What draws, the chase or the defence?

[Boo!]

The Bryan thing got me thinking. There seems to be two schools of thought. One, is the old-style NWA booking mentality, where it's believed that the babyface chasing the title on a dastardly heel is the way to draw. Similar perhaps to how the AWA worked Hogan and Bockwinkle, believing that the money was to be made by forcing fans pay to see an extended 'chase' scenario where Hogan would seen to disabuse the heel champion of the privilege of his position. This mindset seems to be prevalent in WWE over recent years with, Cena as the exception, there being many instances (HHH's various runs for example) where it's believed the face chasing the heel is how to draw money.

Then you have the other side where people believe that the babyface defending the strap against all-comers is the best way to draw. So in today's WWE it'd mean either Cena or Bryan being the champ and defending (usually successfully) against heel pretenders to the throne - as exemplified by Hogan's 'golden era' WWF run and those subsequently by Austin and Cena, among others.

So which side of the fence do you sit. Do you believe that having the babyface chase the gold or the babyface defend the gold is more suited to drawing money and piquing interest?

[angryfan]

Depends on the booking mentality. NWA was all about the babyface chasing, and it worked well for them. Dusty chasing Flair, Sting or Steamboat going at Flair. "Can the babyface climb the mountain".

Vince ahs always followed the Bruno method, which is Babyface on top stays invincible, and keeps fighting off the evil heels that try to chase him down.

Growing up I watched Flair run things as the evil kingpin. I wanted him to lose, even though I knew he was really good. When he did, and Dusty would get him or Steamboat would have an epic war with him, it'd grab my attention.

When Hogan was on top, I would always just know that it didnt' matter what the heel did, they were losing to Hogan because that was just how it worked. I'd say "Man, that guy is a bastard" (or the six year old equivalent, whatever), then he'd lose when he finally had the title match.

Same thing, really, but to me it's more fun to root for the hero to finally climb that mountain than it is to watch the hero stand there and just shrug off every challenge.

THe key, of course, is that the heel HAS to do something to keep you interested. Flair was on top for ages, but he'd talk smack, run like a coward, then talk more. Hell, the man would cut a heel promo while walking backward up the ramp, telling you how great he was. Combo of chickenshit heel and the arrogant dick who is good enough to back up what he says. Hell, that MADE Flair. I knew he could wrestle with anyone, I knew he was good enough to have the title, but he'd cheat or run and it'd piss me off because I'd be like "He shouldn't have to".

Booking NWA style in WWE doesn't work because WWE top heels are always "cool heels". I prefer the NWA style, but until Flair sobers up and does a Master class on "Make the other guy look good first", it'll never fly in WWE.

[mizerable]

It really does depend.

I'd say the longer you're on top, the most interesting the defense becomes. Any time Cena has a new feud, whether it be RVD's in 2006 or Punk's in 2011 or Bryan's in 2013...the fact that Cena is champ immediately makes the chase on the other end THAT more interesting. So it really goes hand in hand.

[Deleted]

The chase draws, but it will draw more if people are rewarded with the chase succeeding regularly.

[Boo!]

Surpising so many people have gone for the chase when perhaps the biggest boom period coincided with long babyface title run. Indeed as the top wrestling company over the last 40 years + usually having ababy face champ.

Samartino, Backlund, Hogan, Bret, Rock, Austin, Cena. While occasionally the runs would be heel and some more successful than others, WWE has generally been a 'face champ' company. So bit surprised overwhelming support for 'the case' being the better draw.

[Starshine]

Dec 17, 2013 17:03:03 GMT -5 Boo! said:

Surpising so many people have gone for the chase when perhaps the biggest boom period coincided with long babyface title run. Indeed as the top wrestling company over the last 40 years + usually having ababy face champ.

Samartino, Backlund, Hogan, Bret, Rock, Austin, Cena. While occasionally the runs would be heel and some more successful than others, WWE has generally been a 'face champ' company. So bit surprised overwhelming support for 'the case' being the better draw.

Austin was a chaser. I don't recall one of his face reigns lasting more than 3 months. Also he always chased going into Mania.

[SEAN CARLESS]

Dec 17, 2013 15:32:12 GMT -5 Boo! said:

The Bryan thing got me thinking. There seems to be two schools of thought. One, is the old-style NWA booking mentality, where it's believed that the babyface chasing the title on a dastardly heel is the way to draw. Similar perhaps to how the AWA worked Hogan and Bockwinkle, believing that the money was to be made by forcing fans pay to see an extended 'chase' scenario where Hogan would seen to disabuse the heel champion of the privilege of his position. This mindset seems to be prevalent in WWE over recent years with, Cena as the exception, there being many instances (HHH's various runs for example) where it's believed the face chasing the heel is how to draw money.

Then you have the other side where people believe that the babyface defending the strap against all-comers is the best way to draw. So in today's WWE it'd mean either Cena or Bryan being the champ and defending (usually successfully) against heel pretenders to the throne - as exemplified by Hogan's 'golden era' WWF run and those subsequently by Austin and Cena, among others.

So which side of the fence do you sit. Do you believe that having the babyface chase the gold or the babyface defend the gold is more suited to drawing money and piquing interest?

The babyface defense is fun when said babyface is viewed by and large as the unified moral protector of the company; the top hero. You pay money to see him vanquish villains and cheaters and survive plots and machinations to rip him off.

The problem with the heel "chase" though is that it almost always lends to short-term runs for the long-struggling babyface. The reward is fleeting. Flair always got the belt back. Hunter did too. It became a depressing cycle. And the truth was, the NWA belt only really existed in that manner originally because it was a "touring" belt. Flair would draw by going from town to town facing local heroes. But regardless of whether they had a phantom title change and said Flair was still Champion in the next town or not (like say Carlos Colon in the 80's; Flair HAD to flat out get beat or he'd have been potentially killed), people kept paying money to see *THEIR* guy get the gold. It kind of fell apart though once Turner got involved and WCW came to fruition. At that point, it was just Flair getting the belt back over and over on TV and PPV.

Now, today, it's tougher. Because, Cena is so polarizing. Him getting a long reign is horrible to his detractors, because to them he's a heel, but the narrative claims otherwise, and its built around him winning as said babyface. Those fans never get full satisfaction of him being destroyed, like a heel, because he's usually right back into the mix anyway or on top.