Roman Reigns Thinks a WWE Offseason Could Solve Multiple Problems
Considering the global travel, media obligations, multiple television tapings, and the inherent [...]
Considering the global travel, media obligations, multiple television tapings, and the inherent physicality that comes with being wrestler, a WWE Superstar may be one of the most demanding jobs on the planet.
And there isn't anything that remotely resembles an offseason.
But the chief of WWE's locker room, Roman Reigns, just thoughtfully pitched the idea of Vince McMahon's machine taking a break. According to the former Universal Champion, an offseason could help Superstars mend their bodies while WWE could reboot their narratives.
"We do it the way we do it, and I'm never opposed to trying something new. This formula has worked and Sports Entertainment is a 'what have you done for me lately' industry. Unfortunately, we don't have an off-season like most sports or other kinds of forms of entertainment or competition but, you know, I think if we could make it work, it would give a great benefit to our performers and our fans as well. It would definitely give our performers another couple of months if not a full quarter to rest and recover, not only just from a physical standpoint, but creatively," Reigns told talkSport.
Every year, a new batch of WWE Superstars hits the disabled list. Those injuries are rarely from an acute incident in the ring, rather cumulative wear and tear. If McMahon's gladiators were able to take a breather for a month or two, it's hard to imagine that not paying dividends.
On top of tired wrestlers, WWE is prone to a creative slump a few times a year. With so much television to cover, WWE seems to have more hours of camera time than compelling ideas. Considering their product is live, WWE's creative team has to book on the fly with an ever-changing landscape — it's like Jumanji but with wrestlers. Not to mention, even WWE's good stories carry an unnatural arch. With year-round narrative, it's hard to tell when a storyline begins and ends. But with an offseason, WWE can work like one long movie, while getting a few months off to create the next year's playbook.
"When you go year-round, we're always trying to evolve, trying to grow as far as our stories and our character goes and when you're doing it over and over and over it can be tough. I think that's what makes WWE and its superstars so tough and it's an accomplishment to get to where we are. Only we can handle this and we've proved it, so it's just a part of the gig. I don't think it's something that shouldn't be looked into, but if the schedule stays the same I'm gonna be the guy that'll run it," said Reigns.
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