Spiraling_Shape
Bierwurst
Level: 92
   
Posts: 1646/1941
EXP: 7621730
For next: 135237
Since: 2.1.02
From: PA
Since last post: 9 days
Last activity: 1 day
|  #1 Posted on 25.5.16 0753.12
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0753.40 | Everything old is new again...
http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/article/smackdown-live-usa-network-july-19?sf26901739=1
A SmackDown shakeup is about to completely reshape all of WWE. Beginning July 19, the second longest-running weekly episodic program in television history, SmackDown, will move from Thursday to Tuesday nights and air LIVE each and every week — for the first time ever — at 8/7 C on USA Network, the exclusive cable home to WWE’s marquee properties.
This bold move will have major ramifications for all of WWE and exemplify the New Era, as both Raw and SmackDown will each feature their own unique rosters and rivalries following an imminent Superstar draft.
"WWE's flagship programs will both leverage the incredible depth of our talent roster, distinct storylines and the unpredictable nature of live TV," WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon said. “This move will undoubtedly build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around the world.”
With so many explosive competitors emerging from WWE NXT, and top Superstars like John Cena and Seth Rollins returning from injury, WWE’s star-powered roster has never been stronger. Its historic division and the monumental revelation of SmackDown’s shift to a live format each week reflect the excitement and unpredictability of WWE’s New Era.
What awaits SmackDown on its new night, starting this July? Which live shows will claim your favorite Superstars? What will this all mean for the future of sports-entertainment? Stay tuned as WWE prepares to get shaken up like never before. | Promote this thread! |             | Tenken347
Knackwurst
Level: 114
Posts: 2788/3251
EXP: 16077269
For next: 232348
Since: 27.2.03
From: Parts Unknown
Since last post: 7 days
Last activity: 15 hours
| #2 Posted on 25.5.16 0808.13
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0808.27 | Generally, I'm in favor of this. The roster is getting to the point where it's hard for a lot of guys to find a spot. On the other hand, WWE has historically had a problem running two shows and actually treating them like both are important.
My big question, though, is does RAW stay at 3 hours and Smackdown at 2? Because that automatically creates the perception that RAW is more important. Or was this the compromise that lets them get away from doing a 3 hour live show? Because that third hour is finally showing the kind of diminishing returns that we all knew were eventually going to happen. | BigDaddyLoco
Scrapple
Level: 146
Posts: 5406/5690
EXP: 38253870
For next: 259516
Since: 2.1.02
Since last post: 150 days
Last activity: 150 days
| #3 Posted on 25.5.16 0840.19
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0845.26 | At least Kane and Big Show can get some tv time again.
I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. How out of touch are these guys? Unless there are two noticble differences between the shows I don't see how this succeeds long term. The first brand split got stale pretty quickly and wrestling was a lot hotter, Raw was only two hours and there was no NXT to also watch. Throw in Network PPVs and wrestling specials and this company is really asking a lot of it's viewers.
I'm rooting for Smackdown to get loaded up with guys I like just because it is shorter. | thecubsfan
Scrapple
Moderator
Level: 152
Posts: 5807/6203
EXP: 43605359
For next: 696403
Since: 10.12.01
From: Aurora, IL
Since last post: 770 days
Last activity: 150 days
| #4 Posted on 25.5.16 0936.16
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0937.03 | Reigns on RAW and Cena on SmackDown, I'd guess. The obvious upside is it'll make it harder for WWE to get desperate and do that match before WrestleMania. Maybe Cena can wear the Spirit of St. Louis jersey again when he gets drafted back to where he started.
I think they see their own problems creatively, but this is all about trying to stop the USA ratings slide in general. (And, since whatever they'd put on instead of hour 1 of RAW would probably do worse, this doesn't change that show length.)
Throw in Network PPVs and wrestling specials and this company is really asking a lot of it's viewers.
Don't forget the cruiserweight tournament too.
