Is it time to end the brandsplit?

[FTS]

Note: I looked around for this thread and didn't see it, so if it exists, please just merge it and don't sanction me. Any reoccurance of the thread is accidental.

I have thought for a while that the "E" is getting stale, and a draft wouldn't help.

Let's take a look:

1. Storylines have to be rushed with only 2 hours of time for each show. During the height of popularity, Stone Cold and the Rock could feud on multiple shows and draw so many more people into their feuds. People are underutilized. Burchill has nothing to do, but with 5 hours a week for everyone, they could find five minutes to get his sister's fine ass on my TV.

2. With shows being split, we get stuck with Finlay on Elimination Chamber matches. That match would have been so much better if it was HHH, HBK, Jeff Hardy, Taker, Batista, and Y2J. The bran split will only serve to make new feuds stale after a few months. Taker and Batista feuded for a year. Let it go four months, then move on the Edge and Taker, and Batista would have someone to feud with. Umaga last month, HBK this month, and then what? MVP has Matt Hardy already.

3. The tag division would be outstanding with everyone together. Cantino vs. Moor/Wang, Miz/Nitro vs. Londrick (I hate them, but matches with shaman and the magnet could be entertaining) Jessie and Festus vs Cade and Murdoch might not even suck.

4. Title changes would be signifigant. If Jeff Hardy goes to SD! and beats Edge, cool, I'd be happy. With one belt, a Jeff hardy win would make me shit myself. I know we complain about no one being elevated, but that's because the title scene is stale with the same matches over and over. With a top tier of Taker, Orton, Cena, HHH, Batista, Edge, JBL, and Y2J the possibilities are great. Throw Hardy, MVP, and Kennedy in there and you have quite a top and uppermid card. Plus the IC and US belts at this point are props. Ending the brand shift would make that something. When Warrior beat Rick Rude for the IC title at Summer Slam 89, I nearly shit myself, and it propelled him almost immediately to the top.

5. I understand that some guys would get lost in the shuffle. This is why I propose ECW sticking around, as the top developmental. Keep the "E" guys off of ECW, and keep ECW guys off of "E" programming, unless you plan to keep them there. Seeing the Bros. of Destruction was cool, one time, but I have no idea who Kane, Morrison, Miz, etc. work for now as they are on two shows. The top developmental could be televised for one hour a week. Imagine seeing the Batista/Lesnar matches from OVW on TV. That would get you excited for new guys. It's like watching college basketball and wondering what that guys could do for your team.

6. Taking the best writers and putting them together gets rid of who's the midget's daddy and is he going to fuck his sister storylines. Maybe getting the best bookers and writers together gets us Invasion, Corporation, Ministry, Austin 3:16, and the Rock says again.

7. Ratings will rise on both shows because you have to watch to follow your favorites. If you love Taker and hate Cena, then you might not watch Raw as much. If they were in the same "league" you would be forced to watch. Ratngs up, exposure up, both good.

8. Everyone would have to step up to get TV time. This would lead to better wrestling, better acting, and less stupid shit like Shelton Benjamin saying, "I'm the man, so there ain't no...." and that being his only promo. Shelton, get better on the mic, and you get a push, keep sucking and you get sent down to ECW. Sounds like he would try harder.


Anyway, that was all just my idea. I would love to have it critiqued.

[Audioslave]

Ending the brand split takes television opportunities away from lower tier guys trying to get over and for that reason alone it should not end.

They can easily up the ratings if they adapted a somewhat more action packed feel to their shows and gave the undercard guys more meaning.

On Smackdown, you've got Undertaker, Batista, MVP, Edge and Matt Hardy.. and that's all the feature stars I can name on that show. Those are the guys that get emphasis. If they started packing the shows a bit more, then they could potentially bring up ratings. Same goes for Raw. Except they seem to be playing a bit with the tag team division, so that's good.

I don't think the WWE understands the value that lower card titles have and how midcard storyline stuff can help the overall product draw. That's what needs to be remedied. Ending the brand split would take opportunities away from guys who normally wouldn't be called up for years.

[SpiralHands]

I think WWE has put themselves into a bit of a problem, they have made too many stars, if they were to carrying on Raw on Smackdown and so on, then theres no room for Undertaker, Batista, HHH etc. too many stars! Simple as. I cannot see the brand split ending anytime, makes too much money for WWE and I dont think they need to, if they did forget about the mid cards etc no room for them!

[L4L]

I don't think ending them is a good idea I would like to see WWE make the brands more even though, I mean Raw and Smackdown are evenly split with talent but ECW has next to no one on there roster. I would like to see them get a 2 hour timeslot and distingusih themselves from the other brands with there own style. Raw and Smackdown are the same just a different brand name. I would like to see the WWE use the same approach as NJPW does with there different brands each with its own seperate style of Wrestling. I know its not going to happen but I can dream can't I.

