The Reason Revealed For Why WWE Raw's Set Was Changed
Ava Bailey Highlights
- The new set seen on WWE Raw was a one-time arrangement due to heavy snowfall in Arkansas, not a permanent change.
- Some fans had hoped for a new look for Raw and SmackDown, as the current stage setup is considered bland and unexciting.
- Although the set may not be visually appealing, the shows themselves have improved under the oversight of Endeavor and Triple H.
Going into the January 15 WWE Raw, the hype surrounded the World Heavyweight Championship match between reigning champion Seth "Freakin'" Rollins and social media sensation of the week, Jinder Mahal. Before the show began, however, another interesting detail broke. Photos started to show up on social media from fans in attendance before Raw at the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Arkansas. They showed a different setup for the Monday night show, with the stage screen now being in three pieces and a lighting structure that surrounded the ring and went to the stage. Speculation began that Raw was debuting a new set, though if that was so, the new set looked like a downgrade from what had come before.
WWE Raw Moving To Amazon Prime Is A Terrible Idea
If WWE Raw moves from cable TV to a streaming service like Amazon Prime, both the company and fans will suffer.It turns out that the Raw set was a one-time deal and not what the show will be going with in the future. As revealed by The Wrestling Classic, it was done out of necessity due to the large amount of snow that had fallen in North Little Rock, which Michael Cole mentioned at the beginning of the show. On Twitter, The Wrestling Classic said:
"I’ve been told that they had to ground rig everything because the ceilings can’t handle the weight with the snow on the roof. This explains the stage tonight. Regardless I really like it. It’s simple and this entire show is giving me 1997 vibes."
Does WWE Raw & SmackDown Need A New Look?
Alas, if you were excited about Raw's new setup, you won't be seeing it again. Still, perhaps it is time for Raw and SmackDown to get a new look. Raw has a new theme song, and with Endeavor and Triple H now in control, a visual change could show that WWE is no longer in the hands of Vince McMahon. Many have not been a fan of WWE's, or AEW's, stage setup. It's bland, with nothing more than a giant, cold LED screen and no ramp. AEW Dynamite had an awesome setup with the two tunnels, but now it too is just a big screen of bright lights with no excitement to it.
The Raw and SmackDown sets used to have a much more appealing look. Raw drew your eye with the "Titanton" and the ramp that made the superstars feel larger than life. SmackDown used to have a giant fist coming out of its stage. Maybe one day WWE will give us a different stage setup for Raw and SmackDown with some actual thought put into it. Until then, we'll settle for the fact that shows themselves have been much better this past year with Endeavor and Triple H in charge, no matter what the set looks like on TV.
