What Happen to Smackdown VS Raw?

[Jeff]

OK so this is partly a opinion question, partly a "please help me I need a quick history lesson" question.

I used to watch wrestling in the late 90's and early 2000's. When I stopped watching wrestling Smackdown and Raw was always doing trades, signing wrestlers to contracts, trying to one up the other show, etc. etc.

Now I understand that the storyline of Smackdown VS Raw is done and over with but why did they stop doing trades and contract signings and what not. I think that added a lot to the show. I also think it was nice that wrestlers could get traded in the middle of the summer and change the whole dynamic of a show.

Now I started watching wrestling again about 8 months ago or so and I haven't seen one trade, one contract signing, etc. It seems as if the only thing they do now is the WWE Draft? Here are my questions for you all.

1) Is there a reason why (storyline wise) the WWE doesn't do trades, contract signings anymore? or did they just randomly stop? (I am assuming they just randomly stopped)

2) Do they still actually do trades and contract signings and it just happens that the past few months they haven't done any?

3) Do you think the WWE needs to bring back trades and contract signings?

Sorry if these questions are annoying to any of you. I just am very curious. I think it trades and contract signings added a HUGE aspect to the show.

 

[billm75]

They do still hold the WWE Draft in the spring. I don't know about any trades, per se, but there is the draft to move superstars from red to blue.

I honestly don't think they need to bring back the trades and contract signings, as it really doesn't add anything to the overall product in my opinion. They don't allow managers or agents on TV hardly at all (there are some valets, but really, they're not much in the way of agents)

To do it right, they'd have to allow managers back at ring side, they'd have to build up the product to where each superstar has his own handlers either on or off screen and then they'd have to have some sort of REASON to do all of this. Right now, things work well enough, no need to rock that boat for the sake of rocking it.

I think if it was done right, however, they could make it very interesting, but it couldn't be an overnight change.

 

[The Crock]

They storyline move guys every once in a while. They should move a few guys sometime soon because of SD!'s move to SyFy. It's not like it used to be though. Now the draft, supplemental draft, and injuries are the only times we see a guy move. Plus there really isn't a need for that anymore. I actually like how they handle the rosters nowadays, it is proper for the times.

 

[darbare]

yea as someone said earlier theres really no need for it....that was back in what 2002 or so when the brand separation was fresh...everyone wanted to see where someone was going or where they would end up.....weve had like 10 drafts or so since then and we do get trades and other things every once in a while like last year we got the draft, a trade in June, and a divas trade in the fall.....it all depends on where the writers want the talent, which was also another reason for the draft initially was to see where they wanted their talent....why shake up things just for the sake when things are fine

 

[Dressler]

1) Is there a reason why (storyline wise) the WWE doesn't do trades, contract signings anymore? or did they just randomly stop? (I am assuming they just randomly stopped)

They pretty much just stopped, although I disagree with the fact that it wasn't needed anymore as I agree with what the OP, it added a little something to the shows, that extra edge to really make the GM position mean something.

2) Do they still actually do trades and contract signings and it just happens that the past few months they haven't done any?

Not anymore no. They stopped that a while back, I can't pin point the exact year but they've stopped doing it. With Raw rarely having a GM to begin with, and even when they do it seems like I've taken craps that last longer, so it would be kind of hard to really keep up that angle in the first place.

3) Do you think the WWE needs to bring back trades and contract signings?

No I don't think they necessarily need to do Trades/Signings etc.. but it was a nice touch. Seeing Teddy Long "sign" M.V.P was a great way to debut him. The trades was a nice surprise every now and again, so it added a nice touch, but no it isn't needed.

 

[YEDemon]

I wouldn't want to see trades happening every month (unless they started an actual storyline about the trades and had a signing war or something), but I think it is cool seeing guys switch brands. I think the last big switch other than the drafts was when Trump took over Raw for a week and had the 15 superstar trade between the three brands.

I like the trades and think it could definitely make some new storylines available if they used it right.

 

[brighamosity]

I don't mind the annual draft, because it gives them a chance to create new storylines. Most drafts seem to lead to a gimmick change as soon as they get to the other show. But I am completely fine with only having the annual (or maybe semi-annual) draft because the brands each have their own identity. Too many shake-ups would just confuse people. For example, I regularly watch Raw but I very rarely watch Smackdown. Quite frankly, I don't even know who some of the Smackdown people are. So if they switched it around too much, I might be turned off somewhat. Trades are fine, so long as the brands keep their individual identities and are still recognizable. Like in basketball or something, it's ok to change a few members during the offseason. But if you just completely replace the roster, you risk alienating your fanbase.

