The executive changes within WWE could be the paradigm shift that the company desperately needs in terms of creative development. Let me put it more plainly, the addition of Eric Bischoff to run SmackDown Live as Executive Director as well as Paul Heyman being named to the same position for Monday Night Raw could give each show a creative overhaul which is badly needed, as well as hopefully increasing live event attendance.
Stomping Grounds only got about 4,500 people to attend the event, and Monday Night Raw the following night only had an attendance of about 3,500 (one of the lowest, if not the lowest, attendance for an episode of Raw since the shows premiere episode in 1993). This is why a superstar like The Undertaker is making an appearance at Extreme Roles. This may work in the short term, but will be a detriment to the product if this tactic is relied upon consistently simply because The Undertaker is noticeably slower than he has been in the past just due to the fact that he is getting older (54 years old and had a hip replacement).
Heyman and Bischoff intended to create a distinctively different feel to their respective shows. I have no idea what that means but I cannot wait to find out. This was a very bold move for WWE that should have major positive payoffs given that both men are responsible for some of the greatest storylines in the history of professional wrestling.
One possibility that is worth looking into is Ricochet being pushed as a main event superstar. His lack of size is not typical of a main eventer, but I have a feeling that his feud with AJ Styles will go a long way towards getting him over with the fans. Both men had similar roles years ago (Bischoff’s full-time run with the company ended in 2007, and Heyman ran SmackDown for a short time during that same era). These were on-screen roles, and while there are currently no plans for either man to have a storyline going with their respective roles, there is always the potential for it given how great both men are in front of the camera (I fully assume Heyman will still be Brock Lesnar’s advocate).