Former WWE writer Vince Russo has explained the difference between the way that WWE told stories 20 years ago compared to now.
Vince Russo gives his opinions on the modern-day WWE product every week on SK Wrestling’s Legion of RAW with Dr. Chris Featherstone. He also tells stories from his time as a WWE writer on SK Wrestling’s Off the SKript series.
On the latest edition of Off the SKript, Vince Russo was asked about The Big Show’s WWE debut at St. Valentine’s Day Massacre 1999. He said the plan for Big Show was the same as everyone else, as WWE simply booked from one pay-per-view to another in those days.
“Between those beats [WWE’s ‘Big Four’ PPVs], you’re writing in a block of month to month. You’re going from pay-per-view to pay-per-view. If we’re at the May pay-per-view and we’re shooting the pay-per-view, we’ve got to write the television for the next show, so at the May pay-per-view we know what the April pay-per-view is.
“So, from May to April we are concentrating on those four weeks to make people want to buy the pay-per-view. Remember, it was a different model then, bro. We had to make them buy the pay-per-view, so those four weeks everything was driven [towards the PPV].”
Watch the video above for more of Vince Russo’s thoughts on WWE’s old booking formula, as well as his message for Jeff Jarrett.
Vince Russo’s booking style compared to modern-day WWE
Unlike two decades ago, WWE no longer revolves its programming around monthly pay-per-views. As Vince Russo alluded to, WWE has had a different PPV model since the launch of the WWE Network.
Nowadays, it is not uncommon for more than one WWE PPV to take place per month. Top Superstars are also frequently left off PPVs, with WWE regularly rotating the Superstars that appear in main events.
Please credit SK Wrestling’s Off the SKript and embed the video interview if you use quotes from this article.
Published 17 Jan 2021, 00:06 IST
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