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WWE has seemingly been pivoting into a new direction, considering the change in style of its TV programming, and looks to be done with the PG Era.
The Stamford-based wrestling promotion has been producing a PG-friendly product for over a decade and has rarely strayed away from that approach. However, segments conducted on shows in the past few months have seen a rather noticeable change, especially following The Rock's return.
The Rock's return for an in-ring match brought new energy to WWE, with the promos becoming exceedingly more explicit than before. The approach which seemed to be an experiment or rather an exclusive treatment for the Hollywood star, was reportedly marking the end of the PG Era in the company.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that The Rock's promos and Paul Heyman's Hall of Fame speech can be looked at as the official end of the PG Era. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the product will change anytime soon. A decision will likely be made regarding the matter sometime in the future once RAW shifts to Netflix.
It was further noted that the decision regarding the product possibly becoming edgier would depend on the sponsors and broadcasters being comfortable with showcasing it to audiences at home.
WWE has already started experimenting outside the PG banner
The PG Era officially started in 2008, with the decision being made to introduce the product to a wider audience. The change was met with a mixed response from its fanbase.
Now, Nick Khan and Triple H look to be ushering in a new era dubbed the Renaissance Era, with many fans and stars arguing that pro wrestling has become 'cool' once again. This has significantly benefitted the company in various aspects, including ticket sales and TV viewership.
WWE has started to use blood in storylines for added dramatic effect as seen on SmackDown, where Kevin Owens was assaulted by The Bloodline. Fans have been applauding the product so far and even hailed WrestleMania 40 as one of the best shows in the promotion's long history.
It seems that we'll have to wait until Monday Night RAW moves to Netflix to see if any further changes are made to the product.
Are you excited about the rumored end of the PG era and the start of a new one? Hit the discuss button and sound off.
