Wrestling Factions: In Need of a Resurgence.

 

Factions used to be a cornerstone of pro wrestling and through DX and the nWo proved to be game-changers in the industry. Which begs the question, why isn’t the art of wrestlers in gangs harnessed nowadays as it should be?

 

The Four Horsemen are legendary. The nWo changed everything and DX were groundbreaking. One of the most recent examples of a properly used stable was Evolution in the WWE. You know, that group that made those little known rookies Batista and Randy Orton the main event players they are today.

 

Wrestling is about adversity, rivalry and emotion. All three can be massively accentuated by having a promotion filled with stables, with veterans guiding rookies not just off-screen but on-screen too, helping to build character and causing popularity by association.

 

What’s more, it can be controlled. Those behind the scenes can select who gets to join in and who doesn’t, so there is no risk of an association with a white hot stable happening by accident, something I’m sure which goes down well with the WWE.

 

It says a lot for the formulaic nature of the present day WWE where a handful forever dominate that stables are virtually non-existent. TNA’s pushing of Fortune appears positive, but these things have to be done properly.A brand has to be created and pushed solidly, loose-alliances with little behind them tend to fizzle out fast.

 

Rookies can carve an identity and personality with greater ease and less pressure as part of a group. New stars can easily be created at a fraction of the screen time and capital that a solo push requires. Oh, and from a business angle: fans of anything prefer to buy into a team or franchise than an individual.

 

Come on guys, lets see some more factions. The NXT storyline looks to be the start of something positive and has caused a major stir, but things need to be taken further like when the WWF's Attitude era was at its peak with The  Ministry, The Corporation, The Brood and so on. MMA has shown that camps and labels can latch onto fans’ attention quickly ala TapOut and Affliction, proving that such a pluralistic concept is very much a thing still relevant today. Lets see a push towards this under-harnessed cornerstone of wrestling.