The unspoken question in that press release is where this leaves NXT. There's an idea world where SmackDown, with the old lead writer of NXT, just becomes NXT. The problem is NXT still is one of the selling points of the network and WWE can't damage that, and also wants those NXT tours to still mean something. I think this is brand split is much bigger for the Aries/Roode/Young type guys than Balor or Nakamura, because roster depth for the main shows trumps being veteran hands for NXT. Balor or Nakamura have been embraced to a point where they can carry those shows in a way the ex-TNA guys can't really yet.
(Still, you'd know they want at least one big 'new' star to launch the new night.)
things I'm not looking forward to
- any and all segments with Shane/Stephanie feuding to set up this brand split
- splitting up titles after they've done a good of making title changes meaningful
- the Hype Brothers caliber of acts added just to give warm bodies to shows, without any particular plan for using them | lotjx
Scrapple
Level: 129
Posts: 4470/4785
EXP: 24559541
For next: 490180
Since: 5.9.08
Since last post: 1504 days
Last activity: 1343 days
| #5 Posted on 25.5.16 0937.35
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0940.51 | Its a place where they can ship off the remains of Shield, so Roman can soar on his own. There will be Raw at 3 hours, because they never go backwards. I figured this would happen when USA got it. There most be someobe at USA that saw Smackdown spoilers on a google search and realized the damage done to its' rating. Rollins will be our new champ on the new show.
(edited by lotjx on 25.5.16 0938) | texasranger9
Frankfurter
Level: 57
Posts: 509/754
EXP: 1411775
For next: 74162
Since: 9.1.11
Since last post: 1276 days
Last activity: 1276 days
| #6 Posted on 25.5.16 0950.30
Reposted on: 25.5.23 0953.10 | I am genuinely excited for this for one reason. They are going with a live SmackDown! I think that is main reason the Brand Split failed last time. So many viewers could get spoilers and thus skip viewing it. I have some other thoughts.
PPV's: They should keep all PPV's/Network Specials as duel branded. The single brand PPV's were not good. Each show should be able to create 4-5 PPV worthy matches each. That will elevate the PPV's overall. If they really want to go with a Brand Split they should break up their touring schedule. Example: RAW can be in say Boston, Hartford, NYC, and Philly. SD! can be in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, then Charlotte. They PPV with both will be at D.C. That way the tours will be far enough apart that viewers won't have to choose one or the other to go to.
The Draft: This is one of the main reasons to have your own Network WWe. Make this a live event on a Friday. Start at 5pm eastern and go til 11pm. Have a camra in a red room with Shane and his confidants. Have a blue room with Steph and Hunter and their confindants. Have Vince do the announcing of the picks at a podium. I won't fly in the whole roster but say 10-15 top guys and girls like the NFL does. We could get a Aaron Rodgers story line out of it. Like Ambrose doesn't get picked til pick 40. They need to Serpentine the draft too. RAW gets picks 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, etc. Smackdown gets 2, 3, 6, 7, etc. That way they can draft tag teams as individuals back to back. Set up story lines too.
Titles: They have to split the World Title up again. They Champ is on both shows doesn't work. I don't know about the other two(Woman's Title and Tags.) Both divisions are kinda thin for a split. One answer is Brand A picks the Tags/Womans Brand B gets the Cruiserweight. The Tourny winner gets the title. So we have Raw World, SD! World, Tag, Womans, US, IC, Cruiser. We need an 8th. TV? Euro? I would prefer the TV come back. Give it to a work horse like wCw did. Ceasro defending it every SD! would be nice. Its a lesser title but the amount of clean defenses of it he would rack up would make it special eventually. Hell have hive go undefeated with it for a year.
All of this excitement is only because SD! is live finally.
(edited by texasranger9 on 25.5.16 0951) | SKLOKAZOID
Bierwurst
Level: 89
Posts: 1661/1821
EXP: 6892294
For next: 23634
Since: 20.3.02
From: California
Since last post: 1515 days
Last activity: 645 days
| #7 Posted on 25.5.16 1009.16
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1010.36 | It's amazing how people forget that the brand split was ultimately a negative after 2005 and how meaningless and self-defeating the idea of "Two World Champions" is.
Two positives, though:
- If you want a two-hour live WWE TV show, you got it. SmackDown is already better than Raw.
