Should We Accept That Twitter Is Now a Big Part of WWE?

I, like many of you out there, hate the overuse of Twitter on WWE programming. It seems as if WWE promotes that site more than Twitter could have done on their own.

I am not a fan of the micro-blogging site personally, but I get the appeal. It allows people to connect with friends, family, co-workers and people they are interested in, like WWE superstars.

There is no denying that Twitter has had a big effect on WWE, but the question is whether that effect has been good for the company or not.

Michael Cole is always telling us what is trending on Twitter, and graphics appear at the bottom of the screen throughout the shows as well.

The use of the Internet to get a wrestler over is nothing new, as there have been wrestling websites since the Internet first exploded into popularity in the '90s.

Guys like CM Punk, John Cena and Zack Ryder have used the service to connect to their fans. Some others have used it a little more conservatively.

Over the years, technology has changed the way wrestling is presented to fans both live in person and on television. Let's take a look at how technology has changed wrestling.

Television

When television first came into the homes of Americans there was only one channel, and you could barely make out what was showing on it.

In the following few decades, TV emerged as the main source of family entertainment. Wrestling promotions began showing their matches on different networks, which greatly increased public awareness of the product.

As time went on, more and more wrestling started showing up on TV, and soon there were weekly shows fans could tune into in order to see their favorite brawlers.

Now in 2011, we have several choices for wrestling on TV. WWE puts on several hours of programming each week, TNA has a weekly two-hour show and ROH can be seen by many people across the country.

Every once in a while a smaller promotion will pop up on TV, but very few have lasted over the years.

Closed-Circuit TV/PPV

Closed-circuit television was the precursor for pay-per-view and that is how WWE and other companies would show off their biggest shows.

Because this service was still new when WrestleMania first went on the air, people would often crowd into whatever bar or restaurant they could find that was willing to show the event.

Once PPV came into prominence, it was much easier for anyone with cable or satellite to pick up these shows and watch them at home.

Now there are over 30 PPV events each year that revolve around wrestling and the list will only continue to grow if other promotions like ROH keep growing.

Home Video/DVD

With the introduction of VHS came WWE Home Video. This helped change wrestling just as much as when they first got on TV.

These videos/DVDs are produced in several different ways. Some are compilations of matches by a specific superstar or gimmick, some are one-night events like SummerSlam and others are documentary-style.

Whatever kind of wrestling fan you are, there is some kind of DVD for you out there. Thirty years ago fans were lucky to have a VCR, let alone the ability to go buy the newest videos for an affordable price.

WWE makes a lot of money off of their DVD sales, and they have put great effort into making sure they keep getting better as years go on.

The Internet

The Internet was first established as a way for researchers to share data sets across the country from different universities.

Now there are more uses for the Internet than there are in a Swiss army knife. The Internet has been a very effective form of communication for wrestling.

If I remember correctly, and this might not be right, the first wrestler to have their own website was the Undertaker, and WWE made a huge deal out of it by showing tons of commercials telling fans to visit.

Ever since then, the Internet has become a breeding ground for wrestling fans to voice their opinions and debate amongst each other.

This has also caused some backlash as people, like me, who write about wrestling have been dubbed "The IWC."

This acronym is almost a dirty word because people tend to clump all of us together, despite the fact that we have varying opinions on everything from belt designs to which wrestler deserves a push.

This is where Twitter comes in. The social site, which has been embraced by numerous celebrities, politicians and other world leaders has allowed WWE talent to connect with their fans in a whole new way.

I wouldn't mind the use of Twitter so much if it was not being shoved down our throats like a bird regurgitating worms for its young.

If WWE keeps using Twitter the way they have been, then we may just have to accept that like so many other forms of technology before it, it is here to stay.

I might not be happy about it, but I can deal with it. What about you? Does the overuse of Twitter turn you off from wrestling at all?

Check out my new piece Why CM Punk Needs to Win at TLC, and Who Is Natalie Slater?