WWE BRAND SPLIT 2.0

[mattdangerously]

8 hours ago, Matt D said:

They could anchor a tag division with Owens/Ohno for a couple of years.

They could anchor a large boat with those two.

[Charlie M.]

I'm guessing for Total Divas purposes, you're going to need Lana, Maryse, Paige, Nattie, etc on the same show. Maybe just stick them all on RAW and give them women's tag titles so it's easier to hide people like Lana and Eva.

 

[Eivion]

I see talk of women's tag titles, but I can't really see that happening with Team BAD dead, Brie retired, & Emma injured. Every team that existed is basically already gone.

[Go2Sleep]

I haven't seen it addressed yet, but I assume each brand would get its own B-show too. Another way to address the time dilemma would be to make one show a mix and give SD one show exclusively (although that would further entrench them as the second-tier brand).

For the women, I still think the best approach is putting them all on Raw. It's the show that's still gonna get the most exposure if you're looking to attract new demos, and since they won't have any overlap with the men, spacing 3-4 segments throughout Raw will quietly eliminate the time differential which no one wants to admit is a gigantic problem. Also, splitting the division means you need a second singles title, whereas I think you'd get more value from adding women's tag titles to get a little more diversity in storylines.

[Niners Fan in CT]

1 hour ago, Eivion said:

I see talk of women's tag titles, but I can't really see that happening with Team BAD dead, Brie retired, & Emma injured. Every team that existed is basically already gone.

I think Naomi is close to getting back. Maybe in a few months time after call ups.. 

Naomi and Tamina [ or Lana "Bad and Blonde" ]

Becky and Sasha [while someone like Paige is challenging Charlotte]

Eva Marie and Nia Jax

Charlotte and Dana Brooke [if Charlotte drops the title]

Liv Morgan and Aaliyah

Peyton Royce and Billie Kay

Sign the Kimber Bombs

 

 

 

[DreamBroken]

Brand split definitely seems to have lots of good points and lots of bad points. I loved a lot of the original split with the shows feeling like very separate entities and guys from opposite shows rarely ever crossing paths. But been so used to everyone being on Raw since it's been 3 hours so it should be interesting to see how it works. Also with the whole needing every talent possible, I wish Cody would've stuck around and wish they would've kept some of the recently released talents around.

[Jenalysis]

I like the idea of giving the women the 8-9 slot on RAW, or maybe 930-1030.   They got enough women to fill an hour, with an extra match on a C-show sometimes.

I'd say let the tag champs and world champ appear on both shows, and give former champs the right to appear on the other show for a rematch.  The New Day could use this rule to scam things- and have say, Big E try to steal the IC belt while RAW talent.

Also maybe throw in a rule for US/IC champs where if they spend long enough with the belt they get to be auto #1 contender and get a world title shot.

There's always going to be some messiness and handwavium unless they enforce "rules" strictly.

[StretchMediatedHypertrophy]

Hahahahahaha. So I am getting the brand split that I've been arguing for for a good while now. 

There is something kinda ugly about having two top titles, but I actually think it worked quite well in practical terms. We'll live with the cognitive dissonance.

I think there was a tendency to move a lot of people around in the draft, and I think this didn't always work out very well - getting moved to RAW could often be a curse. A 3 hour RAW may actually mitigate that issue though.

Exciting times!

 

[JonnyLaw]

You could put the women on RAW and the spoiler that's already been spoiled in this thread on Smackdown.

[Bustronaut]

6 hours ago, mattdangerously said:

They could anchor a large boat with those two.

Fat floats

[joseph2112]

Two belts, the brand split, it all works if its done right. C'mon HHH, step up and turn this mother fucker into NXT: Smackdown edition. Wins and losses matter, reward your fans for paying attention. Get people over.

Prediction: August 2nd Smackdown opens with 20 minute heel authority figure promo. I turn the baseball game back on.

[Rev Ray]

I hope they do the Chapelle Show "Chinese take the entire  Wu-Tang Clan in the racial draft bit." 

 

The Smackdown general manager takes... NXT!

[Brysynner]

With Shane and Steph talking about running Smackdown, I wonder if WWE would go with another McMahon to run Smackdown and let Linda run Smackdown. She could play it like Jack Tunney did where she very sporadically shows up. One thing I'm interested in is are they going to split up the staff as well? Kevin Dunn can continue to be the executive producer of RAW but let someone else by the executive producer of Smackdown so the two shows look different as well

[Technico Support]

HAHA nope.  I mentioned earlier in the thread, that was pitched in the original brand split and Dunn himself nixed it. 

[RIPPA]

By - in regards to the "The End" stuff with NXT and Takeover's

Jim Ross is claiming that NXT talent will be heavily involved with Smackdown

So it is possible the rosters will be unbalanced in that more "known" talent will be on RAW, since Smackdown will have more talent bouncing between Smackdown and NXT

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

It would be cool if the current NXT "class" was moved up, and some of the new comers like TMDK and such move up on NXT.  If so NXT is going to take a hard hit for a while.  

