10 Best Things About The 2002 WWE Brand Split

Identity is important, and the brand split delivers that. Right now, Smackdown is just Raw-lite. But back in 2002, the brand split gave it a greater meaning. It was the blue brand: the home of wrestling. On the other hand, Raw was the sports entertainment show.

A clearly defined identity was one of the great things about the 2002 split. You had to watch Smackdown as well as Raw, because they were entirely different entities. The presentation and themes of the show were very different, allowing the broadcasts to stand apart.

This greater identity will be of benefit in the immediacy, as Smackdown has badly needed investment for a long time. There's never felt like a reason to watch in the last few years, but with its own personality there should be a greater incentive to tune in.