10 Post-Brand Split Wins For WWE SmackDown
7. Drawing Gimmick PPVs
Gimmick PPVs are a double edged sword of sorts.
While they guarantee
fan interest purely through the promise of death-defying spots and unbridled
carnage, they also do a stellar job of shoehorning otherwise timid feuds into
dangerous matches that should only be reserved for the most heated of
rivalries.
Still, they’ve been a huge boon for Smackdown Live. As a brand that needed to shed excess flab and years of fan disinterest, having TLC, Elimination Chamber and the upcoming Money In The Bank as Smackdown Live-exclusive PPVs has allowed the brand to weave extra elements of intrigue and drama through its feuds. People came to see tables break and ladders fall, but they stayed for the interesting stories.
If you compare this with RAW’s exclusive PPV line-up, which boasts duds like Fastlane, Roadblock: End of the Line and Clash of Champions, Smackdown Live has escaped the PPV draw with the best of a mixed bunch.