WWE Rumors: Backstage Update On Whether Management Blames Top Star for Low Ratings
The latest episode of Monday Night Raw saw the show experience another significant ratings dip for WWE, despite the return of Kevin Owens. The superstar has been absent since WrestleMania 36, and his comeback was expected to bring in some viewers. However, despite being pushed as the brand’s second top babyface, his presence wasn’t enough to boost the show’s viewership, which has led to some speculation that management might not see the superstar as a draw.
According to Sportskeeda‘s Tom Colohue, however, word backstage is that Owens isn’t being blamed for the poor ratings, even though his return coincided with a significant portion of live viewers tuning out.
“The company doesn’t think it was Kevin Owens to blame here. They are not blaming anyone because of everything that’s going on and they are expecting record-low ratings but if they are looking at key negatives, one thing that was mentioned to me was that a lot of people, unfortunately, turned off when it was the axe throwing contest, even though I personally thought it was alright.”
Colohue also noted that the reason for the ratings drop was more likely due to the show entering the third hour. WWE fans and wrestling pundits are often critical of Monday Night Raw being so long, and it’s not uncommon for fans to tune out early during the shows that lack excitement.
The current pandemic has caused a dip in wrestling shows across the industry, and some analysts suggest that the absence of fans — and some important roster members — has made live television less exciting to watch. If the report is accurate, WWE won’t blame this down period on any of the talent.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Vince McMahon allegedly blames the ratings crisis on the lack of available stars, such as Brock Lesnar. The company is in a transitional phase of trying to build and establish new top stars, and McMahon reportedly knows that it won’t be an overnight process.
Owens is one of several WWE talents who many fans believe should be given more opportunities. It’s understandable why some fans are worried that WWE will blame him for the ratings dip, as it could derail his momentum and put a stop to any plans for pushes that officials may have for him.
It remains to be seen how the low ratings will affect the talent, but it seems likely that viewership will increase when the current pandemic comes to an end.
