WWE: An Open Letter from One Internet Wrestling Fan to Others

Fans of the NBC television show Chuck were recently disappointed to hear that this would be the program's last season. A high-ranking executive at NBC, upon hearing complaints from rabid Chuck fans took those same Internet-based fans to task.

This got me to thinking about the so-called "Internet Wrestling Community" and the current landscape of the professional wrestling business. It is no secret that we wrestling fans, with opinions and keyboards, are not afraid to voice our dis-pleasures with the current WWE. We push for so-and-so to gain more exposure on WWE programming while complaining when someone we do not care for (ahem, SuperCena) is over-pushed. Some go as far as creating online petitions in hopes that those in power at WWE will recognize what we want and give it to us.

Look no further than the current WWE Champion CM Punk. For years, fans have pushed for him to be one of, if not THE, top guy in WWE. He has the perfect combination of in-ring ability, promo skills, and marketability. There was no real reason for him not to succeed. Then, in June of this year, he cut a scripted-shoot promo that ignited a new excitement amongst the Internet fan base and an all-new movement for Punk to take his spot at the top of WWE was sparked.

Since then, Punk has been among the most featured Superstars on WWE programming. The company noticed the reaction he was receiving and rewarded that reaction, that fan interest, by giving CM Punk the top spot on its number one show, Monday Night Raw. It was a serious push; it is a serious push. As 2012 is ushered in, Punk is the arguably the most popular star in the company.

But television ratings are not showing it.

The post-TLC six-man tag team match, featuring CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, and Zack Ryder taking on Dolph Ziggler, the Miz, and Alberto Del Rio, ranked as one of the lowest-rated main events in the WWE Raw history. Punk's ratings, across the board, have been disappointing, prompting WWE to take him out of the featured 10:00pm and overrun segments in favor of Cena.

For every Internet wrestling fan that bought the white "Best in the World" t-shirts and wrote blogs begging and pleading and pushing for Punk's ascension, those fans have not turned on Raw or Smackdown. Instead, they read recaps of the shows, then complain and moan when something happens they do not approve of. And there lies the problem.

How can any fan expect an entertainment company of any kind to stick with something that is not working, at least according to the television ratings? There have been dozens of television programs in the past that have had strong Internet fan bases but, because those fans did not translate their fandom into actual views, those shows were cancelled. CM Punk and, before him Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, have suffered from the same situation.

Internet wrestling fans, it appears, often enjoy arguing over the current state of professional wrestling rather than actually watching the show. Somewhere along the line, a small portion of Internet fans became so enamored with their own opinions that they stopped caring about the shows and, rather, voiced their opinion because they liked the attention it brought. Complaining about Daniel Bryan, CM Punk, Zack Ryder, Cody Rhodes, or anyone else not getting the push they deserve only works if you, in return, watch the show when those in charge give you what you want.

Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero saw shortened title reigns because the same bloggers and message board users that wanted them to be pushed to the top of the card never actually supported them by watching Raw and Smackdown.

Is this an indictment on all Internet fans? No. Hell, I am an Internet fan. I write for Bleacher Report, and most of what I write is opinionated work. But I watch the show. And a very large portion of Internet fans do actually watch the show. But there is that small contingent that would rather everyone read their written word, listen to their opinions, and stroke their ego than actually watch the show for which they have such strong words.

So to those of you across the Internet wrestling community that talk a big game but do not back it up by supporting their favorites when they are finally put in a featured position by WWE, do yourself a favor and give your fingers a rest for two hours on Monday nights and two hours on Friday nights and actually watch the show. Without you and without your IWC peers, the men and women we voice our support for will see any time the creative team has invested in them dwindle and, eventually, disappear.