7 months ago
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For 40 years, Executive Producer Kevin Dunn was one of WWE's behind-the-scenes leaders. Much of WWE's onscreen aesthetics can be credited to Dunn, from lighting and pyrotechnics to the finer points of video production. As one of Vince McMahon's most trusted confidants, Dunn helped the WWE create a more polished presentation from its dark, somewhat unrefined look of the early '80s. But after a long period of divisive decisions among WWE viewers, the 61-year-old Dunn decided it was time to step away. Longtime ESPN producer Lee Fitting was hired as Dunn's successor at the beginning of 2024. On "Strictly Business," former WCW executive Eric Bischoff weighed in on the change.
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"I cannot look at what Kevin Dunn has accomplished in terms of elevating the production value of professional wrestling over the course of the last 30, 40 years and not give that man a massive amounts of props," Bischoff said. "[But] perhaps Kevin got so comfortable that he wasn't excited about trying something new, and trying something different." Bischoff would know a thing or two about trying something new and different. In the early '90s, WCW transitioned its weekly TV broadcasts from expensive arena shoots to a more cost-effective studio soundstage. This decision ultimately helped WCW turn a profit after years of financial loss. Bischoff suggested bold moves from new blood are sometimes necessary to advance the product.
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"That spirit of wanting to try something different is usually the domain of 30-somethings, 40-somethings," Bischoff said. "That's where you generally find the — 'Hey, I know this has never been done before, but let's give this a shot.' And that's where innovation comes from. Innovation doesn't come from a board room ... Innovation comes from one guy, one woman who has an idea, and says 'F*** it, I'm gonna try it.'" Fans and insiders have already taken notice of some of WWE's production changes under Fitting, such as the camera work on "WWE Raw."
