Sample English-2010 Issue-Analysis Report
Note to reader: This draft is re-printed here with the author's permission. These student drafts are provided for a couple of reasons: first, to give you a taste of the variety of topics and approaches students have taken, and second, to provide instructors with readings that might be used in class discussions and activities. These samples are not perfect and represent final grades from across the grade scale (A through F), so please be forgiving, understanding, and respectful if you find errors or problems.
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Chidi Okonkwo
Professor Peterson
English 2010
Issue Analysis
July 9, 2015
WrestleMania: A Hit or Miss?
Wrestling as a sport has several active organizations in basically, if not all the continents around the world. There is the High Impact wrestling in Canada, All Japan Pro Wrestling (obviously in Japan), World Wrestling Association in Mexico, the list goes on and on. The list rounds up to about fifty active organizations, if I’m not mistaking. Now, all of these wrestling organizations have a unique quality with which they are being identified with but none of them can be matched to WWE’s (World Wrestling Entertainment) yearly main event – Wrestlemania. According to sports illustrated, the success of the WWE today, stems directly from the 1980’s, the period when wrestlemania debuted (Kennedy .3). The WWE has – for most of its years, always been a family owned business and still is. Previously known as WWF (World Wrestling Federation), the WWE debuted the wrestlemania event on the 31 of March 1985 and was staged at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Since then, it has become somewhat of a tradition for the WWE to annually hold wrestlemania events which have been identified by the numeral figures each wrestlemania is assigned, with the latest being wrestlemania 31. All the wrestlemania’s that have been held usually have one thing in common – a special main event. I label it a special main event because of all the matches which comprise the wrestlemania, this is the one most of, if not all the fans are eager to watch unfold. It would even be safe to say that a number of fans buy tickets just because they are really interested in watching the main event live. The special main event (as I call it) can be any sort of match but the main goal is winning the world heavyweight championship belt. Most of the time, it is usually scheduled for a pin fall or submission. Well, this idea of winning a title belt wasn’t applied in wrestlemania one. Instead a tag team match was held as the main event in order to settle the script written rivalry between Hulk Hogan tagged with Mr. T and Roddy Piper tagged with Mr. Wonderful. Script written you say? Yes, most of the rivalries between opponents are script written and the script writers involved make use of the kayfabe concept – the portrayal of staged events within the industry as “real” or “true”. With all that being said, here is the main question I hope to answer in this essay. Is wrestlemania just one of those fads that the society eventually gets over with? In this essay, I look forward to analyzing some of the factors and elements that make each and every wrestlemania event special and why the society wouldn’t add it to its list of extinct events.
Storyline/ Script Build-Up
As mentioned in the paragraph above, wrestling in WWE of late is seen to be more of a show than a sporting event. According to McNaughton, a storyline topic is built around a number of “episodes” that gradually develop the line of the story. And as a common knowledge to everyone, characters in every story are given well written scripts that they have to follow while acting. Well for the WWE, these characters are referred to as wrestlers or athletes and each and every one of them have a particular persona they are assigned. So for every match that is being fought in the ring, there should be a story of sort behind it. Take for instance, the match between Paul Levesque (popularly known as “Triple H”) and Steve Borden (popularly known as “Sting”) at wrestlemania thirty one – this year’s wrestlemania. Triple H and Sting worked in different wrestling organizations but somehow they were able to brawl it out at this year’s wrestlemania. According to the video I watched on the WWE network, the storyline between them ensued when Sting noticed how Triple H (a member of the authority) disrespected other wrestlers in the WWE by forcefully making them loyal to him. Triple H by the way is also the COO of the WWE organization, so that even makes the story more interesting as he uses his resources to bully other wrestlers. Sting, who works for WCW (World Championship Wrestling) sees the mess Triple H was causing in the WWE and decides to take the game to him in form of Justice. The feud between both superstars goes on for a while which lead to their allotted match slot in wrestlemania. Now, with all the ingredients of drama and suspense in the build up to a match, even a non-fan might gain interest in the outcome and result of the match. The concept of storyline and script build-up has been one of the main reason why WWE is still in business. Also, it is the reason why wrestlemania won’t be leaving the sports industry anytime soon.
