10 Lessons WWE Can Learn From The First Brand Extension
7. Keep The Brands Separate
The end of the brand extension in 2011 happened when Raw allowed Smackdown wrestlers to wrestle on the show, dubbing it a "Raw Supershow," although Raw superstars didn't return the favor and wrestle on Smackdown until the next year. This time around, especially with Raw still being three hours and Smackdown sticking to two, the temptation will be there to have Smackdown superstars appear on Raw. That's not a good idea.
The best way for the brands to have their own identity and be their own shows is if they stay pure and keep the talent on their own program. It would also make the occasional Raw vs. Smackdown matches mean all that much more, such as Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 21, or the Money in the Bank ladder match at Wrestlemania 22.
The best way for the brands to have their own identity and be their own shows is if they stay pure and keep the talent on their own program. It would also make the occasional Raw vs. Smackdown matches mean all that much more, such as Kurt Angle vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 21, or the Money in the Bank ladder match at Wrestlemania 22.