5 Reasons why WWE should introduce VAR

#2 Sports-centric approach

In the months leading up to SmackDown’s debut on FOX in October, it was widely reported that WWE’s new Friday night show would have a more sports-centric feel on its new network, with in-ring action taking priority over comedy segments and other entertainment acts.

Now, in all honesty, excluding the premiere episode on FOX, which featured appearances from The Rock, Tyson Fury and Cain Velasquez, it does not feel like SmackDown is any more sports-centric now than it was back in the SmackDown Live era.

The only notable difference is there is now a weekly panel show on FS1 – WWE Backstage – which presents WWE as more of a sports product than an entertainment brand.

With regards to the in-ring action, the last two episodes of SmackDown began with Baron Corbin mocking “The Big Dog” Roman Reigns by pointing to the big screen, which showed a big dog barking with a high-pitched voice, and the most recent episode even featured somebody dressed in a “Big Dog” outfit.

Needless to say, these Corbin-Reigns segments have been the total opposite of sports-centric, but the use of VAR in matches on WWE television – even if, for now, it is only used on SmackDown on FOX – would help the product fit into both the sports and entertainment categories.