When did NXT become the new RAW?

[Ogmore 28]

It wasn't that long ago that RAW was the best thing happening within WWE, but it seems the torch has been passed to NXT. Isn't NXT supposed to be about their developmental talent? When did NXT become the new RAW? What was the biggest catalyst?

[Gareth The Great 20]

I think WWE threw everything into NXT in order to compete with AEW for viewers. If they failed, Vince would be able to claim that it's not a big deal because NXT is just their developmental company. AEW was putting up their best wrestlers against WWE's rookies. Had AEW competed with SD or RAW it would be a different story. I think AEW's TV deal was the catalyst. It's just speculation, but I could see that being his strategy.

[Zack T 171]

I think WWE threw everything into NXT in order to compete with AEW for viewers. If they failed, Vince would be able to claim that it's not a big deal because NXT is just their developmental company. AEW was putting up their best wrestlers against WWE's rookies. Had AEW competed with SD or RAW it would be a different story. I think AEW's TV deal was the catalyst. It's just speculation, but I could see that being his strategy.

 

That's pretty much the answer. AEW announced their weekly TV show, Dynamite, would debut on TNT on October 2nd 2019 and just a short while later, WWE announced that (SURPRISE) they'd secured a 2 hour prime time tv slot at the exact same time Dynamite will be airing each week, but on the USA Network instead. They also rushed NXT out there, 2 weeks ahead of AEW's debut. They did those 2 split episodes where 1 hour was on USA and 1 hour on the WWE Network.

 

WWE likes to pretend that they are doing all of this at their own pace and of their own volition, but it's garbage. I don't really doubt that WWE might've been in talks with USA to bring NXT up for a 2 hour weekly live show, you don't get something like that scheduled and settled in a matter of weeks, so that probably was already at least being discussed before AEW came into the picture. BUT the way they rushed it out there so they could get the NXT presence 2 weeks ahead of AEW's debut screams of reactionary booking, as well as having their first proper 2 hour show on October 2nd, opposite of AEW Dynamite on TNT that same night.

 

Ever since then, WWE has made a conscious effort to elevate NXT from being viewed as the "Developmental brand" that people aspired to LEAVE for Raw and Smackdown, and turn it into a brand with stars established to be just as important as Raw or Smackdown stars, but also kept separate for their own identity.

[Zack T 171]

I can't edit my post so I'll double post because I don't play by the rules, man.

 

NXT is FAR better than Raw, that should be clarified. I suppose in a way it's a new Raw, in that it's exciting TV each week. Still isn't getting the ratings yet though and that ticks me off :( But not being able to hold their shows in arenas has been hurting their viewership a little bit, I think. AEW looks big league, like Raw or Smackdown usually. Or at least bigger than Full Sail is. Even as fun as the Full Sail crowd is, it doesn't have the same grandiose feel as a 10 to 14000 person arena does, especially when those AEW crowds or NXT Take Over crowds have just as much noise and enthusiasm. But hopefully soon they'll start doing that. I read they had an exclusive venue contract with Full Sail going through March or April 2020. So maybe pretty soon they'll be on tour :o Hope they get pay raises again. That's a lot more travel than they got now.