- If you don't like Roman Reigns, there's a good chance he'll only be on one show and this sets up a scenario where Vince's Guy has his ass handed to him by the other guy.
Still, in the end, the problem with WWE isn't that there's not enough hours of TV to fill or that the roster is too deep, the problem is that the five hours WWE currently has mostly suck.
Plus, this decision is ENTIRELY motivated by TV networks wanting more live shows. It isn't a quality thing.
| Dr Unlikely
Liverwurst
Level: 73
Posts: 1023/1121
EXP: 3345214
For next: 140671
Since: 2.1.02
Since last post: 1994 days
Last activity: 1601 days
| #8 Posted on 25.5.16 1014.42
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1014.48 | A brand split solves problems, but only problems of their own making. You don't need to have the same people featured on every show doing the same angle and matches four-to-eight weeks in a row. If Corbin and Ziggler are going to do a two month program, only have them on every other Raw instead of fighting each other ten times in eight weeks.
Nothing gets fixed if they don't:
-Get rid of the Weekly 20 Minute HHH Memorial Opening Promo -Cut the replays way down
-Use the time saved by gutting the Weekly 20 Minute HHH Memorial Opening Promo and the replays of replays to introduce more characters and air more taped packages (which are consistently better than what makes Raw)
-Ease up on the scripting and use the writers to do plotting instead
-Rotate people around and stop doing matches four times in a row to build to the same match at the PPV (which is almost never a blow-off match anymore anyway)
That last one actually becomes more of a problem with a brand split, but it still needs to change, since it is mostly what makes the IC and US belts so worthless since it requires the champ to constantly lose to a challenger. | StaggerLee
Scrapple
Level: 160
Posts: 6744/7105
EXP: 52448389
For next: 504725
Since: 3.10.02
From: Right side of the tracks
Since last post: 760 days
Last activity: 760 days
| #9 Posted on 25.5.16 1015.22
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1015.24 | | Brock isn't around. Heyman is on the payroll........ please god let this mean that Heyman is head of Smackdown writing again. | SKLOKAZOID
Bierwurst
Level: 89
Posts: 1662/1821
EXP: 6892294
For next: 23634
Since: 20.3.02
From: California
Since last post: 1515 days
Last activity: 645 days
| #10 Posted on 25.5.16 1019.27
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1020.44 | Originally posted by Dr Unlikely
-Rotate people around and stop doing matches four times in a row to build to the same match at the PPV (which is almost never a blow-off match anymore anyway)
This is the most perplexing thing to me. I think I heard somewhere that this is one of the deepest WWE rosters they've had in the number of people on it, but it's in no way reflected on TV. Are they including NXT in that count? If so, that's kind of inflated.
For such a deep roster, we still get too many repeat matches. Splitting it puts a band-aid on it, but the core problem still remains and is probably even worse since divided rosters consist of only half the amount of people. | Mayhem
Scrapple
Level: 120
Posts: 3663/3693
EXP: 19391217
For next: 96010
Since: 25.4.03
From: Nashville, TN
Since last post: 2261 days
Last activity: 74 days
| #11 Posted on 25.5.16 1043.20
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1047.57 |
The thing I'm most interesting in seeing is how the championships are treated. Do they existing champions rotate or are "new" championships created. Just looking at the tag team roster, it's starting to get crowded (something that was hardly a problem just a couple of years ago). According the my calculations, there are currently 14 functioning tag teams currently on the main roster (if you count the Hype Brothers as a main roster team).
