Spinoff: How WWE PPVs *should* be scheduled (in pictures)

[FromStLouis]

I like this setup... makes a lot of sense

I wouldn't make MITB one of the big PPV's though... I'd either:

a. Have a MITB match on one of the existing second-tier PPV's, maybe between two guys that qualified from RAW and Smackdown

b. Have a MITB PPV that alternates brand each year... I don't think we need 2 Mr.Money in the Banks


WWE is not willing to cut the 3rd hour of RAW, but it's a necessary move to make the product better for sure

Thanks, I really tried making sense. I think MITB being co-brand is the right move, but for what I want creatively in a brand split, I wouldn't have 2 Mr. Money In the Banks either, as I wouldn't have 2 world titles. Smackdown and RAW being the exact same show is one of my biggest peeves.

 

[FromStLouis]

USA calls the shots, WWE is handcuffed. USA calls shots on storylines too remmeber that.
Don't forget when WWECW was on SciFI they had zombie/vampire wrestlers too.

Its more than just wrestling breh.

I think that's a bit of a stretch to say they call the shot on storylines. Asking for zombies and vampires on the C-Show isn't the same as booking storylines on RAW. USA and WWE have a contract, it's not more complicated than that. WWECW was 10 years ago and the Zombie was on tv for a month.

 

[FromStLouis]

This is an amazing presentation.

Maybe you should present this to WWE, I'm sure your Windows 98 Microsoft Paint graphics will wow them.

 

[Chris Cool]

USA calls the shots, WWE is handcuffed. USA calls shots on storylines too remmeber that.
Don't forget when WWECW was on SciFI they had zombie/vampire wrestlers too.

Its more than just wrestling breh.

scifi was responsible for macho libre?

 

[FromStLouis]

it's not the schedule.

It's moreso the content.

Keep in mind, WCW was alive at one point. So you had WCW ppvs, and 3 hour Nitro, and thunder..... WWF ppvs and 2 hour RAW, and SD. And fans were good

Better writing and content makes time a non issue

Both things can be true in that it is both the schedule and the content.

You can't consistently write a great 3 hour show, no matter the content. At 3 hours, RAW's ceiling is only 'decent'.

You can't compare television in 2017 to television in 1996. It's an entirely different beast today. 20 years ago, you watched a half hour sitcom or two and maybe a drama. Today we have netflix, amazon, hulu, DVR. Even basic cable have critically acclaimed shows.

The WWE has a captive audience still, but nowhere like they did in 1996. We're in the golden age of television. 20 years ago there was no summer television, this past summer, Game Of Thrones was bigger than anything that came out in theaters.

And you can't find anyone from WCW at that time that will tell you having a 3 hour nitro and thunder were good ideas. Bischoff critiques WWE today based on his experience trying to book 5 hours of television a week.

 

[FromStLouis]

Not sure if you've guys have heard but they're also in negotiations to add a Tuesday night show on Facebook Live, so that's another hour of programming.

I wonder if WWE could convince USA to take a half hour of RAW and give it to SD because while RAW drags on, SD seems like they're always leaving somebody off.

With PPVs, I think they should just go 12 and call it a day. Last time they had a brand split they tried to have split PPVs and ended up tapping out after 3.5 years.

Easy Simple Way is this:

January: Royal Rumble (Dual)
February: Fast Lane (SD)
March: No PPV or WrestleMania
April: WrestleMania/Backlash (Raw)
May: Payback (SD)
June: Elimination Chamber (Raw)
July: Extreme Rules (SD)
August: SummerSlam (Dual)
September: Battleground (Raw)
October: No Mercy (SD)
November: Survivor Series (Dual)
December: Roadblock (Raw)

Raw gets 4 exclusive PPVs
SmackDown gets 4 exclusive PPVs

Gimmick PPVs cut to two in the Summer to increase interest in the relatively dull period.

You still run into uneven builds, booking brand PPV's alternating month-to-month. Then when you want to cross promote a match between RAW and SD, it falls apart or you just make the match, with no creative. You can't sync up creative. We went straight from HIAC fallout to Survivor Series rendering Kevin Owens and Zayn complete afterthoughts. Meanwhile RAW was still building towards TLC. It would be much easier to book PPVs the same week.

 

[JerseyBoy23]

You still run into uneven builds, booking brand PPV's alternating month-to-month. Then when you want to cross promote a match between RAW and SD, it falls apart or you just make the match, with no creative. You can't sync up creative. We went straight from HIAC fallout to Survivor Series rendering Kevin Owens and Zayn complete afterthoughts. Meanwhile RAW was still building towards TLC. It would be much easier to book PPVs the same week.

Then 12 co-branded PPVs. They don't take away from SummerSlam and Survivor Series, which are going to be in Brooklyn and Los Angeles so they'll still be big deals, the Rumble and Mania are solidified.

 

[FromStLouis]

Then 12 co-branded PPVs. They don't take away from SummerSlam and Survivor Series, which are going to be in Brooklyn and Los Angeles so they'll still be big deals, the Rumble and Mania are solidified.

