Will fans accept the 'new' NXT?
NXT has now become Vince McMahon's newest pet project, and by all accounts, many in its core fanbase are worried.
The NXT product found unprecedented success over the past few years, with their outstanding Takeover events and their eventual move to network television.
Triple H has been commended for a long time now for the way he took the developmental promotion and molded it into a major, third brand for WWE. At one point, the hardcore fan base had more respect for NXT than they had for the parent company's red and blue brand. Many still do, despite having to reload their roster on multiple occasions.
Now, McMahon has decided that NXT was not performing up to his expectations. So he's cooking up a new image and direction for the promotion. From everything we've seen and heard thus far, it appears to be radically different from what fans have enjoyed so much for several years.
Let's start right away with the new NXT logo.
This technicolor title couldn't be more different than the bold, black and gold that we've come to know. This kaleidoscope of colors is straight out of the early 90's and looks like a shirt that Zack Morris might have worn on 'Saved By The Bell."
It's almost cartoonish, and NXT fans are already taking to social media to critique this new design. It's almost a hint that the new NXT show is going to be more comedy than competition.
In both business and entertainment, your brand and logo mean everything. Every successful company has a distinct logo that their customers automatically recognize when they see it.
So it's not really as small a detail as some might think.
There will be a new focus on stocking NXT with taller, bigger and younger wrestlers.
During its heyday, the third brand was known mostly for being led by experienced, indy veterans who only needed a little fine tuning. Most just needed time to adjust to the 'WWE style' of working and to establish their character.
Because of that, NXT became known for crisp, high-paced and high-impact action. Some of their finest competitors and biggest fan favorites were smaller guys who had already worked on the indy level for years. And in many ways, they brought that style with them.
Now Vince wants to go more with the blueprint he originally built his company on originally: Bigger, more powerful wrestlers, with less focus on their overall, in-ring work.
Another concern is that these changes will also lead to a drastic change in booking.
There is a belief that creative will become more comical, like the main roster.
WWE has always been known for goofy gimmicks and silly storylines. NXT was essentially the total opposite of that.
While NXT has used humor on their program, it's always been just a sprinkling on the overall show. Now that Vince McMahon suddenly has a great influence on how NXT is scripted? We can expect radical changes in stories and a lot of 50/50 booking.
While it's not fair to judge McMahon or WWE on these changes yet? It's certainly got a lot of fans concerned.
Who knows? Vince may be on to something, and the 'new NXT' may be more successful than ever as it evolves. But right now? The early reports are a little bit alarming.
All we can do for now is hope for the best because NXT has been such a fine product for so long now. They've earned the right to stay strong and (hopefully) be around forever.
What are your thoughts on these upcoming changes? Comment below!