WWE Brand Split: 8 Reasons It Could Succeed Or Fail

4. Fail: A Divided Audience

raw smackdown
wwe.com

Just as two separate brands could potentially foster and propagate two uniquely loyal fanbases, it could equally run the risk of dividing the entire audience across two shows.

The obvious pitfall of an improved SmackDown! is if a bulk of Raw's regular viewers migrate to the new Tuesday product and neglect the Monday offering in the process.

It's a precarious balance: each show needs to contain enough stars to ensure people will be interested in both, whilst also guaranteeing that one is not significantly better than the other. Currently, SmackDown! exists within a strange limbo universe, a show that is entirely inconsequential and one that rarely boasts essential content.

The B-show requires a significant boost in quality to establish itself as a viable second brand, but it cannot achieve that by enfeebling Raw and aiming for an equilibrium of mediocrity.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.