Just so that you know I'm a big fan of WWE since I could understand it. WWE has come a long way from The Golden Age and Attitude eras. Its outreach has extended throughout the world. WWE has had to adjust with the times and not only did they survive, they thrived.
They saw off competitors like WCW but somewhere down the line WWE have got something wrong otherwise their ratings wouldn't go down from 4 million average viewers in 2006 to just above 2 million viewers in 2015. So where have Vince McMahon and co. have got it wrong?? Lets take a look at 3 possible reasons.
Honorable Mention:
Rise of NXT- Since it's re-branding from FCW in 2012, NXT has produced quite a number of talented superstars who have even gone on to headline Wrestlemania. The quote "Your kids require you most of all to love them for who they are, not to spend your whole time trying to correct them." from Bill Ayers can be applied to this but in an opposite sense.
In WWE's case NXT is being the parent and WWE the child, which should be the other way around. Its high time WWE realizes this and do something about it.
3) Lack of more titles and good story-lines.
WWE has a total of 5 active titles at present, the IC title, the WWHC, the Tag Team ,the US title and the Women's Championship. There are a total of 82 active superstars(67 men and 15 women) present on the main roster and clearly its out of ratio to say the least.
Titles like the World Heavyweight Championship, World Tag team, Cruiser weight and Hardcore titles need to be back. This not only helps to utilize superstars but also add new and better story-lines, which WWE sorely need at the moment.
Most of the present main roster comprises of jobbers and a title or two would really help rejuvenate their fading careers and also the dwindling ratings.
2) The Internet
The internet has become like a sword without a handle for WWE, they need to use it but at the same time get hurt while holding it. There was apparently a time when WWE was believed to be legitimate but the boom of internet has exposed the not-so-hidden truths about WWE.
Things like blading, Sin-Cara's trampoline stunt, script reading of commentators or more recently the blood pill incident. No doubt the WWE has benefited from the internet, the WWE Network is a prime example of that but what Vince and co. don't realize that an audience can just record an incident(that was not telecast) and upload it for the world to see.
Now, that's just something you can't do anything about.
1)Lack of other prominent promotions.
Right now WWE is the go-to name in pro-wrestling. The likes of TNA, Lucha Underground, NJPW and ROH clearly don't offer as much competition as WCW did in the 80's and 90's. Currently WWE is on a recruiting spree from NJPW and TNA which makes WWE's grip on this field stronger by the day.
"Necessity is the mother of invention." The Attitude Era was clearly a result of the Monday Night Wars between WWF and WCW and that's what ensured WWE's survival. As things stand right now WWE is the only fish in the ocean and that gives it freedom to produce weird story-lines and inedible content without worrying about the results.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
