10 Things WWE must do to defeat the challenge of All Elite Wrestling
With a new challenger nipping at its heels, it's time for WWE to take action to ensure it remains the dominant promotion in sports entertainment. When it comes to sports entertainment, the WWE has been the globally dominant brand for most of its existence.
Originally called the WWWF, Vince McMahon Sr. ran the promotion in the old 'territorial' style. He only held shows in his region of the country, and often swapped talent with other regional promotions. This is how he acquired the services of Hulk Hogan, for example.
But when Vince McMahon Jr. took over the company, he changed a lot more than the name. Now dubbed the WWF, which eventually became the WWE, he invaded the regional territories of other promotions. Legally, Vince was doing nothing wrong, but he did upset the established status quo.
Vince's move caused many of the regional promotions to consolidate. Jim Crockett gathered up as many of the NWA territories as he could for Jim Crockett Productions. The GWF quickly sought out a cable television deal, and they were not the only ones.
The 'classic' era of WWF features Hulk Hogan's lengthy title reign and the advent of the Rock N Wrestling connection. For most of the 1980s, WWE was the dominant brand.
That changed for a few years during the Monday Night Wars, when World Championship Wrestling would briefly dethrone WWE. Once WCW was purchased by Vince McMahon, however, the WWE was left without a serious competitor for the next twenty years.
Now, All Elite Wrestling is lurking on the horizon, ready to challenge WWE for supremacy. Unlike other challengers, such as Ring of Honor and TNA/Impact, this new promotion's stated goal is to conquer the North American pro wrestling market and compete directly with WWE for fans.
Here are ten things WWE must do if it wants to beat back the challenges posed by AEW.
#1 WWE must develop new talent
One of the things WWE must do to fight off the challenge posed by AEW isn't going to pay off immediately. In fact, it's a long term investment strategy, and it helped WWE win the Monday Night War.
Developing new talent is key to maintaining WWE's dominance over time. Lacey Evans is a great example of a wrestler groomed by their developmental program. WWE also used this strategy during the Monday Night War when they pushed younger stars like Edge, Christian, and the Hardys.
In order to defeat the challenges posed by AEW, WWE must be mindful of its own future.