The WWE has built an empire on creating larger-than-life characters who still seem to have at least one foot in the real world. The organization pays close attention to what is hot on the Internet and also how the U.S. in general interacts with other countries. It is no coincidence that Russian characters have been brought in to play the bad guy at certain points in time when our relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin is more than a little strained. It shows that it is paying attention to all sorts of issues outside of its organization and finding ways to connect with the fans on several levels at once.
But every now and then a hot-button topic will come along that is too dicey even for World Wrestling Entertainment to touch, and the riots and protests in Ferguson, Missouri, have actually altered storyline plans.
WWE was originally planning a big push for a new faction, according to Wrestling Inc., that includes Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E. They started popping up here and there but were not being given the kind of time that longtime fans could easily have expected. In recent weeks, the trio have been dubbed "The New Day" and have been the focus of several vignettes. This new faction is now on track to debut on WWE Monday Night Raw next week, so fans will finally learn more about them.
According to Wrestling Inc., the stable's delay is directly related to the unrest in Ferguson. WWE believes that, quite obviously, racial tension is what is lying at the root of the protesting in Missouri, and while it as an organization will not take sides, it also did not want to do anything that could be perceived as contributing to the problem.
The New Day is expected to be almost evangelistic in its delivery and will function in a way similar to that of black churches. While none of this actually has any direct connection to Ferguson, the WWE did not want to face any backlash, instead opting to err on the side of extra sensitivity.
Fans are actually quite anxious for this stable of performers to get a good, solid push, and hopefully it will begin to happen next week.
What are your thoughts on WWE's decision to delay The New Day? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
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