10 ways in which the internet has killed pro-wrestling

There was a time when wrestling fans didn’t care too much about the happenings behind the curtains, but rather enjoyed the spectacle. It is often said that naivety and innocence are, in large parts, the reasons why people are attracted to complex subjects. The illusion of reality is what captivates the imagination of the fans; the suspension of disbelief has been the cornerstone of what makes professional wrestling — and magic tricks so intriguing to the naked eye.

Up until the mid-'80s, there were sceptics who, while not being able to accurately pinpoint the fallacies of the ‘sport’, were adamant that professional wrestling was, in fact, a mirage. Just as there have been the truth seekers, trying to upstage the magicians and explain the unexplainable, wrestling, too, has been scrutinised and analysed at every possible opportunity.

However, with the dawn of the information age, little has been left to the imagination. Social media has played a prominent role in wrestling companies’ efforts, in reaching out to their target audience and fanbase.

It wasn’t until the dot-com bubble that the facade slowly started to peel off, exposing all the secrets, giving the fans a closer look at the personal lives of the characters.

Today, we take a look at ten ways in which the internet has killed, or at least ruined the intrigue around the professional wrestling business.

---

#10 Spoilers

Many professional wrestlers often get peeved at the thought of spoilers leaking before the episode gets aired. Back in the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s, wrestling companies used to tape several episodes' worth of content in one go. The fact that it would save them several thousand dollars in production, rental and travel made it an attractive proposition, and it was a no-brainer at the time.

They also could take solace in the fact that the content for future episodes wouldn’t get “leaked” before the shows aired on television. Without the internet, there was no way the fans could get a wind of what was about to happen.

Keeping a lid on the plans the management had in store for the wrestlers was relatively easy, as the wrestlers themselves kept their distance from the common folk.

#9 Backstage information getting leaked

We’ve all heard the stories involving altercations between the professional wrestlers and the fans. The wrestling fans have always been an inquisitive bunch. Once they were in the presence of a wrestler, they took it upon themselves to gauge their strength, and see for themselves if the wrestlers were legitimately tough, or if it was all indeed just an act.

The fact that the Superstars backstage understood that they were a family and had to protect themselves and the business brought a sense of camaraderie that we rarely get to see anymore.

Unlike today, where there are multiple “moles” in the companies, who share information about what happens backstage, the wrestlers presented a united front, regardless of the animosity they might have had internally.

#8 Breaking kayfabe

There was a time when David Schultz, to quote the great Jim Ross, slapped a reporter around like a government mule. This was after the reporter made the grave mistake of accusing the wrestlers, and the business of being fake.

While it is public knowledge now that professional wrestling is scripted, until the ‘80s, and even in the early ‘90s, professional wrestlers safeguarded the business and its secrets with their lives. If someone did not exercise good judgment and went about accusing wrestlers of “faking it”, they would either end up with a concussion or broken bones.

However, with the explosion of the internet, and people having the opportunity to peek behind the curtains, ‘kayfabe’ is all but a foregone memory.

#7 Ease of access to the Superstars

The fans now have easier access to Superstars than ever before

It is often said that in order to invest in the product, you need to invest in the characters. There is a reason why Superstars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock became icons; the fans could live vicariously through them.

The intrigue and the aura of unpredictability surrounding them was one of the major components that directly contributed to their growing popularity. However, with social media now becoming an important tool for the Superstars to communicate with their fanbase, there is no longer an element of surprise to their characters.

This is one of the reasons why the fans feel that all the storylines and angles seem rehashed and are monotonous. The stagnation and saturation of characters happen at a rapid pace now more than ever before, and it can be attributed to the ease of access to the Superstars.

#6 Dirt sheets

Ask any professional wrestler about the one thing they hate about the internet, and their unequivocal response would be the dirtsheets. The name itself was coined during the territorial days, when certain publications had the inside scoop -- or the “inside dirt”, if you will.

While only a small section of the hardcore fans were privy to the existence of these dirt sheets back then, they have since grown at an alarming rate. At this point, there are hundreds -- if not thousands of websites, that claim to have inside sources.

