Opinion by Da-Met

We're all awaiting the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin, after he left WWE in frustration because of issues with the writers.

About two weeks ago, Eric Bischoff announced he'd invited Austin back for No Way Out. The next week, ratings jumped to 4.1, except there was no Austin on the show. This week, the ratings sunk back down to 3.4, which is a huge drop. What happened? I think the answer's pretty obvious. Fans heard about Austin's return, tuned into RAW, and got pissed off about the bait-and-switch.

I believe that the way Austin's return is being handled, as a PPV thing, is a MISTAKE. But wait, Da-Met, you're saying... it's smart business! People will buy the PPV to see Austin! Its buyrate will shoot up!

No Way Out 2002. Wrestlemania X8. Summerslam 2002. All of these shows drew good to great buyrates (I'm not actually sure about Summerslam's number but from all indications it did very good). So why is 2002 considered to be a bad year for business? Why is 1996 considered a bad year for business, when Wrestlemania did a high buyrate that year? Looking back at 2002, a decently promoted Wrestlemania and Summerslam will always do a good buyrate. That leaves No Way Out, the beginning of the WWE's version of nWo. From indications it drew a good buyrate mostly because of people wanting to see the nWo, yet the angle as well as general business is considered a bust. Ratings didn't rise significantly because of them.

Here's what I'm trying to say. Popping a good buyrate brings in some good money, but it doesn't help business as a whole. Popping seven good to great buyrates in a row does that. Frustrating fans during the week to week to week period, at this point in time is not a good thing with the business the way it is. They did the exact same thing with the return of the nWo, and it drew a good buyrate... but it didn't help business much at all. Rock/Hogan, which started up on RAW by the way, drew big numbers for Wrestlemania.

You cannot afford to piss off these fans at this point. When business is up to a certain level, THEN and ONLY THEN can you afford to really hold off things for PPV. Now don't get me wrong, there are times you SHOULD hold big things off to a PPV. Wasting Rock/Hogan on RAW would have been idiotic. WCW shot themselves in the foot with Hogan/Goldberg on Nitro. Rock/Brock was a big-time money maker for PPV. If it was a return match, then I'd advocate holding it off to PPV.

What matters is keeping things constantly up. What WWE DESPERATELY needs is that sense that anything can happen, so fans will tune in every week. But wait, if you suddenly have Austin show up, aren't you wasting potential upside to the angle?

The mere announcement of Austin's return jumped ratings up to a 4.1 by fans wanting to see Austin. They've left already, and WWE is left hoping that these fans will have ordered the PPV or will tune in following No Way Out. Now let me ask you something, what if these 4.1 million (I'm aware 1 ratings point doesn't equal 1 million exactly, but for the sake of argument) who tuned into RAW last week because of the announcement... got a shocking appearance by Austin, who delivered a stunner and raised hell? Don't you think, provided the follow-up was good, they'd keep watching? Then what if the next week, he spoke and cut a killer classic Austin feet rousing promo. Wouldn't they keep watching if it was done right? Then there could be a match at the PPV, coupled with Rock/Hogan II, I firmly believe that this would have drawn more or less a similar buyrate, if not higher, than what No Way Out will draw now.

Holding off a mere appearance for PPV doesn't work like it would in times when ratings were in the sixes. After all, Austin will be at RAW or SD the next week anyways. They’ve done this dance before, and the fans have caught on.

A hyped up return match should be held for PPV, a mere little appearance shouldn't. With the audience you have now, matches sell PPV, not promos. Austin's return should have been a complete surprise (since it's already been PROVEN thanks to the jump after the announcement that people would have tuned in the following week), or at worst, one week after the announcement.

If WWE signs Goldberg (which I think they shouldn't do, but that's another story), I believe he should debut as a surprise.

By handling Austin's return the way they have, WWE gained some viewers... and already lost them. Pray Vince, pray that they're going to pay their money to see Austin make an appearance after you already pissed them off, and pray these pissed off viewers will watch RAW or SD the week after.