Yeah, but, that kind of kills the brand split. While I don't like its current form I do like the idea of a brand split and my idea works better for what I want in one.

The PPV hours kind of workout to be the same though, unless your 12 PPVs are all 4 hours + 2 hour pre-shows?

I also like my idea of having a week off during Brand PPVs instead of a post-ppv-raw and a post-ppv-sd. Limiting overexposure of the roster and viewer fatigue is another objective I had in mind.

It really is to each their own though, some of us can stomach more wrestling than others.

 

[JerseyBoy23]

Yeah, but, that kind of kills the brand split. While I don't like its current form I do like the idea of a brand split and my idea works better for what I want in one.

The PPV hours kind of workout to be the same though, unless your 12 PPVs are all 4 hours + 2 hour pre-shows?

I also like my idea of having a week off during Brand PPVs instead of a post-ppv-raw and a post-ppv-sd. Limiting overexposure of the roster and viewer fatigue is another objective I had in mind.

It really is to each their own though, some of us can stomach more wrestling than others.

The problem is WWE never trusts Smackdown PPVs to sell on their own. I'm thinking that network subscriptions will drop on Smackdown only months.

 

[Breh Obama]

USA doesn't call the shots on the storylines.

The board of directors do

 

[AquaCityBoy]

Smackdown will never move back to Thursdays unless it's taped again.

And it'll never be taped again as long as it's on USA Network.

 

[FromStLouis]

The problem is WWE never trusts Smackdown PPVs to sell on their own. I'm thinking that network subscriptions will drop on Smackdown only months.

I'd have RAW and SD PPVs the same week, two days apart. Mondays, and Thursdays, to limit SD only months. We already watch NXT Takeovers saturday and Big 4 PPVs the next day.

Also having SD try and be RAW-lite doesn't help it as a brand. I think if it were a more distinct show it would improve the appeal of both brands.

I have no problem with anyone disagreeing with my idea but at least know what the idea is first. The problem with selling the network is wrestling is already on cable too much as it is for casual fans. Why order TLC when RAW is on the next day, with rematches and 50/50 booking.

Down below the only month SD would have to sell on its own would be March and that's on the road to Wrestlemania. One of things I always get for Christmas is a $30 Network gift card that I use for the Rumble through March.

September I would leave empty for tournaments at Full Sail, CWC / MYC / DUSC

2 0 1 8
January 28 - Royal Rumble
February 26 - No Way Out (RAW)
March 1 - Slamboree (SD)
April 8 - Wrestlemania
May 7 - IYH RAW
May 10 - IYH SD
June 17 - Money In The Bank
July 16 - Great American Bash (RAW)
July 19 - Fastlane (SD)
Aug 26 - Summer Slam
Oct 1st - IYH (RAW)
Oct 4th - IYH (SD)
Nov 18 - Survivor Series
Dec 17 - Night Of Champions (RAW)
Dec 20 - No Mercy (SD)

 

[FromStLouis]

Smackdown will never move back to Thursdays unless it's taped again.

And it'll never be taped again as long as it's on USA Network.

Their contract with USA Network expires in 2019. If WWE wanted to negotiate a better schedule they could, my post just advises that they should and what I'd like to see.

It aired live on Thursdays before, if it's a money issue, the money saved combining Brand-PPVs and TV into one event, saves money to then shift SD to Thursdays. Also money would be saved from not foolishly running SD House Shows on Mondays.

Even if SD didn't move to Thursdays and stayed on Tuesdays, my idea still works better than what they have now. I'd rather watch a RAWPPV on Monday and a SDPPV on Tuesday, than a PPV on Sunday, RAW on Monday and SD on Tuesday and then 2 weeks later the same thing.

 

[lilaznwoo]

January: Royal Rumble (Both)
February: Roadblock (RAW)
March: Fastlane (SD)
April: Wrestlemania (Both)
May: Backlash (RAW)
June: Money in the Bank (Both)
July: Payback (SD)
August: Summerslam (Both)
September: Battleground (RAW)
October: Clash of Champions (Both)
November: Survivor Series (Both)
December: No Mercy (SD)

Money in the Bank and Clash of Champions practically book themselves and having Clash and Survivor Series so close together you could use Clash to build to Survivor Series by booking tension between the champions.[/QUOTE

January: Royal Rumble (Both)
February: Roadblock (RAW)
March: Fastlane (SD)
April: Wrestlemania (Both)
May: Backlash (RAW)
June: Money in the Bank (Both)
July: Payback (SD)
August: Summerslam (Both)
September: Battleground (RAW)
October: Clash of Champions (Both)
November: Survivor Series (Both)
December: No Mercy (SD)

Money in the Bank and Clash of Champions practically book themselves and having Clash and Survivor Series so close together you could use Clash to build to Survivor Series by booking tension between the champions of the respective brands.

Totally agree bout Clash of the Champions. Should be either both brands title matches all matches all titles or champions vs. Champions.