Advertisement about Wrestlemania
Advertisement is a crucial aspect of any organization that plans on making its products or services in any form known to the society. For WWE, it is essential for ads that make way for wrestlemania be put out in the society. These ads usually give an outline of the storyline build up and are sometimes intense. This is done for the purpose of building up the “heat” (in the sense that people’s curiosity of what the outcome would be high,) and series of activities that have been lined up for the event. How is this done you ask? To start with, the WWE Network consists of different shows that go live week in week out. Some of these shows are identified as RAW, SMACKDOWN, NXT, etc. are being utilized as mediums to advertise the wrestlemania event. Through the vast number of shows which WWE network have installed, majority of audiences that watch these shows are targeted. Also, with the developed partnership with HULU PLUS (yeah, WWE is that awesome), ads that concern WWE events have now been added to the list of ads that HULU network have to stream in order to keep their subscription prices in check. Let’s take a break from the media and look at other ways through which wrestlemania is being promoted. WWE organizes tours to different selected locations. These tours, which encompass ta god number of WWE superstars, is organized as a form of charity and community happening; whereby, they go to schools, malls and social locations, meet with fans and perform different activities together. These tours also serve as a means through which wrestlemania is being promoted. Also, during season the season of wrestlemania, billboards and posters are put up and fliers are sent out. With all these means in place, the thought of wrestlemania’s extinction in the society would be a virtually impossible one.
Fans of Mania
Another factor that would play a huge role in ensuring the survival of wrestlemania is the fans. In an article written by Maldonaldo, he writes about how fans have become pieces to financial puzzles in owners’ eyes (par. 10). The message Maldonldo seeks to pass across in his article is how owners of sports organizations see fans playing a very important role in making sure that the organization continues to thrive. Fans in the WWE universe play different roles. Take for example, in a match situation, they often times dictate the pace at which the wrestlers brawl. For the WWE, wrestlemania is that all important event that fans love which in turn sustains and continues to build the WWE organization. Below are some of the types of fans I am able to narrow down to.
The Select Men
In my youth days, I was always excited when my favorite wrestler fought in a wrestlemania match. Of course at that time I wasn’t aware it was called wrestlemania; nevertheless, it wouldn’t have changed my love for wrestling, it would only indicate that the event was truly special. Now, the Select Men are fans that watch wrestlemania because of one or two of their favorite wrestlers. These type of fans remain ever loyal to their favorite wrestler whether in defeat or success. In a wrestlemania event, they are the ones who you see holding up design boards, chanting excitedly and making sure in every possible way that everyone associated with the WWE universe knows that they are real fans of their favorite wrestler. These fans in their small way have made it possible for the growth of the WWE by going on the internet and social media to post facts about their favorite wrestlers. Also, they act as wrestlemania promoters of some sort. One could as well insinuate that they perform all these activities to improve their bragging rights.
The Sexists
Aside from the weird label (Sexists) I am giving them, they are a very special type of fans. The Sexists been around for a very long time even without realizing. These are the type of fans that watch the wrestlemania event simply for the “sex sells” that encompasses the sport. The sexist fans are those who watch wrestlemania event for the pleasure they get in admiring the body physique of both male and female wrestlers. Over the past decade or so, the WWE organization has created a special division to give female athletes the opportunity to display the wrestling talent in them. Before the origination of the divas division, the sexist fans were presumed to be females (and maybe some homosexuals) who admired the stature of male wrestlers and comment about them in articles, blogs, or even the news. But with the addition of the divas division, these type of fans are not just seen as females only, but as males who swoon over the ‘sexiness’ of these female wrestlers. With the knowledge that fans do appreciate the physique of wrestlers, the WWE have stepped up their standards in making sure that wrestling athletes are physically more appealing to whichever gender deems them ‘sexy’. In their peculiar way they have helped improved the growth of the WWE organization.