 

[CB429]

they did it cause they had good gms... bischoff, heyman, steph.... now they have teddy long and probably abraham washington... they can't hold their own so no point bringing them in the spotlight... heyman and bischoff could control and audience and improved the quality of the show... since they left, scrap the gm's importance

 

[Heartachetonight926]

Well Jack swagger did move from RAW to Smackdown when he won the World title and it wasn't part of the draft, But I guess that doesn't really count as a "Trade".

 

[KBUnitz]

1. I don't know if this is an actual reason, but it would make sense. Look at it from a business perspective. Each PPV used to be exclusive to a brand and there were only RR, WM, SS, and the other SS as PPVs that were dual branded or tri branded. But the sales for a lot of the brand exclusive PPVs were low, such as the infamous December to Dismember PPV. So to get more sales and to generate more revenue, all PPVS are no more brand exclusive, so by default, the trades & contracts & fued between Raw & SD! are done.

2. No contracts, but there are rarely a few trades, the last one I can think of was Mickie James moving to SmackDown! and Eve to Raw.

3. No, they don't need to bring it back, Raw > SmackDown in Vince McMahon's head and that's all that matters.

 

[goldbergiswrestling]

what happened is around the time that Brock Lesnar won the Undisputed Championship he claimed to be a smackdown star making that title Smackdown exclusive being rechristened the WWE Championship and Eric Bischoff awarded HHH with the World Heavyweight Championship. Then it was announced on Smackdown that all trades at that point must be approved by the board of directors stoping the constant jumping from show to show. The tag titles were on RAW at the time so Stephanie McMahon introduced the WWE tag titles to Smackdown, the cruiserweight title was on smackdown and the womans title was on RAW giving each show their own special division, a tag division, and a singles division. This created 2 seperate shows.

 

[mrbrownstone]

There aren't trades exactly but people do move from brand to brand every now and then, Swagger moved to SD, Batista moved to SD then back to Raw etc, expect atleast one big name to move to SD in October because of the move ot SyFy. Apart from that though the draft is the main way that wrestlerss get moved around. I would like to see them bring it back but I guess in a way it isnt really gone, WWE moves wrestlers around as they see fit but it is just on a much less regular basis.

 

[Ferbian]

I'm guessing it faded away with the whole fact that there's no more General Managers on both shows that had at any point in reality a real life grudge. Bischoff vs Heyman was obviously a realistic grudge at times, and I'm sure it's something that existed for quite a long time, and carried over to their on-screen General Manager roles.

Of course that wouldn't explain the time where Stephanie McMahon was the general manager. I don't remember who was on RAW at that time though, but I'm guessing it was still Bischoff. Which would automatically create a bit as well, because she's a McMahon, and.. Well it's Bischoff.

Like I said, we don't have that anymore, so we don't get to see it. Hell we don't really have a general manager on RAW anyway, so it would be hard to make a true "feud" of that kind between what is currently nonexistent and perhaps the "kindest" of general managers, Teddy Long.

 

[SpoodBeest]

If I'm not mistaken there is a pay-per-view WWE uses called Bragging Rights. The point of this pay-per-view is to have some matches be RAW vs. SmackDown with the brand who has the most point be superior at the end of the show. Last year The Miz defeated John Morrison to score the only point for RAW, as the SmackDown divas defeated the RAW ones, and Team SmackDown defeated Team RAW in a multi-man tag team match. That tag match I'm sure will also return this year for the two brands to fight against each other, and maybe they will again have RAW and SmackDown superstars face each other to gain their brands points as well. However the tag team match is the most important match of all when it comes to winning the Bragging Rights cup.

This pay-per-view that is held at the end of October is all about RAW vs. SmackDown and which brand is more superior than the other. So the card consists of SmackDown stars facing off against RAW stars in some form or another. The only cloud that may be above this theory is the fact that The Nexus are around. Maybe this year's pay-per-view won't be about RAW or SmackDown trying to get bragging right over each other but Nexus trying to get bragging rights over the entire WWE. But we will have to wait and see, but I'm sure the pay-per-view will keep the original RAW vs. SmackDown concept alive come October.