ESPN’s “E: 60” franchise airs its “Behind the Curtain” look at WWE tomorrow night. Here’s betting it’s a puff piece.
WWE is what it’s always been: A business based on a lie. But ESPN has lately been headed in the same direction, what with various “broadcast partnerships” precluding much real journalism regarding the partners and, most recently, the shameless pimping of a $180m payday for a five-time convicted domestic abuser.
The presence of Jeremy Schaap offers some hope. But don’t forget that WWE either got hoodwinked (or didn’t) by the Brock Lesnar pre-WrestleMania 31 “announcement” and provided way too much “coverage” of ‘Mania.
WWE is fake. The results are predetermined. By covering WWE, even in small doses, ESPN undermines its credibility.
But ESPN has long been sacrificing credibility at the altar of pursuing more viewers. That’s why fake wrestling mark Bill Simmons appeared on Raw. Jon Gruden predicted the outcome of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Paul Heyman was on ESPN’s SportsNation program. SportsCenter – the friggin’ franchise show – looked back at prior ‘Manias and recapped Seth Rollins’ WWE title win. SportsCenter also live-Tweeted ‘Mania results.
This is all incredibly smart, obviously, on WWE’s part.
But it might be smart on ESPN’s part, too.
Raw’s audience dwarfs SportsCenter’s in the key male demographics. If it’s about ratings, not credibility, ESPN can’t be faulted in that regard.
Just in every other regard.
