This would be correct if it wasn't for the fact that the majority of the viewing audience hates Reigns, you can't generalise the majority of the audience as 'hardcore fans'. I feel like a very solid majority (60% at least) dislike him at this point. Look at that crowd last Monday, that's a microcosm of the hardcore audience and essentially the majority of the consistent viewing audience (people who watch week-to-week).
Anyone thinking Roman Reigns, the character or his booking, is genius is a mark that's getting worked.
Yeah, there are people that hate Reigns just because he typifies the 'jock' guy and because it's become a meme to hate him but generalising a large portion of the audience as basement dwellers that hate a big, muscle man is so reductive. I saw it a few times in the Mania thread but people need to stop building a strawman of the fans who have an issue with RR's booking and stop looking for backdoor ways to explain why Roman is 'actually a great character' when the simple fact is Roman is a guy that was pushed too much, too soon and his character, or lack thereof, has no defining personality or moral code.
and Triple H's kayfabe 2.0 explanation for why Roman is a secret heel is beyond stupid
Maybe Roman would've worked 10 years ago when there were more casual viewers who'd just cheer him because he looks cool but the demographics of the viewing audience in 2017 skews towards hardcore fans; a demographic that WWE has show time and again it likes to antagonise. People will tell you 'they're just marks that will still watch and buy merch' but Raw viewing figures are just fading away.
Also, on the John Cena comparison, once upon a time Cena was over with everyone, Roman has still yet to be massively over as a singles competitor. The 'You Suck' Angle chants were actually encouraged by WWE as were the 'Cena Sucks' chants to the point WWE benefitted from merch sales selling anti-Cena shirts, let me know when they start making Roman sucks shirts. People appreciate Cena's talent despite the sustained monster push to the forefront of the company for 10 years and staleness of his character. Cena actually has a character and code that he lives by, it may be corny but kids love it and he sells tons of merch. Furthermore, John Cena has had a 5* match and many more great matches and feuds.
