The United States of America has been busy this summer. With the Olympic games kicking off, that is not changing. The next major event in a never-ending summer of them will require simpler, less consequential exploits to be waylayed. Raw is no exception; the show is getting the boot to SYFY for a while as the Olympians clash in Paris, France.
WWE has been on the SYFY network before, and most of that content is not fondly remembered. Being relegated to a lesser channel, while the premier spot airs an incredibly high-profile and rare live sporting event, it can be the time to phone it in. Instead, with SummerSlam around the corner, the team should ramp it up.
Specifically, they need to feature Uncle Howdy for WWE’s upcoming shows on SYFY. Lead-in viewership is real; we often see it in wrestling. Plus, WWE needs some viral moments out of these shows to counteract the Olympics rut and make their fans loathsome to have missed. Howdy can do both and so much more with a featured episode or two.
Brand Synergy between SYFY and Monday Night Raw
The SYFY network, of course, airs Science Fiction content as well as speculative fiction. However, they dive deep into Horror content as well, including supernatural spooks like Annabelle or creature features like Jaws. The Wyatt Sicks and Uncle Howdy are, frankly, both of those things. They are haunting like an entity-possessed doll and furiously dangerous like a massive shark off the Cape.
Instead of licking their wounds as the Olympians soak up the spotlight, WWE should need to use its one advantage. The viewers already watching the SYFY channel on a Monday are more than likely willing to skip out on the events in Paris for a reason. WWE has one: a deranged cult leader with a sick mask.
Starting next Monday, you can catch #WWERaw on SYFY for two weeks! pic.twitter.com/jDYFcg8sOD
— WWE (@WWE) July 23, 2024
The network’s programming line-up basically announces what does and doesn’t work on the channel at certain times. Horror sells over there, and so too does drama. The Uncle Howdy story can tap into that quite nicely. It starts with a hot angle, Bo Dallas getting attacked by The Creeds backstage. The lights go out, fog rolls in, and Nikki Cross ushers in the Wyatt Sicks to make the save.
Chad Gable issues a tag team challenge for SummerSlam and spends all night looking for Bo Dallas or Julius and Brutus Creed. In each segment, he finds himself in situations of high strangeness.
The show ends with The Creeds being presented as a sacrifice and Uncle Howdy proposing a singles match instead. That is the network’s sweet spot, and if you keep its regular viewers watching, you might get some new eyes for SummerSlam.
Adds Some Heat to SummerSlam with Uncle Howdy’s In-ring Debut
SummerSlam doesn’t just need more viewers; it needs a little more heat. All of the main matches have finally started to click into place. Some, like Drew McIntyre and CM Punk, are red hot. The rest, while well-built, could be more intense. The card, as it stands, will be good. The card with Uncle Howdy on it will be even better.
Adding Uncle Howdy doesn’t require SYFY networks, but it does require that he be featured next week. That happens to be the first SYFY show. Whether it is the best venue to add a match or not, the show could really use Gable and Howdy in some capacity.
Adding that match to SummerSlam only gives WWE a little bit of time to build. Luckily, they have done a decent job with the story so far. Likewise, Wyatt Sick’s shenanigans have become a frequent part of other media, such as WWE’s Twitch streams or Pat McAfee’s show. The SummerSlam connection, though, only needs a minute of airtime.
Bray Wyatt’s Fiend made its big reveal at SummerSlam. Bo Dallas’ Uncle Howdy getting that same stage is personally meaningful and will probably play well into the eventual Wyatt family story WWE is almost certainly building in the background.
Go Big on The Go Home to Capture Main Stream Attention (Outside of Sports)
The “real-competition” presentation of WWE’s current product seems to be the consensus favorite of most fans. In fact, companies like AEW exist and thrive at a high level in response to that market share being so large amongst the fanbase. This upcoming week, though, it is essential to remember why WWE is being moved to SYFY.
The greatest athletes from around the world compete in international contests. There isn’t a star, spot, or sequence in all of wrestling that is going to get ESPN or Fox Sports to cover it going into SummerSlam. WWE needs to promote the big PLE, especially on a new network.
With traditional sports programming occupied, the segments that could get coverage outside of WWE’s programming will need to appeal to different outlets. It may be a long shot, but getting social media accounts that cover other types of entertainment could be a way to overcome the world of sports’ split focus in the upcoming week.
The sultry Dominik Mysterio story is one option garnering a lot of attention online. The other best option is Uncle Howdy. Howdy has already done some of this, too. Look at all of his appearances on ESPN or Twitch.
The story works because it cuts away from what is expected; that fact alone could give it a shot at virality. Targeting it to accounts or outlets that cover the type of content, usually on SYFY, is a way to avoid so much direct competition with The Olympics.
How Best to Feature Uncle Howdy for WWE’s SYFY Shows
Using Uncle Howdy to turn a missable set of shows on a quiet network before your second largest PLE into a net positive should be easy. After identifying the brand’s synergy and developing a content strategy, you deliver. Wyatt Sicks and Uncle Howdy have done that so far. They are one of the WWE’s most exciting acts.
The performances from Howdy and his foil in Chad Gable have also been very entertaining. It has yet to take itself too seriously while maintaining the stakes that the group is dangerous. A prominent feature on Raw next week has a lot of specific upside, but it also breaks down the way all entertainment does.
A good performance makes for good television. This is true regardless of viewership demographics or channel prestige. The best way to feature Uncle Howdy for WWE’s SYFY shows is to hand over the spotlight and let the stars keep working.
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