Next WWE Tryouts Set, How Many Prospects Attend, Triple H On What WWE Really Looks For In Talents
The next WWE Performance Center tryouts in Orlando are scheduled for April 25 – April 27, according to Sports Business Journal's new feature on WWE. The next international tryouts are scheduled for Shanghai, China on July 15 – July 18.
SBJ spoke to Triple H and WWE Performance Center Head Coach Matt Bloom about the tryout camps, which usually run for three days with around 30 prospects. It was noted that on average, WWE gives tryouts to 300-400 people each year and of those, they end up hiring 30-40.
The first two days of the tryouts are brutal by design, to test the prospects' conditioning, and to see what they retain from the coaches. WWE coaches usually eliminate the bottom half of the prospects by the end of the first day. The favorites start to emerge by the end of the second day.
Bloom admitted that he likes to see ego in talents. It was noted that egos are plentiful with elite athletes, and usually welcome in WWE.
"I like an ego," Bloom said. "I like an ego that is confident, who is going to push the boundaries a little bit, but I also want to have an ego that is going to abide by team rules like being on time, holding yourself accountable for your actions. Competing with your teammates here with respect."
Triple H talked about what they really look for in talents at the tryouts, when they start to break down.
"What we're really looking for, though, when they start to break down is, 'how do you really act?'" Triple H said. "Are you the type of person that when you're tired and exhausted puts the other person down to get in front of them, or are you the type of person that looks to the person next to you and picks them up and says, 'Come on, let's go, we're going to finish this.' Because you can't do it by yourself in this business. So you have to be that emergent leader."
Triple H said charisma is what really stands out.
"Charisma is king, or queen," he said. "That X factor that as you walk into the room makes people turn their heads and ask, 'Who's that?'"