New Day
Social Outcasts
Vaudevillains
Shining Stars
Anderson/Gallows
The Ascension
Hype Brothers
Wyatt Family
Dudleys
Enzo/Cass
Golden Truth
Fandango/Breeze
Usos
Lucha Dragons
| graves9
Sujuk
Level: 65
Posts: 984/1008
EXP: 2257009
For next: 78631
Since: 19.2.10
From: Brooklyn NY
Since last post: 1512 days
Last activity: 1272 days
| #12 Posted on 25.5.16 1127.28
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1129.01 | | So if Cena is on Smackdown would the US title be the top title? How can they fill three hours of Raw with a split roster? I'd be all in on this if they moved Raw back to two hours and having Styles not killing himself putting on twenty minute matches on two shows should keep him healthy. I think they definitely can make more stars with two differently booked shows but with Vince overseeing things who knows. | Matt Tracker
Scrapple
Level: 141
Posts: 5145/5325
EXP: 33545547
For next: 574551
Since: 8.5.03
From: North Carolina
Since last post: 10 days
Last activity: 3 days
| #13 Posted on 25.5.16 1139.03
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1139.32 | WWE's WarGames could now be another roster vs roster battle or we get two such matches between factions on each show.
SyFy has a two-hour version of WWE RAW on Fridays, and I wonder if they'll expand to the SD matches.
| Tenken347
Knackwurst
Level: 114
Posts: 2789/3251
EXP: 16077269
For next: 232348
Since: 27.2.03
From: Parts Unknown
Since last post: 7 days
Last activity: 15 hours
| #14 Posted on 25.5.16 1159.27
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1201.04 | Originally posted by texasranger9
Titles: They have to split the World Title up again.
You CAN NOT do this. We just got back to a place where being the WHC makes you THE GUY, making the title have intrinsic value that wrestlers want to possess. You split that belt again, and we get set back about a decade on that. They have to float the world champion, although I'd advocate for them alternating a challenger from RAW and Smackdown every other month. The secondary titles I'm less adamant about, but I'd still suggest that they float as well, although maybe making the US title Smackdown exclusive would be a good idea, in that right now there's not nearly enough differentiation between it and the IC belt. | thecubsfan
Scrapple
Moderator
Level: 152
Posts: 5808/6203
EXP: 43605359
For next: 696403
Since: 10.12.01
From: Aurora, IL
Since last post: 770 days
Last activity: 150 days
| #15 Posted on 25.5.16 1212.40
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1212.53 | Originally posted by Matt Tracker
WWE's WarGames could now be another roster vs roster battle or we get two such matches between factions on each show.
You think you're getting WarGames, but what you're actually getting is the stirring return of Bragging Rights PPV. Addendum to this list of things I don't want:
- "any and all feuds based on fans or wrestlers having some deep loyalty to the television show they got drafted a moment ago"
(edited by thecubsfan on 25.5.16 1212) | Dr Unlikely
Liverwurst
Level: 73
Posts: 1024/1121
EXP: 3345214
For next: 140671
Since: 2.1.02
Since last post: 1994 days
Last activity: 1601 days
| #16 Posted on 25.5.16 1248.51
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1249.14 | Originally posted by Tenken347
Originally posted by texasranger9
Titles: They have to split the World Title up again.
You CAN NOT do this. We just got back to a place where being the WHC makes you THE GUY, making the title have intrinsic value that wrestlers want to possess. You split that belt again, and we get set back about a decade on that. They have to float the world champion, although I'd advocate for them alternating a challenger from RAW and Smackdown every other month. The secondary titles I'm less adamant about, but I'd still suggest that they float as well, although maybe making the US title Smackdown exclusive would be a good idea, in that right now there's not nearly enough differentiation between it and the IC belt.
World (and probably tag) champs floating makes the most sense, with the IC and US titles as guaranteed belts for each touring brand/show.
Back during the original brand split on here, I proposed the World Champ getting "stuck" on the show of the brand where he lost the belt as a means of moving talent across shows. So Reigns starts off as undraft-able and outside both brands, but when he loses the belt, he automatically lands on the show where he's replacing the new floating champ, who effectively severs his own brand ties until he loses.
How much better could WrestleMania have been if they'd gone into it with a plan towards this? Shane personally returning from abroad with international talent on the level of Styles/Nakamura/Anderson/Gallows, giving either AJ or Nakamura the big Undertaker debut (AJ lost at Mania anyway, losing to Undertaker wouldn't have been any worse than losing to Jericho) and taking Smackdown by force to give themselves a do-over on mangling the Invasion so badly the first time around? | Stefonics
Frankfurter
Level: 64
Posts: 784/825
EXP: 2102183
For next: 111926
Since: 17.3.02
From: New Jerusalem
Since last post: 2218 days
Last activity: 84 days
| #17 Posted on 25.5.16 1357.22
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1358.34 | Originally posted by Dr Unlikely
Originally posted by Tenken347
Originally posted by texasranger9
Titles: They have to split the World Title up again.
