Daily DeMarco: “Too Much Supply And Not Enough Demand”

Greg DeMarco discusses Jimmy Jacobs and his recent comments about the WWE creative process in this edition of the Daily DeMarco!

Got some great feedback on the format for my NXT match ratings yesterday, which are greatly appreciated. I’ve never been a match ratings guy, so this is new territory for me. But it’s working out so far. Keep the comments coming, be it on the articles, or on Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram.

I did get some interesting feedback on Dominik Dijakovic, as many don’t see it my way. Many see him as a generic big man now. He did the little things right, especially taking his time. Everything he did meant something, and that’s more important than a count of moves, highspots, or otherwise. Remember, the main function of NXT is still (for now) to prepare talent for the main roster, and Dijakovic is definitely headed in the right direction.

“Too Much Supply And Not Enough Demand”

Jimmy Jacobs recently did an interview with Bryan Alvarez on The Wrestling Observer Live where he detailed the WWE creative process from start to finish. To think that the WWE employs 25+ writers at any given time, and has a “home team” in Stamford and a team that goes on the road, is crazy. But it’s also necessary. You have to develop an idea (like 25 segments between Raw and Smackdown), script it, go through an approval and revision process that can have multiple iterations, then it has to be reviewed with the talent, revised and approved a few more times, and finally produced.

Don’t take my word for it, take it from Jimmy Jacobs himself, who sat at the table (warning, this is long, but it’s also mind blowing):

“It’s a seven day a week job. So, while the road team is at RAW, the home team is back at Stamford, and they’re helping out with rewrites on Monday & Tuesday, but by Wednesday the home team will have an idea of what they want to pitch to Vince. They’ll have a meeting with Vince and then he’ll give us feedback. Sometimes he’ll want to change a lot, sometimes it’s a little. Then on Thursday, the lead writers are putting together the pieces of what RAW is going to look at. Then Friday to Saturday we are putting pen to paper, and writing the promos. By Saturday evening, all the writers will send in the promos, and then by Sunday the lead writers will put it all together into a proper script. They’ll send that to Vince, and then by Monday then there’s the production meeting for RAW by 1pm. We go through the plan, and then all the writers and agents will give their feedback. Based off those suggestions, Vince will make changes, and then as a writer on the road, I’ll implement those changes. We compile those changes and put it in a new version of the script. Then I tell talent what they’re doing.”

(Big thanks to Cageside Seats and WrestleZone for the transcription.)

The thought of it is exhausting, and it’s a never ending job. WWE writers are constantly working, rarely getting a break.

But Jimmy Jacobs most impactful point (no pun intended, I promise) was discussing a three-hour Raw:

“But in the world of supply and demand, a three hour show is too much supply and not enough demand.”

Writing three hours of Raw is a daunting proposition. But it’s also a necessary one, because that’s what USA Network wants. And last I checked,they’re writing the check! Soon that will be FOX, but that’s likely remaining a two hour show.

I don’t think weekly wrestling is meant to be consumed in a three-hour format. WCW Nitro had the cruiserweights available to them to balance out the product–in WWE the cruiserweights are on a totally different show.

In anmy ideal world, WWE Raw and Smackdown would each be 90 minute long shows. You have an hour to build and promote, and a main event that occupies the final 30-minutes (2 segments). Obviously you can deviate from that formula to keep things fresh, but at least you’re not overexposing characters and giving your stories a chance to breathe. Then I’d pair that with brand specific pay-per-view events, so Raw and Smackdown are building over a longer stretch of time.

Recommended Reading: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson headed back to New Japan?

Even two hours would be a good compromise for Raw, but I am not going to shout that from the rooftops. Three hours is what the network wants, WWE would be silly to turn away the money and the platform.

That format comes with challenges, as Jacobs detailed. Many internet fans claim to love NXT because of the talent and the action, but this past edition featured a mid-card tag team match, two squash matches, and a steel cage main event. Only a small portion of the talent was even exposed this week, keeping everyone fresh. The format and the rotational aspect of NXT is a much larger reason why the internet loves NXT, even if they don’t articulate it that way.

Here’s the frustrating part: I don’t have the answer. None of us do.

Jimmy Jacobs is right. Writing a wrestling show is hard. I’ve formatted live events on the independent level, and even that is hard. (It’s also quite rewarding). If a match runs long, it’s not a huge deal in that environment. It’s a show altering mistake when a match runs long on Raw or Smackdown. The stakes are much higher, and that’s why the staff is also much larger.

There is also the Vince McMahon effect. I’ve been told by true industry insiders (people working on the inside, not reporters) that Vince McMahon is at times the most challenging aspect of the WWE product. Listen to almost any Bruce Prichard podcast and you’ll hear that as well. While Raw and Smackdown viewers rank in the millions, the show is ultimately written for an audience of one.

Vince McMahon.

And as much as you’ll disagree, it works. FOX and NBC Universal just gave WWE the biggest bag (of money) yet, further cementing television rights fees as the company’s top source of revenue.

The product will change, as it’s changed before. But each time it came down to one thing: Vince. When Vince McMahon wants the product to change, the product will change.

Good Reads On The Chairshot

• So much Lucha Libre goes down during the week, and Joe has it covered.
• Levin weighs in on Mustafa Ali, a topic I may write about tomorrow.
• Much like Cody Rhodes, The Young Bucks can’t stop talking about events they’re not working.
• Eric shares the options laying in front of Christopher Daniels.

I’ll get all sappy about how much the site is growing as we hit the end of the year, but know that this year has been amazing, and we are always looking for new folks to come on board. If you’re at all interested, go here and see what’s needed.

Until sappy time arrives, all that’s left to say is that this has been the 6th edition of the Daily DeMarco, and here’s to many more!

Let us know what you think on social media @theCHAIRSHOTcom and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!