While not most of them are accurate, there are certain websites that put out news and information that are corroborated by the WWE and wrestling insiders. While it is certainly understandable that they make a living by leaking inside information, it doesn’t usually bode well for the fans that want to be surprised during the shows -- especially not when the news is plastered all over social media.

#5 Fans trying to dictate the direction of storylines

Vince McMahon would be the first person to attest to the pitfalls that come with engaging fans through social media. Like any other powerful tool that exists, or has existed in the past, using social media is a double-edged sword. While you have a direct channel of communication to your target audience, you also open yourself to the myriad of diatribes against the company and the product.

Constructive criticism aside, the fans today often engage in bitter, vile conversations, often criticising the product put on by wrestling promotions. Worse, they often try to dictate the direction of the storylines, and force the company to go in a different path than originally intended.

While it is not always wrong — as seen with Daniel Bryan’s ascension to the top, the fans force companies to put on a product that would pacify their sense of right or wrong. Instead of enjoying the product the companies put on, the fans often try to muscle them into submission, and force them to go in a direction they deem appropriate!

#4 Difficulty in separating fact from fiction

The fans started a petition for WWE to fire Strowman

As we evolve as a society, we come up with better moral codes, and establish conventional wisdom and political correctness. However, we often forget that much like movies and TV shows, professional wrestling shows aren’t meant to be taken seriously.

There was a time when the fans enjoyed a crude, unadulterated product, marked by blood, gore and sexual innuendos. The fans understood that professional wrestling, much like a theatre, was meant to be enjoyed, and not scrutinised. However, as time progressed, wrestling companies were forced to become politically correct, and operate within the confines of what is deemed appropriate.

Whenever WWE, or any other professional wrestling company for that matter, try to operate outside of these confines, they bear the brunt of the fans, and have to deal with the backlash. The fact that social media has empowered the fans to do so has subdued the wrestling promotions, forcing them to act within these rules and regulations.

#3 The ‘smark’ effect

It is difficult to trace the roots of the word ‘smark’ in the professional wrestling industry. While a mark is considered as someone who believes, or is deeply invested in the product or the characters, a smark -- or a smart mark, is someone that understands the nuances of the business, and has the nous to think for himself.

However, the true meaning of the word has been lost in translation, and everyone that goes against the grain is now considered a smark.

The members of the internet wrestling community (or IWC) often criticise wrestling promotions for the product they put on, and often try to ‘hijack’ wrestling events, as it often happens during the RAW after Royal Rumble or WrestleMania.

#2 Oversaturation in pro wrestling

The fans now have access to unprecedented amount of wrestling content

Wrestling today is once again facing an uphill battle to stay relevant. With the dwindling house show attendances and the plummeting TV ratings, it is no wonder that professional wrestling companies are facing a hard time staying afloat in the United States and in the United Kingdom.

A couple of years ago, the wrestling business was thriving. Since time immemorial, the business had its ebbs and flows. However, with the sheer amount of wrestling content that we now have on the internet, it was inevitable for the business to become oversaturated.

With the WWE Network now having exclusive content 24 hours a day and seven days a week, the fans now consume an insane amount of content, rendering them placid with what they see on wrestling shows every week.

#1 Taking ‘fun’ out of professional wrestling

When was the last time you truly gasped at the events unfolding on your TV screen? How many years ago was it that we enjoyed the product put on by a wrestling company? We’ve accepted mediocrity as the new norm, and the internet has truly taken fun out of professional wrestling.

From the acerbic comments, to the petulant tantrums that the fans throw online, going as far as starting campaigns to get professional wrestlers fired for doing something they were ordered to do, the fans have stopped enjoying the product. Moreover, they have made it difficult for the others to appreciate the spectacle for what it truly is.

The wrestling companies are now more concerned with placating the fanbase, and minimising a PR backlash. There was a time when WWE brought in Sgt. Slaughter as an Iraqi sympathiser — something that would result in a national meltdown in this day and age.

Somewhere in the past two decades, we’ve lost the plot as wrestling fans, and move heaven and earth to ensure that we aren’t offended in any way, removing the element of fun from the product put on by wrestling companies.