10 Questions About WWE Brand Split
4. Will PPVs Be Brand Specific?
One of the biggest mistakes of the original WWE brand split was the idea to have brand-specific PPV events. With a split roster, there inevitably becomes less star power on any one specific show. WWE did have several PPVs a year in which both shows had a presence, like SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, and WrestleMania, but the "B-month" PPVs were not the picture of success.
It's only natural then that fans wonder what the 2016 split will do to the monthly special events, especially given the rise of the WWE Network. Pay-Per-View buyrates are not as important as they once were. Instead, that focus has shifted towards the paid-subscriber number for the WWE Network.
With that said, it's possible that WWE could return to brand-specific monthly events and not experience the same pressure as before since the Pay-Per-View model is a thing of the past and network subscriptions aren't exclusively tied to any one special event.
While that scenario is possible, it's more likely that each special event will continue to feature members of both shows. This way, when WWE decides to have a storyline bleed into both shows or use cross-promotional tactics, it won't be too difficult to accomplish. With most of the roster being present for each PPV, the company can continue to represent both shows on a monthly basis.