jveezy
Fo' shizzle
Half the battle to become something in wrestling/sports entertainment is provoking a reaction from the fans.
Tough Enough / NXT allow lots of fans to build some kind of relationship with them before they even take up your time on a real show like Raw. So instantly the faces get a good reaction and the heels get a bad reaction, and the people on NXT have already wrestled in front of lots of people (I believe they tape NXT right before Raw is put on live)
Thing is that's kind of what ECW was there for wasn't it? The newer version I mean. This is just the same thing redressed in a different context with only new people. So I guess it's not the same. Full-time wrestlers that would've been on ECW before are now on Superstars I guess so they're not exactly getting buried by the noobs.
Season 1 did start some of the major storylines, and they were able to make use of every single person on that roster, but in three years I doubt that anyone besides Wade Barrett and Daniel Bryan will still be with WWE. Maybe Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel if they stop getting buried as a tag team. Season 2 only brought Kaval, Alex Riley, and two throwaway Nexus members, one of which has already been sent back down to developmental. Kaval's been buried and fired too. Riley's been playing his role pretty well. Season 3 was the divas, but since the main divas hardly draw any reaction now, it's hard for any new ones to make an impact.
Tough Enough is at least partially real so you get to see some wrestling.