in the hole. The Cena heel turn. I doubt it happens, but I can't think of any other single event that would immediately raise interest and shake up the entire show to a level not seen in years. Suddenly it opens up a world of possibilities.

[Everlong]

Any "quick fix" is just that... a quick fix. For years Vince has tried quick fixes with old stars. Now with really low ratings that strategy has finally backfired. The WWE hasn't created a bona fide household name in a decade, though they came very close with CM Punk.

Even beyond household names, they haven't created consistent main event quality guys for years either, and that's not for the lack of talent. There is a ridiculous list of names of guys they've botched because they pushed them too early or refused to let them go over a guy like Cena strong.

If the WWE wants to improve ratings over the long haul they're going to have to completely change the way they go about building stories. Get back to well-crafted stories with characters people actually give a shit about. Actually support the guys you choose to push, and don't be afraid to take risks with guys every once in a while who you think have the talent to be big time.

The formula is simple. The execution isn't so easy, but WWE hasn't even bothered trying in years.

[Hanley!]

The Cena heel turn is the only quick fix they have. It'd be a great way to shake up the product instantly. Fans would understand that this was something new, and that it opened up new possibilities. It would get people talking and speculating and fantasy booking, and all of that is good news. People would be curious to see where the angle went and that should mean an increase in ratings.

There are other quick fixes that they could implement, but none of them would make a difference to the ratings going forward. They could bring back some old stars (and advertise them in advance) and maybe pop a rating, but the rating would drop again instantly the following week when the old star is gone. So it wouldn't fix the problem, it'd just throw a veil over it momentarily.

Given they are unlikely to try a Cena heel turn, the best way to increase ratings is to just make better television. The best way to start, in my mind, would be to shake the format up. Stop opening the show with long talking segments every week. Try featuring someone outside the Authority in several segments on some shows, to give more depth to some characters and stop overexposing Rollins, Kane, Stephanie, etc. Mix up the talent a bit more, tweak a couple of characters who aren't doing much, push a couple of characters who fans like but who aren't getting anything right now. That sort of thing.

Then come up with a couple of killer angles - personal feuds based on issues that are easy to relate to - and book them ahead at least three months. Build to something. Give the audience time to want something before delivering upon it. Sami Zayn and Bayley's title reigns are great examples of this done well. They made people wait and wait before giving these guys their big wins and fans went apeshit for each of them. If they had won the titles earlier and then traded them back and forth with the rest of the roster, their wins never would have received that response.

I guess these would be my two biggest booking suggestions for WWE right now, at their simplest:
1) Do something fresh
2) Give fans something to look forward to

[Viazon]

For starters, I wouldn't have Kane involved in the main event title picture. I believe he still has his uses, but challenging for the title shouldn't be one of them.

[The Legend]

Tim's right that quick fixes won't help them at this point. If I were given the chance to try and improve their ratings there's a few different steps I think they should have to take.

First, the pacing of the show needs to change dramatically. Things are way too slow moving right now. 10-15 minute segments and matches have their place, but everything can't be 10-15 minutes before the payoff.

The first thing I would change is the 15 minute introductory promo needs to go. Every week should start with a quick hitting segment of some kind - a meeting, an arrival, a confrontation - something to set the stage for the night and begin a build for the episode for where it's going to end. It just needs to be 2-3 minutes and then cut to the opening music followed by the announcers promoing what's been announced on the show.

Speaking of the announcers, I would change their formula and get them back to what happened in the Attitude Era, the announcers need to treat everything like a big and important moment, like it's the most important thing in the world at that particular moment. No more bickering about stupid things nobody cares about and ignoring what's going on in the ring or on TV at that moment.

After the opening, they need a better mix longer and shorter segments/matches throughout the show. More attacks, interferences and brawls that lead to a strong desire from the fan base to see a real conclusion on PPV's.

Involved in that are stories that naturally become more exciting and compelling and will get more people over more quickly, straight up promos mixed with clean matches just don't work for developing stories.

I'd also combine the two current midcard titles in the IC and US belts into one belt for the midcard because they are redundant, but in their place I'd create a new division that could bring something new to the table. Whether that's something like a CW belt or an X Division type belt or the hardcore belt. Just create a title that is different from everything else they have on their show.

Finally, I'd get back to using some of the great storytelling techniques and angles that they've used in the past to great success, but have some reason gone by the wayside. There's no faster way to boost a guy or two's status on the card than with a #1 contender or KOTR tournament. Give him a big upset in the semis that really gets him over in a great match before losing in the finals and you have a guy who becomes more interesting as you see him get closer to the main event before getting there. Things like RAW Roulette, RAW title changes and other techniques really spice up the show, make things more interesting and help build stars.

