The split and why it'll fail

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I figure the split will fail. I give it a couple months tops.

 

there our many fans who only tune into see certain wrestlers and if there only going to be on raw than there's no point in watching smackdown for them.

 

the booking team doesn't have it in them either, how are the PPV's going to work? Will both shows have a World Champ? How ever those questions are answered it'll likely be confusing and more than likely forgotten in two weeks. and then there's the question of wether Vince can stand to only have his face on one tv show a week. do you think he can? i don't

 

so i ask you do you think the split will work? and if it doesn't what can the wwf do to extend the wrestling boom?

[Guest Dangerous A]

I believe the split won't work because even if both shows did get different writing teams(which I hear is not the case), both teams have to answer to Vince McMahon in the end on what goes down. And Vince only knows how to do things one way. His way. I would let Paul Heyman or someone like a Johnny Ace run the other show so it would seem like an actual "different" brand instead of wwf1 and wwf2, which from all indications we are headed.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

If it isn't an actual split (writing team, own championships, etc), it will fail.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

where will they get the writers though? they can't get one competent booking team as it is.

[Guest Brian]

"there our many fans who only tune into see certain wrestlers and if there only going to be on raw than there's no point in watching smackdown for them."

 

I doubt there's that many, but the point of the split is to promote that type of competition where a show might be must see because a wrestler is on it, but you may tune in to the other show because something different is happening.

 

"the booking team doesn't have it in them either, how are the PPV's going to work?"

 

I'd wait until Monday for the full explanation as obviously it'll be a whole lot of entertainment and probably some guys working harder during their matches as there will be a lot of new spots open.

 

"Will both shows have a World Champ?"

 

Depends what they do with the title, but I'm guessing they run a title splt angle at the end of the show where Jericho and HHH both pin Steph.

 

"and then there's the question of wether Vince can stand to only have his face on one tv show a week. do you think he can?"

 

Obviously he can or else he would hae never thought of going through with this. Of course, I also think the first month or so will have a lot of cross-over just to phase the whole thing out. It's going to be a slow process.

 

 

 

I would definately have two writing teams if I were Vince, but once again since I'm not going to hurry things. Hire Taylor. They have a ton of wrestling oriented bookers/agents who could do an awesome job, and they have their soap opera writers. Still, nothing is finalized, and I'm not worried.

[Guest goodhelmet]

It's not a split, it's a brand extension

 

But yeah, I would like to see it work but I don't think it will succeed. I am basing this on their track record for the last year. They've killed the NWO angle. They didn't capitalize on RVD's extreme popularity (He's just now getting the IC belt?). They screwed up Austin's heel turn. They messed up the Invasion. They've criticized everyone from the apathetic fans at their shows to the internet, but not once have they looked at themselves and thought about how they could improve. They didn't want to turn Hogan face. They HAD to turn Hogan face.

This past week looked like a step in the right direction but how many times have we said this in the past only to be spoonfed crap? I'm going to take a wait and see approach buut if the only difference between the shows is the talent featured, then who gives a crap? Give me a choice in content and if both shows get it right then I'll be happy. Let's wait and see.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

bump.

[Guest bps "The Truth" 21]

I figure that the split will fail because...quite frankly...the wwf is doing it.

[Guest goodhelmet]

yeah bps you just summarized my previous post in one sentence. the WWF is executing it so why should we as wrestling fans have faith in its success?

[Guest The Mighty Damaramu]

BPS....I laugh at your sig more and more everytime I see it.

And I think that the Brand Extension;) will do good on one show. One show will get high ratings, the other will get low ratings..Vince will get desperate and try stupid things and end up rejoining the companies in 6 months.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

mmmm...pessimism......mmmmm

[Guest]

When did they criticize the apathetic fans? And the NWO angle isn't dead.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

it is in it's origanal form it was brought in as a poison now it's nothing but some guys where t-shirts.

[Guest]

It was killed in the original form a week the night they debuted.

