WWE Live Crowds: Wake Up

I realize Fast Lane was, for the most part, a setup for WrestleMania. Although there was filler, the show provided some great moments. Unfortunately, last night’s Memphis crowd made it feel like I was watching some small time indy show at the local YMCA. For much of the PPV, the pops they gave were weak, and the boo’s were non-existent. The only heel that got booed consistently was Rusev, and that’s just because they loved John Cena so much. I literally laughed out loud when the crowd woke up for Cena.

"Of course, they would…"

The usual fan favorites -- Usos, Dean Ambrose, and Sting -- barely drew a reaction. Sure, they got the initial -- albeit weak -- pop, maybe a chant, but overall "sitting and staring" was the theme of the night. Sting may be a relic, but the guy should still receive a big pop in these rare appearances, he even busted out the bat last night!

Pretty sure, a kid in the front row yawned.

If you were a heel, forget about getting a reaction. Bray Wyatt had an amazing segment, but the live audience, made it feeling really underwhelming. On TV, when the entrance music is completely clear with a slight echo effect, it’s dead silent in that arena. When Brie Bella is the loudest person -- "come on, Nikki!" -- it’s dead silent in that arena. That’s not a good thing, that’s a terrible thing.

I will admit the volume did pick up in the final two matches of the show, and guess what? Those were the two most fun to watch. When the crowd is non-responsive and doesn’t want to do anything, how do you think that makes the viewers at home feel? If you guys are pumped up, and going wild, it makes the viewing experience at home so much better. I would understand if last night's reactions were due to a terrible show, but Fast Lane was solid, and deserved better.

In the past, we criticized crowds who go into business for themselves with non-stop, pointless chants. It tends to get annoying and can ruin segments. The same can go for those who simply sit on their hands and stare.

Cheer, boo, laugh, react, because the sound of silence is a show stopper. You, the live crowd, matter more than you may think.