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Once upon a time, the pro wrestling industry fought very, very hard to avoid fans taking a peek behind the curtain.
The business thrived on the concept of Kayfabe, which was the suspension of disbelief on the part of the fans that the matches were 'real.' The faces legit hated the heels, they were out to injure each other in their bouts, and there was nothing 'fake' about the sport.
In fact, many unsuspecting hecklers have found themselves missing teeth after calling wrestling fake in front of pro wrestlers like Meng. That was the past, however.
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These days, a number of factors have conspired to pull the curtain back and shine light into the inner workings of the pro wrestling business. It all began with the rise of the internet, and the trading of insider info between rebel bloggers and journalists, which eventually transformed into the ad-heavy pro wrestling 'insider' sites.
Then there was the documentary Beyond the Mat, which showed many backstage happenings at WWE events. The film blatantly broke kayfabe, though many believed the 'secret' of wrestling had ended when Vince McMahon tried to throw off the yoke of state athletic commissions by admitting the matches were staged performances.
What's for certain is that wrestling has never been the same. Today, social media and the internet continue to play a role in the evolution of sports entertainment. It begs the question, however; Is that influence a good thing for pro wrestling?
Here are five reasons Social Media and the Internet are bad for wrestling, and five they might be beneficial.
Good for wrestling: The fans can connect with their favourite stars
Before the age of the internet, it wasn't always easy to get close to your favourite wrestler. Unless there was a meet and greet or some sort of promotional event before a big wrestling show you probably couldn't even speak to them.
But now, the world is more connected than ever. Fans can check in with their favourite stars and see how they work out, or what they eat for breakfast, or even enjoying recreational activities. This strengthens the bond between fans and wrestlers in ways that are profound and excellent for growing the business.
Bad for wrestling: Killing the suspension of disbelief
Though the curtain has been pulled back on pro wrestling before, the 24/7 access that fans have to wrestling and the performers mean there is no more suspension of disbelief. The fans are quickly aware of which injuries are legit and which are staged, and whether or not a wrestler who has been 'fired' on television is really done with the company.
Leading up to Wrestlemania 4, Andre the Giant attacked Hulk Hogan after a match with King Kong Bundy, viciously choking the champion and tossing him around like a ragdoll. NBC was actually flooded with phone calls asking if the Hulkster was okay. Fans were emotionally invested in the angle in a way that would not be possible today during the information age.
Good for wrestling: The internet/social media can help further storylines
At one time, the stories wrestling told ended or were put on hold once the show ended. These days, however, fans can tune in to social media to enrich the experience.
From wrestlers taunting each other on Twitter to posting Facebook vids of their workouts to show just how tough they are, to humorous antics like the 'glorious bombs' by Ciampa and Gargano, there are more ways than ever to enjoy wrestling, even when the show is over for the week.
Bad for wrestling: Sometimes the wrestlers share too much
It used to be much easier for wrestling companies to control how their Superstars were depicted in the media. Interviews could be scripted, then edited, and fans had little actual free access to the wrestlers.
These days, all it takes is one bad decision turned into a social media posting and it could spell doom for someone's career. Zahra Schreiber is one unfortunate example of sharing too much information on social media:
Good for wrestling: Fans can learn intimate details about their favorite stars
How much did the average fan know about Hulk Hogan in the 1980s? They knew about the training, the prayers, and the vitamins, and Venice Beach, and the 24" pythons....and not much else.
These days, one can learn everything about one's favourite wrestler with a few clicks, and any details not available can sometimes spill from the wrestler's own mouth (or keyboard, as it were.) Now you can know your favourite wrestlers' shirt size, favourite colour, and preferred brand of beer because of the connectivity of social media.
Bad for Wrestling: Social media is fertile ground for bullying/abuse
The unfortunate consequence of the internet is a feeling of being removed from what one is saying. People who would never dream of being rude or abusive in real life will sometimes take to social media and behave pugnaciously or in a bullying manner.
Pro wrestling can get caught up in this same mess, from wrestling fans attacking each other over Roman Reigns to the wrestling stars stooping to flinging insults across cyberspace. It's not a phenomenon that's good for wrestling in the long run.
Good for wrestling: The voices of the fans are heard loud and clear
The Rusev Day phenomenon is a great example of how social media can aid wrestlers and wrestling in general. Rusev had been shuffled around the lower mid-card for some time and had been seemingly forgotten by WWE creative. Then the Bulgarian Brute took to the internet, and his tongue-in-cheek declarations of Rusev Day went viral.
Now Rusev is one of the top merchandise sellers in WWE, and he seems to be getting a renewed push with the company, all because the fans have spoken.
Bad for wrestling: The fans can derail angles and wrestlers
One of the unfortunate consequences of social media and the internet is a mob mentality. Someone says something mean or pithy about a wrestler, and it's picked up and repeated by thousands of others.
This can lead to fractures in the wrestling audience, as certain factions will want to be 'cool' and try to boo whoever the WWE seems to be interested in presenting--lately, it has been Roman Reigns as the target, but John Cena has suffered from this phenomenon as well.
You don't go to the movie theatre and boo Iron Man, but many wrestling fans seem to disagree and use the internet as a bullhorn to increase their volume.
Good for wrestling: Wrestlers can acknowledge and praise each other, even if they work for different companies
Did you know that WCW once used separate entrances for the heels and faces? This was to keep kayfabe alive.
Another way wrestlers kept kayfabe alive was not acknowledging any other wrestler from a competing promotion. Though Ric Flair may have been impressed with Macho Man's performance at Wrestlemania III, he could never dare to say so in public.
These days, while wrestlers are often forbidden from mentioning by name stars from other promotions, they are usually free to post such things on the internet. John Cena may have single-handedly increased the net worth of Kenny Omega with one simple tweet.
Bad for Wrestling: No more surprises
If you're a dedicated wrestling fan, you probably keep watch on social media to learn things like the contractual status of your favourite wrestlers. If they are about to sign with a new company you will often know of it months in advance, and even when they will make their debut.
Contrast this with the time before the internet, when Tommy Rich picked a mystery partner to take on Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. Jim Ross even stated that 'a masked man came to WTBS station and signed the contract' to keep the kayfabe going.
Fans were tickled pink when the mystery man turned out to be Ricky Steamboat. It was a tremendous surprise that would not have been possible in today's wrestling climate.
Is social media good or bad for wrestling? The answer seems to be both. What do you think of internet culture and social media's influence on wrestling? Please comment and let us know.
Do you know any other pros/cons of Intenet and pro-wrestling? Sound off in the comments section below. You can also send us news tips at [email protected]