[MORELOCK]

Someone already mentioned this, but they definitely can't and won't confine the entire women's division to one show, not sure why so many people are calling for/expecting that.

[RIPPA]

Just now, MORELOCK said:

Someone already mentioned this, but they definitely can't and won't confine the entire women's division to one show, not sure why so many people are calling for/expecting that.

I think the reason for the desire/hope is that they don't have enough talent in the division to split over two shows.

It also runs into the issue of then having either the champ bounce between both shows OR the creation of a second belt (now not as bad if it is singles title on RAW, tag title on Smackdown) since they clearly don't know how to fill time when the champ isn't around.

Of course - the wild card is NXT. If they are going to basically do Smackdown/NXT as a joint show with NXT belts defended on Smackdown then that solves the two champ problem (and in theory the limited talent pool without destroying NXT).

Though some of if could also just be "I want the women all in one place so I only have to watch one show"

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

While they are doing this they should change the name of Smackdown!  It is so outdated and lame.  Freshen it up and rebrand the brand.

[Matt D]

I still think they could focus on the Total Divas ones on one show and everyone else on the other, though.

[JRGoldman]

My pipe dream is that both Steph and Shane stay on Raw and fight over power while Smackdown is run as a glorious anarchist utopia.

Also, a lot of people have brought up how great a Rusev title run will be, but I think we are overlooking the real greatness of a brand split: Miz and Maryse cutting promos about how they are the real face of Smackdown/Raw.

[Zakk_Sabbath]

2 hours ago, Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 said:

While they are doing this they should change the name of Smackdown!  It is so outdated and lame.  Freshen it up and rebrand the brand.

I have to disagree. Its too ingrained in the pop culture lexicon now. It made it into the real, actual dictionary with the top definition of "a wrestling bout." Plus with The Rock as a huge mainstream star now, there are tons of #branding opportunities out there for it, which I'm sure WWE loves. 

If anything, Raw is outdated. Especially over the last decade and a half, when it's been one of the most slick, overproduced, sterile, opposite-of-raw presentations of wrestling ever. I get why it's kept, being the flagship show and all, but there's no denying Raw is anything but raw.

[JCM]

2 hours ago, RIPPA said:

By - in regards to the "The End" stuff with NXT and Takeover's

Jim Ross is claiming that NXT talent will be heavily involved with Smackdown

So it is possible the rosters will be unbalanced in that more "known" talent will be on RAW, since Smackdown will have more talent bouncing between Smackdown and NXT

That's exactly what I wanted to see. The newer acts can establish themselves without being JTTS.

 

1 hour ago, Matt D said:

I still think they could focus on the Total Divas ones on one show and everyone else on the other, though.

It would be so great if we got Cena, Zayn, Cesaro, KO, Rusev, and AJ as the new SD6 with the Horsewomen leading the women's division. I'd never have to watch Raw again.

[Burgundy LaRue]

1 hour ago, Matt D said:

I still think they could focus on the Total Divas ones on one show and everyone else on the other, though.

That wouldn't work.  Naomi is actually good in the ring and should work with others in the same mold.  But she's back on Total Divas.  Where do you put her?  I don't think the division is built up enough right now to separate them into two groups.  Maybe in a year or so when some NXT women get the call-up.

 

[RIPPA]

Newest WOR with more updates/clarification (some of this has been mentioned I believe already)

- It is official that the Smackdown side will work Sat - Tues (so that means Monday house show against RAW)

- Can change but the Two Champs thing is happening in so much that they already mapped who and when

- Stars: Cena to Smackdown. Reigns to Raw

- Everything else is open to "whatever". That is including of where Brock Lesnar ends up

- Vince is super excited right now. So figure at least three weeks before he gets bored

- They will need to overcome stigma that Smackdown is a "B" Show (Dave mentions how when they did this the last time the Smackdown shows didn't draw and as soon as the removed the labels and they were just called WWE shows - the former Smackdown shows went up)

- The felt this is the right time to do it because they have a lot of guys coming back from injury and a lot of guys in NXT who are ready to be called up. Plus, Shane getting over so big meant they wanted to keep him on TV (since this isn't why he wasn't brought in)

- Still the decision to do this was more from USA than the WWE. Dave theorizes that they (USA) wasn't happy with Smackdown ratings and they thought the reason is that Smackdown wasn't live.

- Vince will be way more hands on with Smackdown. Dave "That might not be a good thing" (Ya think Dave!)

- International Tours will be brand exclusive

- The women's champ MAY be a floater between shows. That is one of the ideas that has been talked about but nothing has been decided

- Someone asked if this means the WWE will finally bring back Kurt Angle and Dave says not likely unless Vince changes his mind

- RAW will not be moving back to 2 hours anytime soon. All of this is happening because USA Network is really struggling. They are using wrestling as the crutch until they can get some new shows going again