The brand split makes it incredibly hard to do a succinct SummerSlam

**Mr. Nerfect** · 06-20-2017, 01:38 AM

One of my biggest problems with the brand split is that there is just too much. You have 9 (!) champions between the main roster. A lot of them are parallel champions too. I *do* get the "each brand is supposed to be its separate universe, so having champions on each show makes sense" argument. I've come to favor the "what does being a champion mean if you're not actually the definitive best on your show?" response, though. Imagine Joe Casual tuning in to a WWE joint-brand PPV and seeing two women's matches for the World Title and two tag team matches to decide the best tag team in the world. It distracts and it detracts.

NOTE: I don't think casual fans actually watch the PPVs (legally, anyway). The RAW viewship, while dwindling, doesn't equate to the WWE Network subscription numbers. Most people watch RAW and don't plunk down a measly $9.99 a month to get the complete PPV library of mainstream professional wrestling and the bimonthly PPV extravaganzas.

When you put every championship in a prominent role at the dual-brand PPVs, you end up with 9 title matches, meaning you're going more and longer for personal issues, grudge matches, special attractions, possible high-level debuts and gimmick matches. It's a headache to try and book a show that isn't fatiguing around all those issues -- many of which are going to seem almost eerily parallel to the stories on the other show.

So how do you book a succinct and effective SummerSlam card? One that gets every prominent player on, but doesn't feel like "this title match, this title match, this title match, this upper mid-card feud, this upper mid-card feud," etc? There are so many RAW storylines that you can make an 11 or so match card with just that side of the roster. How do you have a show build in importance with these imposed conditions?

I was just meditating on this, and giving things breathing room, here is a go at how I would go about it:

* Brock vs. Strowman for the Universal Title
* Say My Name Match: Joe vs. Reigns
* Mahal vs. Cena vs. Orton for the WWE Title
* Seth vs. Wyatt in a match where if Seth loses he has to join Bray or leave RAW; and if Seth wins, Wyatt leaves RAW
* Miz vs. Ambrose in a Ladder Match for the IC Title
* Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles & Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin, Kevin Owens & Dolph Ziggler in an Elimination Tag
* Alexa vs. Nia for the RAW Women's Title
* Neville vs. Balor for the Cruiserweight Title
* Enzo vs. Cass (maybe in some sort of Chain Match, but a PG version)
* Becky & Shane McMahon vs. Carmella & James Ellsworth
* The Usos vs. The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles

That's still 11 matches and it leaves off The Hardys and Cesaro & Sheamus (who I feel have probably played out their biggest matches and are better served to television, despite The Hardys' appeal). There's also no SmackDown Women's Title match. But that's basically everyone on, with a weighted importance given to the ongoing stories that could conceivably land on the SummerSlam platform. Jamming Balor into the Cruiserweight Title match feels forced, but where else does he get paired up? Another clusterfuck up the card?

Do you like the current direction of WWE, and how do you feel about these super-cards that try to put everything on and don't really give things room to breathe? Is giving air-time to everyone detrimental? Does leaving certain championships off your dual-brand shows help them or hurt the belts?

06-20-2017, 01:38 AM	#1
Mr. Nerfect Posts: 61,523	The brand split makes it incredibly hard to do a succinct SummerSlam One of my biggest problems with the brand split is that there is just too much. You have 9 (!) champions between the main roster. A lot of them are parallel champions too. I do get the "each brand is supposed to be its separate universe, so having champions on each show makes sense" argument. I've come to favor the "what does being a champion mean if you're not actually the definitive best on your show?" response, though. Imagine Joe Casual tuning in to a WWE joint-brand PPV and seeing two women's matches for the World Title and two tag team matches to decide the best tag team in the world. It distracts and it detracts. NOTE: I don't think casual fans actually watch the PPVs (legally, anyway). The RAW viewship, while dwindling, doesn't equate to the WWE Network subscription numbers. Most people watch RAW and don't plunk down a measly $9.99 a month to get the complete PPV library of mainstream professional wrestling and the bimonthly PPV extravaganzas. When you put every championship in a prominent role at the dual-brand PPVs, you end up with 9 title matches, meaning you're going more and longer for personal issues, grudge matches, special attractions, possible high-level debuts and gimmick matches. It's a headache to try and book a show that isn't fatiguing around all those issues -- many of which are going to seem almost eerily parallel to the stories on the other show. So how do you book a succinct and effective SummerSlam card? One that gets every prominent player on, but doesn't feel like "this title match, this title match, this title match, this upper mid-card feud, this upper mid-card feud," etc? There are so many RAW storylines that you can make an 11 or so match card with just that side of the roster. How do you have a show build in importance with these imposed conditions? I was just meditating on this, and giving things breathing room, here is a go at how I would go about it: * Brock vs. Strowman for the Universal Title * Say My Name Match: Joe vs. Reigns * Mahal vs. Cena vs. Orton for the WWE Title * Seth vs. Wyatt in a match where if Seth loses he has to join Bray or leave RAW; and if Seth wins, Wyatt leaves RAW * Miz vs. Ambrose in a Ladder Match for the IC Title * Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles & Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin, Kevin Owens & Dolph Ziggler in an Elimination Tag * Alexa vs. Nia for the RAW Women's Title * Neville vs. Balor for the Cruiserweight Title * Enzo vs. Cass (maybe in some sort of Chain Match, but a PG version) * Becky & Shane McMahon vs. Carmella & James Ellsworth * The Usos vs. The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles That's still 11 matches and it leaves off The Hardys and Cesaro & Sheamus (who I feel have probably played out their biggest matches and are better served to television, despite The Hardys' appeal). There's also no SmackDown Women's Title match. But that's basically everyone on, with a weighted importance given to the ongoing stories that could conceivably land on the SummerSlam platform. Jamming Balor into the Cruiserweight Title match feels forced, but where else does he get paired up? Another clusterfuck up the card? Do you like the current direction of WWE, and how do you feel about these super-cards that try to put everything on and don't really give things room to breathe? Is giving air-time to everyone detrimental? Does leaving certain championships off your dual-brand shows help them or hurt the belts?