The Costumania’s
As a teen, I never had the chance to be a costumania fan. The costume of my favorite wrestler- Rey Mysterio- was really expensive in my home country and only the ‘rich kids’ had the luxury of putting one on. The high boots, designer masks and boot-cut yoga like pants were all features of the veteran wrestlers’ costume. The costumania fans are the ones that are always trying to let people know about their interest in wrestling generally by wearing costumes of different wrestlers. These are the most favored types of fans of the WWE because they unconsciously make people aware of various wrestling events. For example – wrestlemania, an event that has continuously been held since its manifestation in the WWE. Had it not been for the costumania fans, events like the wrestlemania wouldn’t have been popular (or even known) to the society and wrestling as we see it today wouldn’t be a worldwide recognized sport. In recent times, the responsibility of costumania fans have been pushed over to the teens (age 14 and below). We don’t see lots of adults or even teenagers (15 and above) wearing costumes just for the fun or trying to imitate their favorite wrestlers except maybe for the Halloween season. It wasn’t always the case though. Back in the 90’s WWE fans didn’t care about the role age played in putting on a costume. They just wore it to show support for their favorite wrestlers and to create awareness for different wrestling events that were in motion.
The Enchanted
Enchanted fans are the type of fans the WWE organization wish they could have every day. They are the ones that watch wrestling as a result of influence from their peers, family or romantic partner. I have a friend who loves watching wrestling because her dad used to watch it when she was in her youth. According to her story, she decided to join her dad in the sitting room one faithful evening to watch an event that was being televised and she came to grow fond of it. Ever since then, anytime she had the opportunity to watch a wrestling match, she wouldn’t think twice before doing it. They (The Enchanted) don’t really increase the popularity of the WWE the way other types of fans do, but they certainly add to the growing numbers.
Celebrity Appearance
First of all I want to start by asking the question, who are celebrities? In an article titled Narcissism and Celebrity, Young and Pinsky defined celebrities as individuals who have achieved a level of fame that makes them well known in society (464). Also, how do you identify a celeb in an event? In an article written by Fraser and Brown, a celebrity’s status is dependent on the attention given to them by the public (184). How does this relate to wrestlemania you ask? When we take a look at the most recent mania event, the appearance of Dwayne Johnson (Also known as The Rock) rocked the arena, not only that, but the fact that he was also involved in the event not as a wrestler but someone a figure that had to step up and challenge the authority (Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon). This not only pleased the fans, it also created a stem of rivalry (kayfabe- script build-up) which might as well be the main event of the next wrestlemania. Another popularly known celeb that made an appearance in this year’s wrestlemania is UFC Women’s Bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey. Ronda, just as any other celeb was amidst the crowd as a spectator enjoying the show until The Rock requested for her help in dealing with Stephanie McMahon. This was right after Stephanie assaulted him. Apparently, the crowd also glad and excited to see Ronda. She also added some taste to the event by challenging Stephanie. Of course, Stephanie is no longer a wrestler, did not give in to the challenge but did what she was always good at – running her mouth. Ronda, who was already disgusted by her attitude, grabbed and threw her out of the ring. The whole scenery aroused the chanting of spectators in the arena. Skylar Grey, Travis Barker and Kid Ink were among the list of celebs that attended this year’s wrestlemania. Skylar Grey performed the one of the official theme song of this year’s wrestlemania – Rise (that’s the title of the song). Kid Ink performed the second official theme song titled money and power. Performances from both artists served as entertainment in-between matches and kept the spirit in the audiences alive and hungry for more action. Travis barker on the other hand got the best of both, in the sense that he played the drum for Skylar and Kid during each of their performance. When it comes to showcasing celebrities at wrestlemania, WWE has a way of creating unexpected appearances that usually drives the audience wild which adds to one of the reasons why the numbers (attendance wise) keep increasing for each wrestlemania and also, why each wrestlemania is peculiar in its own way. So long as WWE can keep on providing the unexpected (celebrity wise), there is no reason for fear of wrestlemania being extinct.
