A bigger problem than the roster split...
 

I think they've cut down the number of PPVs. They have like 14 now right? If they just cut One Night Stand and Cyber Sunday it's back to the way it was since 1996. Considering they have 3 shows I don't think the extra two events a year (which are gimmick events) are really that much of a problem.

You probably think that at this moment in time because it's the fall, and thats when Cyber Sunday falls. As a result you feel like there's a lot of ppvs going on because there's one extra in this 3 month span.
At other times of year it wouldn't be this way.

I think 12 is the right number in modern times, so I don't see this as a huge issue.

I agree with Jeritron's assessment.

As far as Cena getting the title shot goes, I think he was scheduled to be champion at this time but because of his injury, Jericho has been carrying the belt until Cena was able to return. John will probably win the belt at SS, because WWE sucks.

Cena is Cena. That's why.

Tri-Branded PPVs aren't really hurting, just the glut of PPVs. I know they cut back a couple, but that doesn't really change the overall problem. There are a lot of PPVs, and they burn through storylines pretty fast. As a result, they tend to recycle the same people. Hence Batista's free challenges code. If they didn't resolve them so frequently, they wouldn't need as many challengers.

It'a big Catch 22 situation.

I've noticed that a lot of the guys being pushed ot TV don't make it on to PPV. This includes most midcarders (Benjamin, R-Truth, Kendrick, Regal, etc) and most tag teams (Cryme Tyme, Priceless, Hawkins & Ryder, The Colons, The In Crowd, etc) and anyone on ECW that isn't in the title match (Bourne, Swagger, Finlay, etc).

Some of these guys could do with a little PPV exposure to help get them over. It also seems that these fueds (Cryme Tyme v The In Crowd for example) are going nowhere.

Many of the releases could be attributed to having the same 12 - 15 guys on PPV month in, month out. Talented workers like Burke, London, etc are cut as TV time is spent pushing these 12 - 15 wrestlers.

On the otherhand, if you go back and watch the single brand shows from 2005(?) they are pretty lackluster - especially on the SmackDown side of things. However, it does seem that each brand is stacked a little better/evenly nowadays so maybe it could work again.

The In Crowd, what a faggy name.

Well, it's Miz and Morrison, so it's apropos.

So 13 is hurting the promotion now, but 12 wasn't hurting it 10 years ago? When it had less titles and less talent?

The brand split, the amount of titles, and most importantly the booking is the problem. Having 1 more ppv a year than they had in the hayday isn't the problem.

The Miz wants to get in men and men want to get in Morrison.

How's the brand split a problem again? I'm sure it is, but I can barely remember why anymore.

I don't think it's as much a matter of how many PPVs as how the WWE is utilizing them.

They did that for a little while after the brand split. The only "full" (Raw and Smackdown) PPVS were Survivor Series, SummerSlam, Mania and the Rumble. I always thought that was a good idea, because the same cards weren't on every month. I know it's a bit different with ECW now, but I think it could still work now.

Considering ECW almost never gets a PPV slot other than their championship match, I don't think anyone would notice if there weren't any "ECW-only" PPVs. Just lump them onto whichever brand is running the show.

Or give them back One Night Stand as the brand's lone PPV. They might just be able to fill a PPV with 6 months to build more than 2 feuds on the show.

I like both of your ideas, but I think (if WWE were to do this) they would lean toward the former. One Night Stand is supposed to be all Extreme Rules matches, right? With their new family-friendly approach, I don't see that returning, even though it would be cool. That is, the true One Night Stand concept, not the watered down, kid-friendly version of it.

I was actually going to suggest that ECW be featured on RAW events, since they're "together" now (aren't they yet?), but having them on both could work. The only problem I see with that is the same problem we're seeing now: the same cards month after month, especially since ECW's roster isn't really stacked.

Or make them dual branded ppvs. Let whomever has ECW's talent exchange share ppvs. I'd rather see ECW on SmackDown (as long as the In Crowd jumps to Raw) and keep it like that. But yea, 5, maybe 4 big ppvs (Mania, Summer Slam, Rumble, Survior Series) and let each brand build up their to their ppvs instead of throwing them down our pike every three or four weeks.

The tri-branding of PPVs waters them down, I think. There's only room for so many spots, and while the WWE is actually doing a good job of rotating them, it just feels so...underdeveloped sometimes. As some have said, it's not the number of PPVs so much as the quality of the programming. I think the WWE could very easily try their hand at brand exclusive PPVs again.

ECW having the talent exchange with both RAW and SmackDown! would allow them to attach themselves to any brand exclusive show that was going on. This means two World Title matches for at least every PPV, which is enough to keep them interesting, I think. It also means that the WWE can experiment with a match like Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship, which may not be big enough to headline, but if you couple that with a Randy Orton vs. Batista match for the ECW Championship, may be enough to get some buys.

Featuring some good wrestling on the shows would also be great. A PPV with a John Morrison & The Miz tag team match on it, which could be every one of them, would instantly be worth the purchase.

BDC, you aren't allowed on my planet. Fuck off to your red one.

:y:

No, the booking is a problem, but the big problem is still the fact that they have more PPVs now than they did in the biggest period in their business. With the financial crisis in banking recently, and the real estate crash, we keep hearing the phrase "living beyond their means," and WWE is living beyond their means. Yearly, their attendances are going down, and realistically, 13 PPVs now is worse than 12 ten years ago. Why? Because they could pull it off back then. Even their shittiest PPVs would draw because they were popular at that point.

Whether the reason is booking or simply a "down cycle" in the sport, not cutting back on PPVs will hurt them. Even if they turned the writing around today, and made everything attitude era quality, the prudent thing would be to tighten their belts until they started packing in Austin-level crowds and drawing Austin-level numbers.

The size of the roster and the number of titles should benefit them.

I wish Armageddon were a SmackDown! only PPV. I mean, think of the matches they could do:

* Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy for the WWE Championship
* Edge & Christian vs. Big Show & Umaga
* Matt Hardy vs. Vladimir Kozlov for the ECW Championship
* Mr. Kennedy vs. The Undertaker in a #1 Contender's Match for the WWE Championship
* Shelton Benjamin vs. R-Truth for the WWE United States Championship
* Carlito & Primo Colon vs. The Brian Kendrick & Ezekiel Jackson vs. Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins in a TLC Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
* MVP vs. Hurricane Helms
* Jesse, Festus & Maria vs. Michelle McCool, Kung Fu Naki & The Great Khali
* Natalya vs. Victoria vs. Maryse vs. Brie Bella vs. Nikki Bella in a Divas Scramble Match

Hmm, or maybe not. Probably not.

I was gonna take a shot at booking an exclusive show for each brand (Raw & SD) using the current talent and fueds but seems Noid beat me to it.

Although, that card - as decent as it appears - requires 5 guys returning in the next 5 weeks (or however long the gap between Survivor Series and Armageddon is). I couldn't see WWE having that many people returing in such a short time as each one takes away from the rest (except maybe Helms who has featured on the shows, kinda).

I love your fantasy booking Noid but that card is "way out there".