Triple H Talks USA Network Reaction To WWE NXT Ratings, No Participation Medals In NXT

Triple H, Johnny Gargano and WWE Performance Center Head Coach Matt Bloom recently spoke with Scott Fishman of TV Insider to promote WWE NXT on the USA Network.

Triple H assured fans that the NXT product they've come to love will stay true to itself.

"If I wanted to make it Raw and SmackDown, I would have already done it. But there is no intent in doing that, and there is no benefit in doing that," Triple H said. "I feel in some way we are that band that signs with a major record label, but we're not going to change what we do."

It was noted how another hour of weekly TV and a greater platform allows NXT the chance to expand character development and storytelling. Triple H believes that maintaining consistency is the key to expanding viewers. He said NXT will be the brand where there will be no participation medals as talents will have to earn their spots, and grow into those spots.

"That means al lot of talent will debut and be a part of this brand on a weekly basis but may not be on TakeOver events," Triple H explained. "You prove yourself in these storylines, you get to the bigger storylines. You go to TakeOver. This will be the brand where there will be no participation medals. You earn your spot and grow into your spot. We're not going to make TkaeOver events longer because we have the bigger bandwidth for storylines. It's keeping the product for what it is but making more opportunity."

We noted last month how the one-hour NXT USA Network episode drew more than 1.1 million viewers. Triple H said it's hard to say what expectations are for NXT from USA Network, but he knows that they are thrilled with where they are at the moment. He talked about speaking with USA executive Chris McCumber, President of Entertainment Networks, after the viewership for the one-hour premiere came out.

"When those ratings came out after the first episode came out, I spoke to Chris McCumber [president, entertainment networks] at USA, and they were thrilled beyond what they were hoping for and expecting," Triple H said. "Now it has becomes what we do, and I want to grow it bigger I learned early in the process of NXT when someone suggested we go to Barclays Center for a TakeOver, and it was the first thing I balked at when it was thrown at me. I was almost resistant to doing it, and it sold out immediately. It made me get to thinking outside the box and thinking bigger than this. I want to this every bit as a brand to where in some manner I want it to be bigger than Raw and SmackDown on a certain level."