Wrestling Moves
Over the past decade or two, the evolution and revolution of wrestling moves displayed at each and every wrestlemania event has proved to be an attention grabber. One thing that we all must understand is that most these moves which are carried out in the ring take months to practice and sometimes up to a year to perfect. In a wrestlemania event, one of the expectations that fans require is to watch a spectacular move unfold. The year’s wrestlemania did not deny the fans and spectators that privilege as they got to witness Randall Keith Orton (popularly known as Randy Orton) deliver an R.K.O in midair to Colby Lopez who goes by the ring name Seth Rollins. That finishing move got the whole crowd roaring and chanting because that was the first time ever Randy pulled a stunt like that. Michael Cole, a WWE commentator described it as the best R.K.O finisher Randy has pulled in his long list of delivered R.K.O. Old school moves such as the Ropewalk – which is one of the moves Mark Calaway (also known as The Undertaker) has in his arsenal of taunting moves were showcased, which added some historic flavor to the event. Speaking of historic, the fans and spectators also had the opportunity to witness the Tombstone Pile-driver that was delivered by the Undertaker and according to rumors and speculation, that might as well be the last people would get to witness the Undertaker in the ring. He is considering retirement after 25 years of service with the WWE. This section of wrestling moves can be challenging in terms of explanation. Words cannot create that sensation one feels when watching these moves live via television or even at the wrestlemania event. Nevertheless, it still proves to be one of the most exciting aspect of wrestlemania and will definitely be a factor to its long-term existence.
Stage Entrance
Stage Entrance has always being one of those surprise elements that is included in every wrestlemania event. As every wrestler has his/her signature move, the same idea also applies to stage entrance. These entrance performances are also accompanied with the wrestler’s choice of music or beat. Looking back at the previous wrestlemania’s up to the most current, one could pick out some of the spectacular stage entrances ever. In a video I watched in the WWE network titled Shawn Michaels WrestleMania 12 Entrance, I was dazed to see Michael Hickenbottom (who goes by the ring name Shawn Michaels) glide from the topmost part of the arena – which was from a high distance, to the ring. Spectators at the event were curious as to where the champ was going to pop out from until someone pointed to the direction of a man dressed in glittering white costume. Another wrestler that really fancies spectacular stage entrance is Triple H. He is known for his King-like attire which he tries as much as possible to modify during the past three wrestlemania’s. John Cena on the other hand has always carried on his worldwide recognized entrance which comprises of three words, HUSTLE, LOYALTY and RESPECT. An article written by Joy Taylor points out how John Cena begins every match by giving a military salute to all the fans (317). Of all these entrances, the one that raised the eyebrows of most WWE fans is Miroslav Barnyashev’s (commonly known as Rusev) entrance to this year’s wrestlemania. Rusev entered the LEVI stadium in an actual Tank waving the Russian flag. Stout David – a writer for Time.com – expressed his thoughts on this entrance in his article by stating that although Rusev didn’t win his match at wrestlemania, he definitely did win the best entrance style of the event.
Overall, when we take a look at some of the factor/elements of wrestlemania such as Storyline or Script build-up, Advertisement, Fans, Celebrities, Wrestling moves, and Stage entrance style that have been analyzed above, it undeniably becomes clear how each wrestlemania that has taken place is special in its own liking. It is then approved to predict that the upcoming wrestlemania’s wouldn’t be found wanting and the Wrestlemania as a whole would not be shoved under the rug.
Work Cited
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Young, Mark S., Pinsky, Drew. “Narcissism and Celebrity”. Journal of Research in
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World Wrestling Entertainment website. Wrestlemania History.
http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/history/12
Maldonaldo, Jonathan. “Fans Role in Sports Today as Seen by Owners” Business Insider
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