NJPW- Uses the strong style as they call it. basically a modified Fighting stlye mixed with Pro wrestling and relativley stiff action.

Lock Up- Choshu's brands this is a more tradition pro Wrestling stlye very stiff hardhitting traditional wrestling action.

Wrestleland- This is a style based more on Gimmicks and storylines with wrestlers cutting promos basically WWE's style of Wrestling.

This is what I would like to see WWE do maybe not the exact same thing but make the brands distinguishable from each other.

[Canadian Knight]

No, because they would have to merge the belts again. You might lose some wrestlers to more useless roles in the organization. What they should do is move people over to the other brand for a little while to make new story lines. Why not have HHH go to Smackdown for a month or two while Undertaker goes to Raw. Ending the split may sound good but what would you do with Smackdown and ECW? Would you improve them or hurt the other brands?

[mark4life]

I totally agree with this thread. I mean the brand entension to me was an experiment because the WWE had no competition at the time so Vinnie Mac decided mind as well compete within his own company between the shows. TNA was still a baby at the time so they really couldn't touch the WWE. Granted the extension showcased the stars on a bigger platform today than they were before the extension ( ex. Edge, Cena, Orton, JBL, Batista, Jericho, Hardy's just to name a few) Everytime I read one of these type of threads so many ppl are so pro brand extension & that's fine ya know that's their opinion. I just think when watching the WWE before the extension you had guys busting their ass to get their spots(Triple H, Rock, Austin, Foley, Big Show, Kane, Angle just to name a few) and ya know what the people weren't complaining then about these guys getting held back because there were so much talent in one company. I'm sorry but if you are a wrestler you then or even now I believe that in your own hearts that you try to get yourself over and perform on the level that will get you notice(that covers all basis-work ethic, promos, behavior) . The stars of today are fortunate enough to be where they are now because yes they are profiled even more exclusively than they were 5-10 yrs ago, but just like that one guy said that Finlay in Elimination Chamber match is kinda fuckin wrong here. Not take any of his talent but it seems like that he's just a filler and really doesn't have a damn chance in the match. Hell they even had Khali & Big Daddy V in the bout. Come on. Let me wrap this up. Latley the brand extension has pretty much run its course. Storylines are very predictable & the feuds are getting stale. To me the talent is kinda going through the motions & not really pushing themselves to the level of where they should be. Especially for me & I'm sure others to enjoy the same product week after week, month after month, year after year. So please Vince, end it already. Take me back to great unpredictably days of wrestling where anything can happen in the WWF(E) So before anybody roast my reply, yea this is my opinion. Get over yourself.

["Rush" GSP]

Originally Posted by fromthesouth

Note: I looked around for this thread and didn't see it, so if it exists, please just merge it and don't sanction me. Any reoccurance of the thread is accidental.

I have thought for a while that the "E" is getting stale, and a draft wouldn't help.

Let's take a look:

1. Storylines have to be rushed with only 2 hours of time for each show. During the height of popularity, Stone Cold and the Rock could feud on multiple shows and draw so many more people into their feuds. People are underutilized. Burchill has nothing to do, but with 5 hours a week for everyone, they could find five minutes to get his sister's fine ass on my TV.

2. With shows being split, we get stuck with Finlay on Elimination Chamber matches. That match would have been so much better if it was HHH, HBK, Jeff Hardy, Taker, Batista, and Y2J. The bran split will only serve to make new feuds stale after a few months. Taker and Batista feuded for a year. Let it go four months, then move on the Edge and Taker, and Batista would have someone to feud with. Umaga last month, HBK this month, and then what? MVP has Matt Hardy already.

3. The tag division would be outstanding with everyone together. Cantino vs. Moor/Wang, Miz/Nitro vs. Londrick (I hate them, but matches with shaman and the magnet could be entertaining) Jessie and Festus vs Cade and Murdoch might not even suck.

4. Title changes would be signifigant. If Jeff Hardy goes to SD! and beats Edge, cool, I'd be happy. With one belt, a Jeff hardy win would make me shit myself. I know we complain about no one being elevated, but that's because the title scene is stale with the same matches over and over. With a top tier of Taker, Orton, Cena, HHH, Batista, Edge, JBL, and Y2J the possibilities are great. Throw Hardy, MVP, and Kennedy in there and you have quite a top and uppermid card. Plus the IC and US belts at this point are props. Ending the brand shift would make that something. When Warrior beat Rick Rude for the IC title at Summer Slam 89, I nearly shit myself, and it propelled him almost immediately to the top.

