Is Fantasy Booking Ruining Professional Wrestling for Fans??

While I was listening to a space hosted by the Wrestling Collective (go follow them on X and join their spaces), they brought up the topic of fantasy booking in professional wrestling. So thank you guys for the topic.

We all know professional wrestling thrives on imagination, drama, and the excitement of what could happen next. Wrestling fans have always speculated on dream matches and future storylines. With the rise of social media, YouTube fantasy cards, and booking simulators, "fantasy booking" has become a major part of the wrestling fandom. While it can fuel creativity and discussion, has fantasy booking ruined the way fans enjoy wrestling?

What Is Fantasy Booking?

Fantasy booking is when fans create their own wrestling storylines, matches, or outcomes and then share them with other fans on social media platforms, such as X-post, podcasts, and YouTube channels. This allows fans to 'rebook' past events or predict how they think a promotion SHOULD build a star, run an angle, or plan a pay-per-view, or PLE. While it is a fun exercise that taps into why many fans fell in love with wrestling, the storytelling potential. The line between creative fun and unrealistic expectations can blur quickly.

The Double-Edged Sword of Fantasy Booking

Fantasy booking fosters community engagement, keeps fans talking during dull periods, and allows for creativity beyond what promotions deliver. It is a powerful tool for creators, podcasters, and YouTubers who entertain audiences with "what if" scenarios and dream matches.

However, constant fantasy booking can distort fan expectations. Instead of watching wrestling for 'what it is,' fans begin to watch for 'what they wish it was.' When a promotion does not book a storyline exactly how a fan planned it in their mind, disappointment and toxicity can follow, even when the actual story on the screen is solid.

The Social Media Factor

With the rise of social media, fantasy booking has been amplified. Tweets seem to go viral with 'perfect' WrestleMania cards that fans then treat as the gold standard. When the real card does not match, fans then scream that the booking is "lazy" or "terrible" without appreciating the build, the limitations promotions face, or the reason certain decisions were made.

This can create a cycle of constant dissatisfaction where fans are chasing an idealized, imaginary product that no promotion can deliver perfectly.

Does Fantasy Booking Ruin the Experience?

Fantasy booking is not inherently bad. It does become a problem when the primary way fans engage with wrestling. This overshadows the enjoyment of living in the moment, in-ring storytelling, and character development as they take place or happen. Wrestling is all about suspending disbelief, emotional investment, and letting stories surprise us. If fans can only appreciate wrestling when it aligns with their fantasy card, they rob themselves of the joy that unpredictability can bring. Although wrestling can be very predictable if you follow along.

Finding Balance

Engage Creatively: Fans can enjoy fantasy booking as a side hobby, not as the standard promotions must meet.

Stay Open: Allow yourself to experience stories without constantly comparing them to your own plan or ideas of how a wrestler should be booked.

Context Matters: Promotions face many challenges that fans are not privy to know all the details of. Like a promotions budget, injuries, network, and talent availability constraints. No fantasy card faces these realities.

Celebrate Surprises: Some of the best moments in wrestling are the ones you DID NOT predict!

Fantasy booking is a testament to the passion of wrestling fans and the storytelling possibilities within the sport. However, when fans become too attached to their fantasy scenarios, it can lead to constant frustration and negativity toward the actual product. Instead, use fantasy booking to fuel your creativity and discussions with fellow fans, but do not let it strip away the core joy of being surprised by professional wrestling. After all, sometimes the best moments are the ones we never saw coming.