[Guest KOR420]

nWo is sooooo dead and it got killed the night Hogan turned face,it WAS dying slow but that killed it for me now all i see is one pathetic loser who cries when he gets called a bitch,a drunk,and then theres x-pac and....umm...well that speaks for itself

[Guest goodhelmet]

I remember hearing reports of Heyman or Lawler getting on the mic during commercials for RAW and telling the fans to make some noise. There was a ton of criticism from wrestlers (like Lance Storm) and the Ross Report saying how the bad crowds took away from what was really an enjoyable show.

In other words, they deflected the blame from themselves and shitty writing on to dead crowds who couldn't 'appreciate' the WWF style of entertainment.

[Guest]

I do not think that the brand extension will work for the simple reason that it is supposed to create inter-company competition. If that were the case they would put the two shows up against each other on Monday nights.

 

Would there ever have been a ratings war if Nitro was aired on Thursday? How much competition can there be if I do not have to flip off one program to watch the other?

 

I have another question for you all though. How do you think an Invasion and brand extension angle would have played out had Ted Turner purchased the WWF?

[Guest teke184]

If the inmates were still running the asylum in WCW, then Nash would have been the unified champion within a week after squashing The Rock, Austin, HHH, Jericho, Benoit, and Angle all in one night.  It wouldn't have been any better than Vince buying WCW, although I doubt Turner would have had as large a role in the humiliation of the WWF as Vince did in the humiliation of WCW.

[Guest goodhelmet]

I think another goal of the split that you guys are forgetting about is cutting down on the overexposure of many of the top stars. withthe split, it will in theory allow the fans to be more excited to see the superstars since they will see them less often. I don't know if it will work but this is the only rational reason for the split to occur since the competition concept is non-existent

[Guest muzanisa]

They have screwed up every major storyline since WMX7. They have a habit of panicking at the first sign of things going wrong. The main problem seems to be the writing team. The head of the writing team is untouchable and will not be criticised. The split probably has no chance.

[Guest gangsteruwa]

The "Brand Extension" is going to be a casual fans nightmare.  Imagine going to RAW expecting to see a wrestler that only appears on Smackdown.  They bring their signs for that wrestler, they chant their name, then someone turns around, calls them a dumba$$ and tells them that that wrestler is only on Smackdown.  That fan then cries and runs away with their arms making weird gestures.  

 

The funny part is, I think the "Brand Extension" is going to be so confusing that not only casual fans will be confused, all the fans will be, including the smarts.

 

Here's to the "Brand Extension"...

[Guest godthedog]

as long as the new world older and hogan are only on one show, i'll be happy with the split.  i can stand trips being boring and angle & jericho (& even austin) being mishandled, but i cannot stand these outdated characters and shitty main events anymore (which is why i stopped watching the wwf this week).  the triple h/stephanie saga is stupid & boring, but at least it's relatively original.  

 

in fact, just put austin & the new world older on different shows & i'll be happy.  i'll be pissed if i have to sit through the creative wanking of middle-aged men in order to get my austin fix.

[Guest Austin3164life]

If they stick to the good ratings they have been getting on Raw and SD, then maybe the split might work.  Someone said "if it is an actual split of the WWF, it will work".  I agree.  Vince's side can stay how the WWF always is, but Flair's side should be wrestling oriented and feud oriented.  Flair, Double A, and Paul Heyman should run Raw, and possibly come up with a new name for their side of the company.  Once competition starts springing up (and once people start watching Flair's side more), Vince will have no choice but to create a better atmosphere for Smackdown, and we'll finally watch two good shows......let's hope

[Guest Brian]

In a lot of ways, the split is just as much about the WWF finding out what attracts viewership as it is about splitting the talent and getting more exposure.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

well i have the feeling that the nWo will be appearing on both shows. just so they at least APPEAR to be trying to destroy the wwf

[Guest goodhelmet]

Let's hope the NWO is confined to Smackdown because frankly I don't watch wrestling that much on Thursdays as it is. Also, once again, the NWO being on both shows would make no sense. I bet they've already forgotten that they were brought in to destroy the WWF.

 

 

(also Cobain, you can also put "Frankie Lymon dead at 27")