You CAN NOT do this. We just got back to a place where being the WHC makes you THE GUY, making the title have intrinsic value that wrestlers want to possess. You split that belt again, and we get set back about a decade on that. They have to float the world champion, although I'd advocate for them alternating a challenger from RAW and Smackdown every other month. The secondary titles I'm less adamant about, but I'd still suggest that they float as well, although maybe making the US title Smackdown exclusive would be a good idea, in that right now there's not nearly enough differentiation between it and the IC belt.
World (and probably tag) champs floating makes the most sense, with the IC and US titles as guaranteed belts for each touring brand/show.
Back during the original brand split on here, I proposed the World Champ getting "stuck" on the show of the brand where he lost the belt as a means of moving talent across shows. So Reigns starts off as undraft-able and outside both brands, but when he loses the belt, he automatically lands on the show where he's replacing the new floating champ, who effectively severs his own brand ties until he loses.
How much better could WrestleMania have been if they'd gone into it with a plan towards this? Shane personally returning from abroad with international talent on the level of Styles/Nakamura/Anderson/Gallows, giving either AJ or Nakamura the big Undertaker debut (AJ lost at Mania anyway, losing to Undertaker wouldn't have been any worse than losing to Jericho) and taking Smackdown by force to give themselves a do-over on mangling the Invasion so badly the first time around?
I hate reading posts like this because they force me to think about what these shows could and should be. I don't know how I feel about the brand split; one one hand I think it's great for showcasing more talent. On the other, it cuts the size of the roster and that increases the probability of seeing Ziggler-Corbin every week for 8 months instead of the usual 4. | thecubsfan
Scrapple
Moderator
Level: 152
Posts: 5809/6203
EXP: 43605359
For next: 696403
Since: 10.12.01
From: Aurora, IL
Since last post: 770 days
Last activity: 150 days
| #18 Posted on 25.5.16 1357.50
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1359.01 | | Meltzer says the plan, at the moment, is 2 world heavyweight champions. (Only 1 woman champion is the current thought.) | SKLOKAZOID
Bierwurst
Level: 89
Posts: 1663/1821
EXP: 6892294
For next: 23634
Since: 20.3.02
From: California
Since last post: 1515 days
Last activity: 645 days
| #19 Posted on 25.5.16 1434.06
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1434.45 | Originally posted by thecubsfan
Meltzer says the plan, at the moment, is 2 world heavyweight champions. (Only 1 woman champion is the current thought.)
After listening to Meltzer's update, I'm not a fan of the rumored plan.
- If a show with 100% of the roster is slipping in the ratings, a show with 50% roster will do even worse. Especially over three hours.
- Two WWE World Champions is an inherently flawed concept. It's like having an American League and a National League without a World Series. You'll have two Intercontinental belts. Only one belt can main event WrestleMania, only one Royal Rumble winner can challenge for one belt.
- SmackDown's roster will either have a dead spot on Mondays or an added house show, which doesn't change much for injuries. I know they hold back on house shows, but injuries happen on them, too.
All right, I'll shut up for a bit on this. It's just bringing back some bad memories. | Reverend J Shaft
Toulouse
Level: 75
Posts: 1201/1235
EXP: 3734726
For next: 92195
Since: 25.6.03
From: Home of The Big House
Since last post: 1261 days
Last activity: 291 days
| #20 Posted on 25.5.16 1456.57
Reposted on: 25.5.23 1457.10 | Originally posted by thecubsfan
Meltzer says the plan, at the moment, is 2 world heavyweight champions. (Only 1 woman champion is the current thought.)
So, THAT's why we haven't seen HHH in ages. I wondered how he'd be able to get himself a couple more title reigns without everyone sh!tting on it. Cerebral Assassin, indeed.... |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Pages: 1 2 3 Next