Back in the days of the brand extension, WWE managed to comfortably produce a pay-per-view show at least once a month. As the shows alternated between the brands - with the exception of a few bigger events - there was plenty of time for the creative team to build rivalries and storylines well by the time the big show rolled around. This amount of time is not afforded to WWE Creative now that there is only one roster and one brand. For instance, there are only three weeks between Sunday's Survivor Series show and the Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view on December 14. This leaves only three episodes of Raw to put into place an entire pay-per-view card. Given the explosive outcome of the Survivor Series main event, this leaves WWE with the problem of essentially building the entirety of the company anew in time for the next PPV. It wouldn't be surprising if that is the reason behind the reintroduction of the almost universally despised "Anonymous Raw General Manager" angle. With so little time to build to a huge event, it is easier to put that story on the back burner before the run-up to Royal Rumble in January and the onset of WrestleMania season. This lack of time causes myriad problems and can lead to lazy booking, such as in the example above. Several feuds this year, including Bray Wyatt vs Chris Jericho and Paige vs AJ Lee have suffered due to being forced onto pay-per-view too early. With a bit more time between events, nuance could be added to the storylines before they reach the big stage. If WWE were to minimise the number of pay-per-views, even by cutting two or three, they would free up a lot more time to book talent and feuds in a more logical way. They would also make the company's "special events" feel special again.
Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
