Jim Ross Talks At Length About WWE Draft: Creating Competition Between Brands
On the latest edition of his “Ross Report” podcast, which is available right now at PodcastOne.com, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross shared his thoughts regarding the upcoming WWE Draft. Below are some of the highlights of what “Good Ole’ JR” said.
On hoping WWE does a “pure” brand split with no crossovers afterwards:
“If you are going to have true brand separation, then one brand doesn’t exist to the other except in a very structured and promoted manner.” Ross added, “I’d like to see the brands separated and stay clean, stay pure. And I really think that’s important.”
“I’m really thinking that that’s how I’d like to see it structured, absolutely pure as snow and no crossover. And that way, if you could be disciplined enough in your booking and your creative, then when you finally integrate, it’s a big thing, it’s really a big thing. And slow the process down for God’s sakes.”
On how WWE can create competition within their own company by offering writing teams financial incentives for outperforming each other:
“I really like the mindset, whether it ever happens or not, to where the writing groups are competitive enough. I would set up a thing where I would look at the ratings and whatever writing team was adding the most audience, some fair way of measuring growth – keyword growth – and the team that could incur the most growth on their particular show would win some cash incentives. All legal and above board, obviously, but bonuses and the more cheese they get on their Whopper, the better their show does. I would create some competition and if it creates some better ratings, then, it’s a good idea and also put some cash in some deserving people’s pockets, so that’s one idea.”
On Vince probably not liking the idea of the I-C and U.S. titles floating between brands, and the idea of free agents on WWE programming:
“I’m not one to urinate on others’ ideas, but if that idea was being pitched to Vince, I’m guessing, strictly guessing, that he would say, ‘you can’t be half pregnant’, so it’s all brand split or no brand split.” Ross continued, “I think Vince would do the old half pregnant thing on the US and IC title. There [are] a lot of ways to do it. No doubt. Personally, I would just keep them clean. The US title to one brand [and] Intercontinental title on the other and call it a day.”
“You also got to have some guys that are somewhere that are on your miscellaneous list. They’re free agents, so they don’t really belong to a brand, but they’re available. You could cover that in commentary. It’s logical if you’re contracted [to] WWE and you’re not on one of the three brands, you’re considered a free agent and you’re able to negotiate short or long term deals with any brand at any time. What the hell, right?”
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