Editorial: Could Triple H’s Recruitment Backfire?
Is Hunter hiring too many wrestlers? Triple H has already brought back Dakota Kai, Dexter Lumis, Iyo Sky, Karrion Kross, and Scarlett, with rumors that there are more to come.
Names such as Bray Wyatt, Johnny Gargano, and Candice LaRae have been mentioned as well. The WWE released a small army of wrestlers in 2020 and 2021, some of which are still unsigned.
However, does the WWE need to return to the days when it seemingly signed anyone with a pulse, largely to keep AEW from raiding talent?
If the past week is any indicator, Triple H has a vision for the WWE and he knows who he wants to push in the WWE, including wrestlers currently working and wrestlers who are free agents.
Ciampa’s strong push and what looks to be a strong push for the recently-returned Karrion Kross are any sign of things to come, , Triple H’s NXT favorites are going to get lots of love from “The Game,” including offers to come back.
A Booker’s Dream
At first glance, Triple H is living a booker’s dream. Not only is he head of creative but he is the EVP of Talent Relations, which allows him to book both who he wants and how he wants.
Throw in his wife being co-CEO of the WWE and Triple H has the resources and authority to carefully craft everything that appears on WWE television and premium events.
However, as Warner Brothers executive Jack L. Warner famously said “Heavy is the head that wears the toilet seat.” What Jack meant is anyone’s guess but it’s such a wacky quote that it seems to fit with wrestling.
Helmsley has the means and the power to create and implement his vision of what today’s wrestling fans want. This vision means building the WWE’s roster but at what point will WWE executives ask is Hunter hiring too many wrestlers?
The Current Roster
RAW has roughly 48 Superstars based on WWE.com’s roster (discounting non-wrestlers such as Corey Graves, Stephanie McMahon, etc.) while SmackDown has roughly 38. This does not include recent additions such as RAW’s Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky and SmackDown’s Karrion Kross and Scarlett on SmackDown.
While the WWE will likely release current Superstars who don’t fit into Triple H’s vision of the WWE, it’s unlikely there will be that many wrestlers sent packing. While it’s possible that the future roster will be the same size as the current roster, it’s likelier the future roster will be noticeably larger after Triple H brings in his wish list of wrestlers.
The Costs of a Large Roster
Short of a complete collapse (such as the loss of its big-money TV rights deals), the WWE can afford a larger roster. That in itself isn’t an issue.
While WWE President (and current co-CEO) Nick Khan was wise to trim the WWE’s long-term high-priced contracts to create the appearance of a cost-conscious executive (especially during the pandemic), the case can be made that additional spending is justifiable.
So far, Triple H hasn’t gone off the deep end in signing talent (Exhibit A being AEW President Tony Khan) but the possibility is there at the current rate.
Nonetheless, the reality of the WWE’s contracts is that the company can cancel any contract subject to a 90-day no-compete clause so even the longest of contracts is meaningless unless a wrestler is somehow able to negotiate a no-cut clause.
However, even if the WWE decides it’s prudent to have a larger roster, will Triple H bring in more wrestlers than the WWE can effectively use?
The Difference Between the WWE and AEW
Unlike AEW, the WWE has more TV time to feature its roster than AEW. RAW and SmackDown’s five hours are nearly twice as many as AEW’s three hours on Dynamite and Rampage (and considering the piss-poor way AEW books Rampage, I’d argue it only has two hours).
Although the 5 August SmackDown was a weak showing by Triple H (other than the surprise return of Karrion Kross), the 1 August was a well-booked show that gave many wrestlers TV time for matches, promos, and segments to forward storylines.
I would argue the WWE can feature a larger roster if it books its shows like it did the 1 August RAW.
Is Hunter Hiring Too Many Wrestlers? Can Rotating Wrestlers Help?
The WWE can benefit from AEW’s policy of rotating its wrestlers on Dynamite. Although this is the result of AEW’s bloated wrestler, it’s something the WWE should consider.
Fans will want to see certain stars on a weekly basis (with occasional exceptions) but there is no reason the same undercard stars have to wrestler every week or even appear on TV.
Obviously, as wrestlers’ popularity grows, this will change but as the WWE demonstrated during the Attitude Era, there are many ways to feature wrestlers on TV.
Backstage promos, run-ins, and other non-wrestling activities make it possible to showcase stars without putting them into lengthy matches.
The WWE appears to be relying on these techniques, even as they add longer matches to draw fans who enjoy solid in-ring action.
Is Hunter Hiring Too Many Wrestlers? Stars Will Rise, Others Will Fall
If Hunter does bring in more wrestlers, it’s inevitable that some stars will see their push grow while others will see their push fall. The tricky part is ensuring that the stars Triple H push are accepted by the fans, particularly if he demotes fan-favorite wrestlers.
Pushing new stars isn’t a bad thing and fans have long lamented the WWE’s inability and/or unwillingness to create new stars. Triple H and WWE management must be willing to give these wrestlers time to develop rather than continuing Vince McMahon’s knee-jerk policy of canceling pushes on a whim.
Regrettably, the WWE isn’t a fantasy league where Triple H can book wrestling as he sees fit with no real-world consequences. If the WWE Universe doesn’t agree with his choices in the long run, he’ll face the same problem as Vince; pushing wrestlers down the fans’ throats, leading to an exodus of fans.
At the same time, Triple H will face grumbling from the WWE’s network partners i.e., the people paying the bills, if his vision doesn’t resonate with the fans and the ratings drop.
I’m Your Boss, Not Your Friend
Regardless of whether Hunter goes overboard in bringing in new talent, a larger roster will lead to some wrestlers feeling underutilized or ignored. Currently, the WWE is the happiest place on earth, much like AEW was when it debuted.
This will change and despite Triple H’s best intentions, he will have to deal with disgruntled wrestlers as well as the egos that drive the business.
Triple H will have to make some hard choices, alienating some wrestlers and fans. So far there has been no sign the WWE is changing its classification of wrestlers as independent contractors so this is another problem likely to arise again.
Is Hunter Hiring Too Many Wrestlers? The Million-Dollar Question
While Triple H seems like he’s bringing in too many wrestlers, the WWE has the money to pay them and its contract system allows it to release wrestlers largely at will.
Once the honeymoon period ends, Triple H will have to find a balance of pushing his stars alongside existing stars without alienating existing fans.
Triple H supporters can argue that “The Game” could bring in so many lapsed and new fans that the WWE can afford to lose some of its base.
However, some of this base has been around for over a decade and as history has shown, fans can be fickle and both new and lapsed fans may tune out just as quickly as they tuned in.
I foresee problems for the WWE if Triple H brings in many more wrestlers. Short of significant releases to open spots for Triple H’s influx of new and returning wrestlers will lead to a bloated roster, disgruntled wrestlers, and a product that is too revolutionary for fans.
Once the novelty of Triple H’s booking wears off, it will be up to the new roster and the new vision to keep existing fans and bring in additional fans.
If not, Triple H will be criticized for turning RAW and SmackDown into a high-end version of NXT and alienating the base.
Do you think Triple H is going to hire too many wrestlers? Let us know in the comments below.
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