3 Reasons why WWE needs to convert back to the TV-14 rating

WWE is presently in the middle of one of the worst periods they have ever been in. This is evident in the declining viewership for both Raw and Smackdown. Both shows have reportedly been suffering all-time low ratings ever since WrestleMania 35. While some of that problem can be attributed to there being NBA games or NFL games on at the same time, this isn't the main reason. The problem is the fact that many people view the WWE product as stale.

The structure of how the show is produced is usually the same every week. Gone are the days when WWE had that unpredictability about it. Many of us can see that there is no fire or passion in the storytelling. The product has no edginess to it now or the wow factor. It has become so convoluted and watered down.

The PG rating is the biggest reason why WWE has no spark anymore. WWE may be a publicly traded company, but if the ratings don't change for the better, TV networks could pull their shows off the air. The PG rating is in place to make WWE's programming family friendly. However, it isn't helping the company draw in viewers.

In this article, we will look at the 3 reasons why WWE needs to drop the PG rating and convert back to TV-14. Leave your thoughts in the comment section.

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#3 The current product is too stifled

The Freak Lars Sullivan has attacked superstars with no reason being given.

We see on a regular basis how repetitive WWE storylines are. There are many things that happen which goes unexplained to the viewers, such as matches that have no substance or meaning. Having Lars Sullivan destroy random superstars is a classic example of this. Why would he attack guys like R-Truth, Matt Hardy and Lucha House Party?

Not only is there no logical sense in certain aspects of storylines, but it seems like many Superstars are still getting overlooked. They are placed in meaningless matches on TV simply to fill in the 3-hour air-time. It clearly shows that WWE simply does not have enough storylines written to fill an entire episode of Raw. It is stifling the product by not giving us a reason to care for these matches that take place.

WWE is limited by what content they can produce. This is why many storylines are repetitive and the storylines fall flat at various times. The amount of restrictions that TV Networks have placed on WWE is absolutely absurd. It is stifling WWE because Superstars do not have that fire in their own body of work. The company won't push the boundaries either, which makes it full.

Due to there being zero edginess in the product, it is proving to be detrimental to the company. Adding edgier storylines to the product will bring back the drive for many Superstars. It will open up a door of exciting and potential storyline ideas for WWE and won't limit them. After all, there are only so many times that you can present a basic superstar versus authority feud.

A fresh set of storylines needs to be uncovered and having the TV-PG rating changed will allow WWE more room to produce this. As it stands, the PG demographic only can offer certain storylines that are acceptable for TV. It virtually leaves WWE in a bad position with AEW starting to heat up.

#2 To allow Superstars some creative freedom

Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) was unhappy in WWE for not having any creative freedom.

One thing that is a problem in WWE, is having no creative freedom or control of your character. Some wrestlers have left the company for not having creative freedom. Only super talented WWE performers, who management have their trust in, are allowed to show us their creative abilities.

With most WWE talent, they are expected to read promos that are written by creative either in full or in bullet points. While it helps those who aren't good on the mic, it can also damage their character for sounding unauthentic and rehearsed. It also exposes the environment backstage to a certain degree, with how WWE wants their talent to appear on camera for us and how controlling Vince is.

Having everything written on a script is very poor from WWE and shows there is no trust in their talent. When you have a character, you usually would like to have some freedom to better connect with fans. With how things are in WWE, very few talents are connecting with the fans because their characters aren't very authentic or relatable. They are very gimmicky and laiden with poor promos or segments written by creative.

It can also be their in-ring style that might not connect with fans. Someone like Roman Reigns is positioned as the Superman of WWE, even using the Superman Punch as a signature move. These sort of characters may be popular with younger fans but it doesn't come across as relatable to the older fans.

People aren't nieve about the business anymore with the internet around. Moves like the Superman Punch or a Hulk Hogan Leg Drop look very basic and uninteresting if you are a hardcore fan. You need to have a relatable character with a move set that fits what their character is about. Being presented as a superhero doesn't work in this era of wrestling. This is why creative freedom is essential because you want to connect with the fans in every possible way.

#1 The ratings will continue to decline

Naomi versus Mandy Rose was a very controversial storyline.

To be fair, WWE has been trying to incorporate a few boundary-pushing storylines into their product lately. Near the end of 2018, there was a storyline between Mandy Rose and Naomi. Mandy was trying to break up Jimmy Uso and Naomi simply because she thought Naomi was a bully. This was due to Naomi's criticisms of her on the reality show Tough Enough. There was not really an explanation given as to why it was decided to be brought up nearly 3 years prior. We all know though that Naomi is not someone who bullies other people.

This was a very poorly executed storyline and degraded everything that the Women's Evolution stands for. I think Jimmy Uso looked as uncomfortable with the angle as we all felt, especially the hotel scene. It was a throwback to the Attitude Era, but just seemed so petty and forced that it failed to connect with the audience. Not WWE's brightest moment, that's for sure.

Lately, we have been seeing Bray Wyatt's new character in his Firefly Funhouse segments. This is a character that is capable of working if sponsors and shareholders are willing to let WWE run with it. Sponsors have reportedly been calling for WWE to scrap the character, believing it to be unsuitable for kids. WWE is still fully behind the supernatural character and seems to be pushing ahead with it.

This character has mostly been a hit so far, due to how brilliant at acting Bray Wyatt is. He seems to have complete creative control over his character which is needed for it to work. Bray can literally make any gimmick work. This is exactly what WWE needs; things that push the boundaries and even cross the line. It may wake up all those people who still think WWE can eventually succeed with the PG rating, despite what attendance and viewership figures show.

The other concept WWE is using to try and bring back interest in the product is the new 24/7 Championship. This was basically created as a title for lower mid-card guys who aren't doing anything. It is a modern-day version of the Hardcore Championship, which was also defended in the 24/7 fashion.

This essentially is a comedy type concept that actually can fill in time on Monday Night Raw. It was popular in the Attitude Era but things were more hardcore in the title defenses back then. The 24/7 belt itself is awful looking but hopefully it takes away the formulaic structure of WWE programming. If they can blend comedy type title changes with proper storyline title defenses, it may make the championship gather prestige.

Many of these things are or can be good ideas if they are executed properly. WWE needs this PG rating lifted so that it can open the doors up to some better content again. It seems to be the only way going forward that can keep Superstars and fans invested in their product. WWE certainly can't keep losing viewers and putting out poor content. There needs to be a big power shift in WWE to make it great again. Let's hope WWE can see this before things get worse.

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