5. I understand that some guys would get lost in the shuffle. This is why I propose ECW sticking around, as the top developmental. Keep the "E" guys off of ECW, and keep ECW guys off of "E" programming, unless you plan to keep them there. Seeing the Bros. of Destruction was cool, one time, but I have no idea who Kane, Morrison, Miz, etc. work for now as they are on two shows. The top developmental could be televised for one hour a week. Imagine seeing the Batista/Lesnar matches from OVW on TV. That would get you excited for new guys. It's like watching college basketball and wondering what that guys could do for your team.

6. Taking the best writers and putting them together gets rid of who's the midget's daddy and is he going to fuck his sister storylines. Maybe getting the best bookers and writers together gets us Invasion, Corporation, Ministry, Austin 3:16, and the Rock says again.

7. Ratings will rise on both shows because you have to watch to follow your favorites. If you love Taker and hate Cena, then you might not watch Raw as much. If they were in the same "league" you would be forced to watch. Ratngs up, exposure up, both good.

8. Everyone would have to step up to get TV time. This would lead to better wrestling, better acting, and less stupid shit like Shelton Benjamin saying, "I'm the man, so there ain't no...." and that being his only promo. Shelton, get better on the mic, and you get a push, keep sucking and you get sent down to ECW. Sounds like he would try harder.


Anyway, that was all just my idea. I would love to have it critiqued.

i love your thought process on this i thought they should end the brand extension about a year ago. Just look at the landscape now HBK vs Batista..inter brand. Umaga vs Batista..inter brand. Punk vs Jericho...interbrand.Jericho vs MVP..interbrand.

You get rid of the brfands shows become stacked like the old days. I dont think people complain about ppv's cause theres more order to it instead of two main events a month there is one. Longer feuds can occur with guys furthering there feuds on raw and smackdown. i think a feud only on raw becomes somewhat stale to quick cause ppl forget about it when its only on once a week for a few minutes. if its on two shows it gives a main feud a half hour a week to grow on the fans and develop over time and not being rushed.

Think of the possible LENGHTY feuds i'm talking months here... HHH vs Taker, Cena vs Taker, Orton vs Taker, Edge vs HHH, HBK vs Taker, HBK vs Edge, Cena vs Batista, Orton vs Batista, Edge vs Jericho and thats just the main event players

[JPK]

I think the brand extention still works , its just mismanaged so badly. I'd be happy to have the lower card float between Raw and Smackdown!. I still believe that there are too many big guys to have them all put together. I'd still like to keep them on separate brands. But the rest I'd want to be able to compete on both shows.

As for ECW , I'd still keep it. As a high profile feeder brand. Give the likes of CM Punk exposure that the need to 'test the water' if you like.

[mynettv]

Wwe Will Never End The Brandsplit Because It Makes Them Too Much Money.

It Allows Wwe To Run Double Tour Groups In Different Places At The Same Time .

With This European Tour, Wwe Is Running 20 Shows Instead Of 10 Which Means More Money For The Wrestlers Who Work The Tours.

THE COMPANY PROMOTES ITSELF UNDER 3 BRANDS .

HOWEVER, WRESTLERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPEAR ON OTHER SHOWS FOR ANY REASON WWE SEES FIT LIKE TO GIVE A SHOW A RATINGS BOOST OR FOR STORYLINE PURPOSES.

[NYSandman]

I don't think it will happen anytime soon. WWE, as mentioned earlier in this thread, simply has too many guys. If there were only one brand, there would only be room for a few top guys. HHH and Cena would be all over all three brands, and no one else would get a shot at the top.

I think instead of remerging, WWE should try to make things more interesting.

This was tried before, but of course was ruined. We need a really hardcore battle of the brands. It could start off with Vince making comments about Smackdown and ECW, saying shit like Raw is and always will be the top brand, and the guys on those brands are worthless. I know, it could be considered bad for ratings, but hear me out.

ECW/Smackdown guys could get pissed at this, and try to prove themselves by invading Raw and leaving top guys laying. I mean it has to be pushed hard, almost like the NWO. Fans would pick sides, and T-shirts could be made with Smackdown, ECW and Raw specific logos and the such, and you could have Raw stables and Smackdown stables. I mean, it HAS to be done right, with true hatred seemingly emerging between the superstars.

I know the idea sounds old, but IMHO it has never been done correctly! Vince could say how his company is in turmoil, with guys fighting backstage and jumping each other in the parking lot. It has to appear that both sides have true venom for each other.

Remerging the brands is too complicated right now, and I don't think the company will head in that direction. They need to stop stripping ECW and Smackdown of talent. They need to stop having 2 matches on ECW, and push it harder.

I'm not sure what the final solution is, but as of right now the shows could be better. Perhaps a draft lottery will help, but who knows?