[EliteXC]

Meaning that Smackdown would no longer be on the air. RAW would be the main brand whilst Superstars/NXT could be used for nurturing wrestlers for the main stage.

As we all know the talent in the company so far is very limited and having to Wrestle on both shows has stumped the creative team, with the three hour RAW coming this could actually make the show interesting again and give the mid carder's actual story line's.

It probably won't happen but just wanted to get feedback on what the IWC fanbase thinks of it.

 

[CamillePunk]

No need to take Smackdown off the air at all, just have everyone appear on both shows like it was in 99-02. Great times. Feuds got a lot more build going into PPVs.

I don't get why people keep suggesting Smackdown be canceled. Smackdown was around before the brand extension and it was far from any kind of "B Show".

 

[EliteXC]

No need to take Smackdown off the air at all, just have everyone appear on both shows like it was in 99-02. Great times. Feuds got a lot more build going into PPVs.

I don't get why people keep suggesting Smackdown be canceled. Smackdown was around before the brand extension and it was far from any kind of "B Show".

There struggling to fill talent for one show, with just one brand the mid carder's would actually get a chance to show what they can do in decent matches.

 

[CamillePunk]

One brand is fine. You can have one brand and two shows, that was my point.

 

[Firallon]

NO

 

[EliteXC]

NO

Please express this "NO".

 

[Fatcat]

Why would you stop doing Smackdown but continue with NXT/Superstars? In name and brand recognition alone you would want to kill NXT and Superstars way before Smackdown.

 

[-Extra-]

There's no point in scrapping SmackDown and losing 2+ mil viewers each Friday when those 2 mil wouldn't be added to Raws Monday viewership. Terrible suggestion.

 

[TempestH]

The roster is too big to do this. They have the talent to maintain the brand extension. They just don't use everyone properly

NXT is already becoming the new developmental. Which leaves the low carders/midcarders with one less show to perform on, even without cutting SmackDown, as their air time will go towards the FCW guys.

SmackDown is already being used to build up midcarders, as we've seen with Ryback and Cesaro. Brodus Clay has also been moved to SmackDown. Since it's already obvious that Smackdown and RAW are not equal brands, they should drop the pretense that they are and make SmackDown can be the "nurturing" brand.

Unify the two world titles and make the IC Title the top belt on SmackDown. The big names who regularly appear on the Supershow (i.e. Bryan, Rhodes, Sheamus) should officially become the RAW roster, while SmackDown is used to build/rebuild the credibility of the midcarders, guys like Miz & Swagger, or main event guys who are returning from injury. Cena would be put on SmackDown just to sell tickets and draw viewers, filling the role that The Undertaker did in the past.

 

[Rustee]

Don't understand why everybody is saying that there isn't enough depth of talent in the roster. There is more than enough, they just still insist of filling half their show with pointless filler week after week.

 

[CaptainObvious]

The roster has already merged. However, WWE won't cut down on shows. WWE is still scheduled to debut their network and they are going to need as many wrestling shows as possible to fill up airtime both on their network and other cable networks. Raw, Smackdown, NXT, and Superstars will all continue and WWE will probably create a few more wrestling shows.

 

[Felpent]

When they go 3 hours, they should merge the brands.

 

[jj87uk]

I was reading old news posted on 411mania over the weekend and came across funny item. When the brand split originally happened, most of the wrestlers biggest appreciation of it was that the catering lines were shorter. Imagine the carnage if they merged the roster, huge queues for catering!!

 

[dxbender]

If WWE got rid of SD, that'd be taking a HUGE step back. They should merge the rosters, but keep SD on the air and get rid of NXT/Superstars.

 

[Cynic]

Why do people keep suggesting getting rid of SmackDown like WWE can just decide on a whim to get rid of it? There are business factors in play that go beyond anything having to do with wrestling. Even though not many people watch it, SmackDown is still SyFy's highest rated show. They're not going to let WWE leave and take all those advertising dollars with them.

 

[A-C-P]

Why do people keep suggesting getting rid of SmackDown like WWE can just decide on a whim to get rid of it? There are business factors in play that go beyond anything having to do with wrestling. Even though not many people watch it, SmackDown is still SyFy's highest rated show. They're not going to let WWE leave and take all those advertising dollars with them.

Exactly this, Why would the WWE cancel a show that makes them a buttload of $$$$?

They can unseperate the brands (which they have done basically except for house show tours) but SD will remain in the air.

My argument is they should re seperate the rosters completely have a big re-draft and fill the holes with FCW and NXT exclusive guys (maybe raid some talent from TNA and ROH)

 

[Coffey]

If RAW is permanently three hours long, I see no problem with taking Smackdown off the air entirely. That way, instead of going up to five hours a week, they actually go down to four, which I think would benefit them a lot more. You don't NEED every person on every show every week. And all the talk that usually sprouts up about how certain guys would never get a chance to shine is bullshit. It's not like there's a big clamoring for more Cody Rhodes main events. The guys that stand out will be fine. The people that suck will be weeded out and pull NXT/Superstars duty. I don't see any problem with this.

 

[A-C-P]

If RAW is permanently three hours long, I see no problem with taking Smackdown off the air entirely. That way, instead of going up to five hours a week, they actually go down to four, which I think would benefit them a lot more. You don't NEED every person on every show every week. And all the talk that usually sprouts up about how certain guys would never get a chance to shine is bullshit. It's not like there's a big clamoring for more Cody Rhodes main events. The guys that stand out will be fine. The people that suck will be weeded out and pull NXT/Superstars duty. I don't see any problem with this.

I don't see a problem from an entertainiment value standpoint, in fact think it would be a good thing in that sense. The problem comes in on the business side unless NBC Universal is paying them enough for that every week 3rd hour to make up the difference they would lose from cancelling SD.

 

[Coffey]

Actually, I think WWE would greatly benefit from not putting every guy on every show. It would make the characters seem more fresh, it's a bigger deal when they show up & you don't burn through all of your marquee matches all so damn fast. It would stop everything from feeling so stale.

During the Monday Night Wars hey day, I remember I used to get excited just to hear someones theme music hit, or to see a finisher on free TV. Kevin Nash showing up and hitting a Jackknife Powerbomb was a big deal and I wasn't whining on the internet about how he was burying the undercard guys when he did it. Gotta remember, or at least keep telling myself, that there's a lot more people watching today that are fans like I used to be than fans like how I am now.

 

[HotSauceCharlie]

Keep both shows but merge the rosters. I mean you already have RAW wrestlers appearing on Smackdown and vice versa. No need for Vince to keep pretending that they are separate.