WWE Speed, in theory, is a great concept featuring 3-minute action-packed matches.
This break-neck pace is something a modern audience could appreciate, considering the average attention span of people today is 8.25 seconds, with this style off to the races in the first few seconds due to the time constraint.
Unfortunately, WWE Speed has not caught on as WWE would expect it. The Hardcore Championship caught on, and the title literally has champions who reigned in far less time than it takes for a WWE Speed match to end in its history books.
The less successful 24/7 Championship gathered enough attention on television and social media in its first few months to have a sizeable three-year run in the promotion.
With all that in mind, we have a few ideas about how WWE can improve upon the concept and make it more marketable to a larger audience.
Match Variety
TODAY on #WWESpeed!@TozawaAkira faces Riley Osborne in the #WWESpeed No. 1 Contender’s Tournament! Who will punch their ticket to the #WWESpeed Quarterfinals? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/ub1Y0qf5WD
— WWE (@WWE) November 1, 2024
As mentioned, the whole WWE Speed concept is built on its social media-friendly length, with matches lasting only three minutes. While that’s great for a quick wrestling fix, it could be more sustainable.
We suggest changing the format a bit. WWE could still maintain the three-minute matches. However, they could incorporate a five-minute variant match, which the promotion considered before WWE Speed even launched on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Incorporate the five-minute stipulation in championship matches. It’s not too long to depart from the initial concept, but it’s also not too short to make these matches meaningless.
Apart from an extended match time limit, WWE could incorporate Three-Way Dances, Fatal 4-Way, and even a Six-Pack Challenge into the mix. Will it be chaotic? Absolutely. But will it freshen up the concept? Most definitely.
Get it on More Social Media Platforms
SEPTEMBER 4th#WWESpeed is BACK with its first-ever Women’s Tournament!
Who will win it all?! pic.twitter.com/33FjCDmpct— WWE (@WWE) August 20, 2024
It’s mind-boggling that WWE chooses to air WWE Speed exclusively on X when there are much more popular social media outlets out there. Globally, Facebook and YouTube rank first and second as the most used social media platforms, yet WWE Speed is missing from them.
TikTok is tailor-made for a concept like WWE Speed, but it’s not on it. Instagram is a haven for engagement, and WWE Speed is not on there. The idea is simple: put this product on more social media platforms, and you expose it to a wider audience.
If Facebook is considered too old, Instagram Reels, YouTube shorts, and the whole of TikTok is the way to go. X, while great for news, backstage, and post-show interviews and tidbits, is not built for this show. WWE Speed will fit better on the platforms mentioned.
Feature WWE Speed on TV or Pre-Shows
.@CandiceLeRae is your FIRST-EVER #WWESpeed Women’s Champion!! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/F7xYwQQxEn
— WWE (@WWE) October 9, 2024
If WWE wants the show and WWE Speed Championships to mean something, they should be on “must-watch” programming. They did this with 205 Live. While it didn’t prove to be a massive success, it still shined a light on the program and its stars.
It wouldn’t have gone that long if people hadn’t watched it, regardless of whether the audiences compared to the Monday, Tuesday, and Friday night shows are a massive downgrade.
Have a showcase match on Raw, NXT, or SmackDown. Since it’s three minutes long, why not feature it as a hot opening match for a PLE pre-show? WWE can set this brand up for bigger things if it treats it like a commodity and not an add-on.
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