8 Lessons WWE Could Learn From The MCU
6. Crossovers Are Better When They're Rarer
One thing about having such a gigantic extended universe is the need to keep things separate to build a fanbase, then having them interact in a way that actually means something.
Think of the incredible moments in Infinity War and Endgame where we saw characters interacting who we never thought would share screen time. And they were glorious. Thor and Star-Lord? Hilarious. Dr Strange and Iron Man? Brilliant.
One of the reasons that this worked is because they had been kept so separate up until this point. We already knew these characters, but we didn't know them together. It kept the dynamic fresh and exciting, and left the audience intrigued about the crossover.
WWE could learn a lot from this, especially with NXT on the USA Network. Showcasing big matches between unexpected opponents will draw, but only when it's something the audience are excited to buy into.
If it did nothing else, the Wild Card rule showed us that if you keep trying to give us a surprise, it makes it mean absolutely nothing. Establish Raw, SmackDown and NXT as three distinct brands. Then, when it does come time for a crossover (Survivor Series?), it makes it much, much more interesting.