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What’s the story?
The WWE has begun to cut back on expenses as of late, and there is apparently a possibility that Superstars might lose their jobs.
Also read: 5 indie stars who became jobbers in the WWE
Cageside Seats reports that many observers of the budget cuts believe that a roster cut is the next move the company might make. However, nothing is certain as of yet.
In case you didn’t know...
The rumours of these budget cuts first emerged following Great Balls of Fire when fans noticed an absence of pyro for some of the ring entrances including the Universal Champion Brock Lesnar.
This was followed up in the same week with the cancellation of Talking Smack as a weekly network series, which currently exists as a post-PPV talk show. Renee Young also revealed that her show, Unfiltered, was also cancelled.
The heart of the matter
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that several shows on the network were being cancelled to lower production costs and make a bigger profit than last year. Meltzer also claimed that the network numbers haven't grown the way the WWE wanted so they cut pyro and certain network programs to spend less money.
WWE typically releases several wrestlers after WrestleMania, but they have yet to release anyone in some time.
In fact, the company has gained more employees due to them signing wrestlers for various tournaments such as the Cruiserweight Classic, United Kingdom Tournament, and the ongoing Mae Young Classic.
Another factor in these budget cuts could be the rumoured cost of the WrestleMania 33 stage, which approximately cost the company $5 million.
What’s next?
Despite people thinking this may happen, nothing has been confirmed with regards to cutting wrestlers, so it may not even transpire.
The WWE may continue to cut costs by doing away with programs and shows that receive low viewership on the WWE Network and any other aspects of the shows they feel won’t affect the overall product.
Author’s take
While I never like to advocate for people to lose a job, the fact remains that some wrestlers run their course in a promotion.
Whether due to backstage politics, injuries, or even personal feelings, sometimes it’s best for wrestlers to move on and try their luck in another wrestling company.
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