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What's the story?
With the news recently coming out that NXT may move from the WWE Network to FS1 this Fall, that move has implications from the top to the bottom of the WWE.
Since the show would then be a part of a cable network broadcast and not simply on WWE's own streaming platform, reports are now suggesting that because of the NXT move, Vince McMahon might be getting more involved with the yellow brand. WrestleTalk.com carried news of the potential change to WWE's hottest brand.
In case you didn't know...
NXT had primarily been WWE's developmental territory. But once it started to become filled with many prominent independent wrestlers, it started to become its own brand. Once the WWE Network came out years ago, it became more accessible for fans seeking to see the WWE stars of tomorrow today.
The heart of the matter
NXT not only had the distinction of being available solely on the WWE Network, but it was also the lone brand in WWE not run exclusively by Mr. McMahon and his confidantes. Triple H was the creator and father of the brand and had fashioned it to the point where it became better programming than RAW and SmackDown.
Once All Elite Wrestling announced that its weekly show would be on Wednesday night on TNT, strategists concluded that WWE may try to do something with NXT in order to counter a potential competitor's new show.
Since the show will now be on broadcast TV instead of merely on a streaming platform, that might mean that WWE will implement its usual tactics for producing a wrestling show. And the fact that the show might go to two hours and compete with AEW also means that Mr. McMahon might want to get more involved with NXT.
When asked about the potential on Twitter, wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer corroborated the claims of McMahon and Kevin Dunn likely being involved with the company's hottest brand.
What's next?
With a lot of time between now and then, these rumors could either be simply that or they could be a sign of truly changing one of the best shows within the WWE. Going to two hours would already be a big change, but changing too many things structurally will potentially hurt what has made NXT so unique and much its own brand.
