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Some people may think that NXT is the best wrestling product in the world, but it still isn't on television. Well, there are some very good reasons for that.
Ever since WrestleMania, the ratings for both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live have been subpar with some weeks being frighteningly low. A lot of fans still tune in because they want to see their favourite stars, but even then, the best matches are usually reserved for the pay-per-views.
Meanwhile, superstars like Eric Young, Adam Cole, Ember Moon and Kassius Ohno are delivering great storylines and incredible matches in NXT. But, you're not going to see that on television because WWE simply isn't going to let you, and they have enough of their reasons for that very thing.
#5 Some people just don't work out in NXT or wrestling at all
Even though this is no longer Florida Championship Wrestling and it is hard to see NXT as a developmental territory, that's still what it is. Yes, veteran guys like Samoa Joe and Finn Balor and Hideo Itami go through it, but that is to become more used to WWE's style of wrestling and mic work.
But, for every big star that gets called up, there are bound to be a few names like Solomon Crowe, Eli Cottonwood, and Maxine. Those superstars are talented in their own right but simply don't end up fitting into WWE and are shown the door before ever making it to the main roster.
Look at Jamie Keyes. Yes, I'll wait for you to stop asking yourself, "Who?"
Keyes started with TNA and lasted barely a moment there. She signed with Wrestlicious but WWE signed her away from them. She tried her hand at ring announcing and then stepped into the ring to wrestle, but she had a mere six matches in her entire NXT career before leaving wrestling entirely.
If the fans watching Raw and SmackDown never end up seeing them, WWE doesn't have to worry about explaining their absence.
#4 They want you to buy the WWE Network
The WWE Network may end up being the complete future of wrestling if ratings don't improve for the brands that are on television. WWE could possibly look at moving all of their programming to the streaming platform and moving entirely away from the USA Network and any other television station.
For now, there are a lot of old WWE shows and pay-per-view events. The ECW and WCW libraries are evergreen, and the original shows really aren't nearly as bad as you might expect. Throw NXT on top of all that and you truly can't beat the price tag of just $9.99 per month for all that you get.
WWE is no dummy. They want you to watch their TV shows and purchase the network as well, but you may not always be drawn to old events. That's why the original shows and NXT are there, and they do a good job of selling.
#3 It's an extra brand which allows extra time for more superstars
Being on WWE television is what superstars long for, but they need to be ready for it or they'll never make it. Even if they do make it, all careers end up with a lull or two that may mean the star needs to be refreshed and possibly start things over.
All of that means WWE is even smarter for having NXT and not putting it on television.
If a superstar is a bit green or not quite ready for the big time, they can learn from the coaches and their peers in NXT. If a superstar comes from Japan and has an entirely different style of wrestling, they can learn the WWE way of doing things in NXT. If a superstar's gimmick has grown stale and they need to re-brand and practice their new persona, they can do that at the Performance Center.
NXT also gives guys like Hideo Itami a good place to work out the kinks while also working through a series of unfortunate injuries. Yes, there can still be bad breaks on the main roster and that was proven by Finn Balor having to relinquish the Universal Championship.
#2 To introduce WWE fans to stars they may not know before hitting the main roster
Not everyone that watches WWE's product is a huge wrestling fan and a lot of them may have never seen anything outside of Vince McMahon's kingdom. Without watching ROH or NJPW or seeing an independent show, they likely won't know too many performers from outside the WWE umbrella.
Do you have any idea who El Generico is? Would you know who was wrestling if Prince Devitt took on KENTA in a match on Raw?
Fans of wrestling from around the world could easily tell you that Sami Zayn used to wrestle under a mask. They could probably also advise you that a Finn Balor vs. Hideo Itami match would be amazing to have for free on a Monday night.
WWE can use NXT as an introductory ground for new signees after they're given a new name that is owned by Vince McMahon and company. After people are acquainted with them on NXT, they'll be familiar enough with them to pop for the superstar when they hit the main roster.
#1 With fewer competing promotions, it still allows for the big debut
The loss of WCW took away the thrill of wondering which superstar would jump ship next and appear randomly on Nitro or Raw. There was nothing like seeing the Outsiders appear on Nitro or watching the countdown finally reach zero and having Chris Jericho walk out from under the TitanTron.
Unfortunately, the same feeling really isn't there with Global Force Wrestling and the Internet has taken away much of the surprise factor as well. With NXT, there are still jumps from GFW, Ring of Honor, and NJPW, but everyone knows about them when they happen and at that point, they're learning WWE's style.
With superstars being in NXT, there is still the opportunity for them to make a huge debut on the main roster and have it happen somewhat unexpectedly.
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