Are stables outdated as a concept in wrestling?

[AquaCityBoy]

New Day is a faction, and they're one of the best things in WWE right now. :RVD:

 

[Vice Queen]

Not at all.

 

[DANJ!]

Nah.

The only thing about stables that IS outdated is using them to give relevance to someone who would be otherwise lost in the shuffle. That doesn't work (which I think is what was done with NWO, Ministry, La Familia, etc) Every member has to be relevant in their own right- not meaning they all have to be main eventers, but it cant just be a bunch of dudes who wouldn't be doin' shyt if they weren't attached to whomever they want the breakout star(s) to be.

 

[DaylitoJames]

Stables are need especially when used correctly they can get non used wrestlers some credibility and even rise through the ranks of a card.

 

[Jackson LeRoy Briggs]

A few months ago, Lance Storm published a piece on his website which suggested that the "evil authority figure" was outdated in wrestling. I think there's an equally strong argument that stables are also somewhat outdated. Naturally, wrestling is only a "work" of a real fighting promotion. But it's pretty obvious that no other combat athletes can associate with each other in the way that wrestlers can. I don't think we need to argue that point. I think it's also equally obvious that a stable which gets too much power would, logically be smacked down by authority figures almost immediately. Or at the very least, the rest of the locker room would freeze them out.

I understand that stables can be an entertaining fiction, but if we had less stables out there, I think it would be way more meaningful when stables actually did get together And when a stable forms, one of the central plot points could be "are they a stable at all?" Because if they were, that would immediately put them on the radar of the company executives.

Anyway, what do you think? Are stables outdated?

Nah. From a kayfabe viewpoint, the fact that tag team combat exists at all in pro wrestling validates the idea of a stable. In that way, it's inherently unlike real combat sports, so there's like a natural suspension of disbelief there.

Furthermore, if the rest of the locker room freezes them out, does it matter? The brass is gonna force wrestlers to interact one way or another, and not even out of spite; even in kayfabe these guys have a show to do and there's money in the burgeoning force (the stable) taking on the established heavy hitters. Yeah, it helps that even in kayfabe, they're open about being in business to make $$$$.

Creatively, yes, stables can risk getting too big or stale, but they don't automatically have to. It's just a matter of listening to your fanbase and adapting to what they want. But we already know that...some executives seem to ignore that, though.

 

[thaKEAF]

Nah when done right it is one of the best parts of wrestling. You can't compare wrestling to other combat sports to the point where you're trying to remove key elements of wrestling.

 

[Silkk]

Bullet Club is an nWo tribute act filled with individually excellent wrestlers. Not sure why BDC is on this list. I don't think the body of work is there yet. The Shield was aesthetically unique, but again, individually excellent wrestlers who could just as easily have gotten over in their own right. Doll House is a different beast b/c women's wrestling is long overdue for some more legitimacy, so yeah, a regular boss-bytch stable with a female twist does wonders.

I understand that a stable can get people over. But it's such a default mechanism that most stables are basically the same.



Well, all of them. Like, ever. I feel like I could probably come up with a typology of 5ish stable categories that all wrestling stables fit into. You probably could too.

Nope, ambrose was working main roster shows long before the shield and was STRUGGLING to connect

 

[StatUS]

Nah Bullet Club.

Just got back into TNA too. That Doll House shyt is dope

WWE just complacent when they have to book multiple people.

 

[Homeboy Runny-Ray]

wrestling exists outside of the wwe.

and the wwe has rarely ever been good with stables.

Well the Nation wasn't a clone staple....Henry, D Lo, and Godfather were goons. Owen wasn't treated like the Rock's little bytch...and the original storyline of the Rock never really taking Farooq seriously was cast from almost the beginning.

the nation was a spinoff of da gangstaz in SMW with a nation of islam twist.

 

[Homeboy Runny-Ray]

i do agree with what the OP is saying about the 'evil authority figure' being played.

for the most part, its been played out for over a decade now.

 

[baker928]

Bullet Club is an nWo tribute act filled with individually excellent wrestlers. Not sure why BDC is on this list. I don't think the body of work is there yet. The Shield was aesthetically unique, but again, individually excellent wrestlers who could just as easily have gotten over in their own right. Doll House is a different beast b/c women's wrestling is long overdue for some more legitimacy, so yeah, a regular boss-bytch stable with a female twist does wonders.

I understand that a stable can get people over. But it's such a default mechanism that most stables are basically the same.



Well, all of them. Like, ever. I feel like I could probably come up with a typology of 5ish stable categories that all wrestling stables fit into. You probably could too.

I don't think they had a name when it was just MVP, Lashley, and Kenny King.

 

[malbaker86]

Man aces and 8's was getting over w/a bunch of flabby n sick mafukkas so that goes to show you stables /factions arent outdated. EVERYTHING boils down to booking

 

[chico25]

For every one saying the evil authority figure is a tired trope, I know it feels that way because we have been watching it since Austin vs McMahon. However it still gets people over because there are still people in the audience that hate their boss because he's a dikk and feel like he's out to get them or holding them back, whether it's true or not. Those people will always identify with the guy fighting that authority figure and hate the hand picked top guy.

I think that is half the reason smarks hate Cena and Roman Reigns but always show love for guys like Dolph. They see who is really being hand picked by the boss and who is being held back. It also explains why they are quick to turn on their heroes once they get successful. But hey I could be wrong.

 

[TL15]

Over the last 5 years we've had some excellent stables:

Shield
New Day
Bullet Club
Wyatt Family
3MB

it's all about the writers and the bookers honestly

 

[mrken12]

I think that's more a reflection of there not being a black power stable in wrestling, ever. Otherwise, basically the same setup. You had the top dog, you had the ace, and you had the goons. I'm sure the "usurper" angle with the Rock wasn't unique, though they did it well.

And the most unique part of the Nation -- the all-black militant heel aspect -- has since been cloned repeatedly.

When? Besides the BDC.