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WWE announced before Monday Night Raw this week that the company would have a live audience again and they ended up delivering on that promise quite well. Of course, they had to substitute an actual audience with NXT Superstars that were standing six feet away from each other, but having crowd noise again was just so refreshing to hear.
Not only did it give WWE the energy that it had been lacking for two months now, it also helped to hint at where the company was going with several storylines. If nothing else, it was exactly what the company needed right now and will go a long way in helping both brands going forward.
With that being said and an audience now apart of WWE programming again, here are five reasons the company made this change. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us what you think of the company finally having some sort of live audience again.
#5 Something to feed off
There's something to be said about the energy a live audience creates in any sort of arena and that is exactly what has been missing from WWE. Now, WWE originally tried to make up for not having a live crowd by taping shows and removing the seating sections from The Performance Center, but are now embracing live crowds again.
Of course it's really NXT Superstars standing socially distanced away from each other, but it does at least create a needed sense of energy in the building. Beyond that, it has really helped make matches and even segments seem much more natural, which is going to benefit the company in the long run.
In the end, WWE isn't like most sports. It absolutely needs a crowd to play off of and while they did decently without them, they are much better off with crowd noise. In fact, it almost makes it feel like everything is back to normal again and you can finally tell what kind of narrative WWE is trying to shape.
#4 The NXT Superstars can help build a firm narrative
Believe it or not, one of the most important things in WWE is to build a narrative for the audience to enjoy. Not only does this set the tone for the entire show and help viewers at home know who to root for and who to boo, it also allows uses the crowd's reaction to further specific storylines.
For example, let's say that WWE decided to do this when Becky Lynch made her pregnancy announcement live on Monday Night RAW. If WWE would have had the NXT crowd present at that point, they could have helped convey the necessary emotions for the situation and give new viewers a reason to care about it.
In the end, building a firm narrative starts with crowd reaction to a particular moment and that is exactly what the company has been missing. Fortunately for The WWE Universe at home and the magnitude of people that will eventually fall into the fold, they now have a firm narrative set for them to go off of, all thanks to the NXT Superstars.
#3 Creates opportunities for NXT talent
WWE has made a habit out of bringing NXT talent to Raw and SmackDown over the past couple of months and they have in blended quite well. In fact, between Angel Garza and Austin Theory both finding prominent roles on Raw and The Forgotten sons getting into the thick of it on SmackDown, now seems to be the best time for NXT call ups.
With that being said however, using The NXT roster as audience members gives the company a plethora of options booking wise. For example, if WWE wanted to capitalize on this future of WWE gimmick that they have touted the last couple of months, why not have an up and coming NXT Superstar confront a Raw or SmackDown superstar of their choosing.
Not only will this help create the illusion between real and scripted for some WWE fans, it will leave the casual viewer wondering what is going on. Furthermore, it could put a deserving NXT Superstar in a top spot against a main roster Superstar, which should really help kick start their career.
#2 Bringing NXT Superstars to the arena can help with publicity
The name of the game in the sports world is publicity and while other sports are unable to bring in live audiences, WWE doesn't exactly have to abide by the same rules. Sure, they do to some degree and can't actually let any fans into the building, but they are able to have a live audience of NXT Superstars to take in all the action.
Not only does this separate WWE from other sports like NASCAR, Golf and NBA, which are all either competing without an audience or thinking about it, this also gives WWE a chance to bring in new fans. Whether it works out that way or not remains to be seen and will depend on how the company utilizes this, but the opportunity is there.
In the end, this is great promotion and even cross promotion for RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. It also finally gives WWE the electric charge that a live audience is capable of providing. If nothing else, this is the perfect way for the company to get back into the groove of things and do it before most sports are even back up and running again.
#1 The NXT talent can help create the illusion of a regular show
It's no secret that one of WWE's number one goals is to bring new fans into the fold and that becomes very hard to do without an audience. While WWE did do a serviceable job without an audience for over two months and even made it normal to some degree, it doesn't compare to how a crowd can change things.Thanks to the NXT stars in attendance, WWE has the ability to create that illusion.
Think about it! Between feverishly cheering on your favorite babyface, to booing the heels as they smack talk everyone, audience engagement creates the illusion that this is more than just a match inside the ring. It makes it a contest that people actually care about and want to see play out.
If nothing else, WWE needs these NXT Superstars to help create the illusion of an actual contest taking place inside the ring. Furthermore, they need these individuals to help create that fervent sense of excitement that allows fans to lose themselves in the story that is taking place in front of them.