[Str8Shooter]

Given they are unlikely to try a Cena heel turn, the best way to increase ratings is to just make better television. The best way to start, in my mind, would be to shake the format up. Stop opening the show with long talking segments every week. Try featuring someone outside the Authority in several segments on some shows,

To their credit, they kind of did this the past couple weeks. Two weeks ago Reigns came out and called out the Wyatts, they had a great brawl, with Ambrose and then Orton evening the odds. Then this week Reigns and Bray legit main evented the show and were the closing visual of the show. Then the ratings for the third hour were poor.

Their problem is also patience, they can't look at this and write off doing new stuff in the main event because of it. There would have to be short time pain for hopefully long term gain. But they're too shortsighted to see that, or at least to take a risk on it.

[Hanley!]

they kind of did this the past couple weeks. Two weeks ago Reigns came out and called out the Wyatts, they had a great brawl, with Ambrose and then Orton evening the odds. Then this week Reigns and Bray legit main evented the show and were the closing visual of the show. Then the ratings for the third hour were poor.

That's true, at least that's something a little different. But the story of those shows was still more focused on the Authority, with them receiving a number of backstage segments throughout the course of the night. I just think that if you want to build one main story for each Raw and have it pop up at numerous times during the night, it shouldn't be the same 3 or 4 people in that spot each week. It gets old.

Another thing that I wish they'd focus on more is making proper heels and proper faces. Triple H, Stephanie, the Bellas and others are flip-flopping so much that it's making me dizzy.

[VaderBomb]

Take Attitude Era mid-carders out of the main event.
Stop pushing middle aged superstars without solid fan bases.
Start pushing young wrestlers with solid fan bases.
Stop booking their world champion to lose matches for mid-card titles.
Stop trying to ruin Sting after using Sting to devalue the current roster.
Less Cena.
More Cesaro.
Vince retires.

[prophet]

NXT is consistently brilliant and they have the formula down. Triple H runs the show at Full Sail so he clearly has an understanding of how to make an entertaining show so with that said the solution is simple.

We kill the Batman.

[Westcoastvibes]

The problem with a cena heel turn is that all depends of if cena can even be a decent heel. He has done nothing but super face cena, it may just feel awkward and forced if its not believable to a certain extent. It would have to be something deeply personal and hard hitting for the fans to believe with hesitation.

Overall i think most of you have hit it, less talk, less promos, more action. Same goes for announcers, i cant count how many times i have been tuned out of a match because JBL or Cole will not shut the fuck up, i dont mind the play by play or JBL version of color commentary but when they bicker and argue over stupid shit when a match is going on just shows how much they really care about the core of its product

[The Legend]

^^^ Cena played a great heel early in his career. Without his heel work he would have never gotten over as a face in the first place.

[EmperorWu]

[Circled Square]

Take Attitude Era mid-carders out of the main event.
Stop pushing middle aged superstars without solid fan bases.
Start pushing young wrestlers with solid fan bases.
Stop booking their world champion to lose matches for mid-card titles.
Stop trying to ruin Sting after using Sting to devalue the current roster.
Less Cena.
More Cesaro.
Vince retires.

[Hanley!]

The problem with a cena heel turn is that all depends of if cena can even be a decent heel.

He's a decent heel now, they just don't play up that fact. Turn him into the right kind of heel character and he'll be more effective in the role than he ever was as a face character.

Cena has kind of a resting douchebag face. So often when he's in the ring addressing the fans he looks smug. That's something he could really use in a heel character. He's someone who doesn't care if the fans hate him or not. That's something he could use in a heel character. He clearly cares more about towing the company line than pleasing the live audiences. That's gold for a heel character.

They don't need to change Cena into a whiny chicken shit character who can't win clean to make him a heel. Just make him a corporate stooge type, who doesn't care about the fans. Have him be that heel who's arrogant because he almost never loses. Maybe there can be just one face that he's forced to cheat against because Cena can't manage to beat him otherwise, and he's threatening his spot. That'd be an easy way to execute the heel turn, and fans would buy him in the new heel role without much effort required.

[Str8Shooter]

I have zero worries about Cena's ability to play a heel should the turn eventually happen.

[VaderBomb]

Cena would fucking kill it as a heel. That's why I can't outwardly hate the guy, because given the right material he could pull off some solid shit.