WrestlePalooza: Will the ECW Moniker Hurt WWE’s ESPN PLE Debut?
WWE recently announced its streaming service with ESPN, with the first PLE WrestlePalooza scheduled for September 20th. WrestlePalooza will emanate from Indianapolis from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, marking a major milestone to air on ESPN. However, the revival of the WrestlePalooza moniker associated with ECW has sparked debate among fans. Fans question whether the moniker will bring a nostalgic callback or confuse new fans tuning into ESPN. The moniker name originally launched in the 90s, bringing a sense of clash and gritty underground playground removed from WWE’s presentation.
The moniker name WrestlePalooza brings a sense of nostalgia, but also a new playground that many viewers from ESPN may seem unfamiliar with wrestling’s subculture. Will the momentum of the ECW association alienate ESPN’s new deal with WWE or bring a broader audience to future PLEs? By resurrecting the name, WWE may be attempting to tap into the nostalgia of long-time fans while introducing a legacy to a broader audience. As WWE continues to expand PLEs, the success of WrestlePalooza could set the tone for future collaborations with ESPN or fail to establish the new media footprint. Whether the ECW moniker proves to be a nostalgic act or a branding mistake seems to be the question. The card is expected to feature top-tier talent, including Roman Reigns and CM Punk, signaling WWE’s intent to make a strong first impression on ESPN.
The confirmation to bring back the ECW-style themes or use the name as a branding tool for ESPN brings the momentum of the sports media to a new level. The success of WWE's momentum nostalgia act may bring a downfall to the company’s polished presentation and the controversy of the new streaming service with ESPN. When WWE acquired the assets of ECW, the franchise of ECW’s moniker came with a steady price to bring the ECW genre to a new audience. While fans await to see the monumental success or downfall of WrestlePalooza, the inaugural event is expected to bring new faces to the streaming service of ESPN. Fans are expected to feel the impact of WrestlePalooza and the chaos WWE brings to reinvent the moniker branding name of ECW.
