As a college football fan, the phrase “transfer portal” likely brings out some strong emotions. That being said, the new WWE transfer portal could actually work. However, it will require a level of discipline that the promotion has never once displayed.
In all fairness, the promotion has never had the figures it does now in leadership. Triple H is different in how he views the sports world and his place in it. For this new scheme to keep the rosters clean and attract attention, WWE needs to understand how to present this.
The concept exists in an actual sport so it will be compared to it. The more outrageous or inconsistent the rules are, the worse it will be received. The college football portal, for all of its faults, actually presents a solid model for how a show like WWE should book its portal.
It is official.
Been wanting this for YEARS for myriad reasons (injury replacement, roster refresh, etc.).
Excited to see who could potentially join the War Zone on Mondays…and to see which of my GM pals I can fleece. https://t.co/xECqKNIR2P
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) December 8, 2024
WWE Transfer Portal Should Replace the Annual WWE Draft
The WWE Draft is and always will be a boring concept. Superstars that don’t matter move around, while the ones that do matter stay where they are. Whenever a big move is made, an equally big counter move happens, keeping a somewhat boring stasis.
This will no doubt still occur with the portal but that is okay. It won’t look nearly as contrived as the current draft model looks. That doesn’t mean there can’t be a few call-ups or actual free agent debuts at a specific point in time; it just won’t be a show centered on a rather fake-looking plot device.
Having several superstars disgruntled for some reason is not uncommon in the WWE. Having all of them hit the portal at the same time adds some chaos as the management teams try to court these select few people. It will make a ton more sense.
As far as trying to keep talent, something WWE hit big on commentary in the last draft, they can do that. Managers can try to retain top talent outside of the portal.
It was always silly when the top main eventers just were not drafted first all the time. Reaching for a Blair Davenport felt forced. With this system, you go for who is available, explaining why you don’t target bigger talents, as is a common issue now.
Windows for Transfers Can’t Stay Open Forever
In college football, transfers can generally only happen in the winter for a certain period of time. Those are heading into bowl games and playoff season and in April. Exceptions include when a coach is fired or if a player elects to play in the bowl games before hitting the portal.
The WWE needs to observe these rules or something similar to them. Yes, it would be easy to use this rule to simply move whomever you want to another show whenever Netflix or a Saudi Royal commands it.
They need to fight that urge and announce some ground rules that they stick with, at least for a little while, to build some legitimacy to this program. If WWE was looking to balance the roster-switching capabilities with a solid set of rules that make the concept seem real, here are a few suggestions.
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Firstly, the big four of WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Royal Rumble should all precede a window for movement. Being able to move after those big shows will give them all a finale feeling and allow for the road to WrestleMania and SummerSlam’s fallout to really have a lot of energy behind it.
Secondly, a defeated champion should be allowed, say, a month to transfer if they so choose. Imagine a shocking loss by interference for Bron Breakker.
Fed up by the distractions, he contemplates a move, and the three rosters scramble to get him. It makes sense and is a good television while still being a totally understandable rule for fans watching along.
Consider Why a Superstar Might Request a Transfer
Just like champions leaving after a title loss makes complete sense, every move should be logical. The drama of the draft, so to speak, was often that people who wanted to stay with their team, friends, or roster couldn’t. The uncaring draft was management throwing its weight around as the superstars looked on passively.
Using a WWE Transfer Portal, the superstars would be presented as in control, so their motivations need to be clear when they move. That should be pretty easy, though, especially with shorter shows and premium live events.
A superstar makes a stink about being ignored. A perennial challenger can’t seem to best an entrenched champion. Even a tag team member wants to break out without a violent breakup.
These are just a few of the options WWE has to explain why somebody might want to move. The Survivor Series and Royal Rumble editions in particular can feature superstars angry at somebody on another brand for their action in the Rumble or WarGames matches. Anger sends them into the portal.
Then, they have to convince management to take them on. All the while the risk of an all-out fight breaking out grows.
Yes, behind the scenes, there may be business reasons for a move, but with multiple moves a year, WWE should be strategic about why and how wrestlers would choose that.
Mix-in Suprise Moves With Announced WWE Transfer Portal Moves
WWE should depart from the college model just a bit, as doing so will make it more exciting. In college, the players who declare for the portal are all technically known. Only the real prime targets are widely known, though; the others remain the fascination of superfans of the sport.
To mimic that feeling, WWE should only announce that some people are looking to transfer ahead of time. To really get into it, they could leak some of the lesser-known names to select media early.
That way, the truly connected fans online have their secret content to enjoy. Transfer trackers would probably do well, and WWE can play into that content on social media easily.
If somebody like Raw’s Jey Uso were looking to take out Solo Sikoa on SmackDown and announced he was heading to the portal ahead of time, that would be appropriate. Uso is a main event star, and wondering if he will get his way will get people invested.
Do we need the same announcement for Andrade going the other way? No, we do not. In fact, Andrade popping up as a surprise at the end of a WWE transfer portal period would likely get a more significant reaction than a pre-announced move.
Also, keeping some a secret means that running a disgruntled gimmick doesn’t automatically mean you are leaving. That adds a real shock and intrigue to the gimmick as well.
The WWE Transfer Portal Could Be Great for The Brand Overall
There is a large and loud part of the WWE Universe that would like wrestling to be presented as a sport first and entertainment second. That was not how WWE made its name but it is the direction in which it is heading now.
Joe Tessitorre spent a Saturday calling the Big 12 championship game. Pat McAfee only leaves the Raw commentary desk to host his College Gameday show.
WWE attracts guys like Tyrese Haliburton and George Kittle. Both men could be bound for the Squared Circle when they finish up being elite pro athletes.
Adding this system adds an air of legitimacy. These talents can pick up and leave. NXT can push to be the superior brand through the portal.
Management on Raw can try to offload excess talent by actively pushing people out and through the portal. Unlike the often failed points system or “records mattering,” this gimmick allows the creative team to do as it pleases while more closely following modern sports.
If it doesn’t come across as a blatant attempt to keep the big stars on all brands, it could boost WWE’s image with sports fans.
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