The WWE Network has disappointed some by removing the Tribute to the Troops section. For those unaware, WWE Tribute to the Troops is a show where WWE either goes overseas to entertain troops or in more recent years, they performed for the military at a base or even just before a taping. The yearly event is one that many performers have called their favorite of the year.
With the section being removed, the Tribute to the Troops episodes that took place on RAW or Smackdown were simply moved to their respective sections. Since 2008, the series has been its own special and as a result, doesn’t actually fit in any other category.
So why remove it? Quite frankly, I don’t have a good answer. The WWE Network removing categories made sense in many cases. A show like Music Power 10 which only had one episode did not need its own category. It was simply too cluttered.
The problem with these category removals is we end up losing content if there isn’t a section available for a lot of it to appear. The same happened with the Slammys and Quick Hits. Losing full episodes as a result of organization isn’t worth it. Instead, the service needs to come up with a better method. Whether this means a more miscellaneous section or simply moving unneeded categories into collections and turning it into something else, something should be done.
While I’m sure past Slammy shows and these Tribute to the Troops episodes will return someday, the company should not be risking content in exchange for organization. Instead, a perfect resolution needs to be found. Content removal is something that upsets fans any time it occurs, and most times it can be avoided. This is certainly a case where it can be. WWE Network needs better organization, but if the cost is content removal and fan disapproval, is it really worth it?