WWE Announces All PPVs will be dual-branded starting w/ Backlash + PPV Schedule for 2018
 

WrestlingInc and a few twitter insiders are saying this, I haven't seen the Meltz post it yet, but seems like it's happening. Here's one such account that broke Neville quitting and a few other things:


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Starting with the Backlash PPV May 6th, all PPVs going forward will be dual branded. No more RAW or Smackdown exclusive shows. Source states repetitive matchups to fill the card along with so-so ticket sales lead to the decision. <br><br>The weekly TV shows will not be effected.</p>&mdash; WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestleVotes/status/963216045187260416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To clarify last tweet: the brand split is not ending. RAW &amp; Smackdown will continue to have different rosters. Two separate brands will remain on TV. House shows will remain the same. The only change is for PPVs. Both brands will have matches on each PPV show.</p>&mdash; WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestleVotes/status/963221784014270467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The WWE Backlash PPV in May, which was supposed to be a RAW PPV, is now a double branded PPV. Wrestling Inc. reader Tony Lopez sent this email from Ticketmaster announcing the change <a href="https://t.co/LMqLyMsIhz">pic.twitter.com/LMqLyMsIhz</a></p>&mdash; WrestlingINC.com (@WrestlingInc) <a href="https://twitter.com/WrestlingInc/status/963231703656366080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

During the first split, they ran brand-exclusive PPVs from 2003-2006 and for the most part they were consistent about keeping the shows separated, they only ever interacted during the big 4 PPVs and the draft.

Then they took away brand-exclusive PPVs in early 2007 and pretty much as soon as they did that the whole split started to get disregarded. Everyone showed up everywhere during Mania season, ECW wrestlers started appearing on every show, the tag titles and women's titles got merged, etc. By the time the split officially ended in late 2011/early 2012, it was pretty much just a mercy killing.

Now that they're dumping brand-exclusive PPVs after only 18 months, I'd guess the split will be effectively gone by WM35.

They could just be doing it for Backlash because they plan on doing another "superstar shake-up" after WrestleMania, so wrestlers who are on the Raw roster now will be moved to SmackDown, but WWE still wants to book them on the PPV, maybe

Hopefully that's true. Seperate PPVs are dumb.

RasslinSource should have broke this news but the heavy handed moderation strikes again

It gave them more time to set up rivalries. Too bad they did not use that time well enough. Month long feud's for all or no ppv match at all.

It's the best move they could do. More matches on the card will put more butts in the seats no doubt. If the ticket sales for Elimination Chamber are any indicator, something's gotta be done.

Meltzer now said it's happening on Wrestling Observer Radio and it's only a matter of time before they make it official.

I hope this doesn't lead to the R.I.P. of the brand split eventually again though.

Yeah I read they were currently at 8k.
That seems really low for Vegas and a proven gimmick ppv.

On one hand, the brand split did weaken the drawing power of the brands a lot with Smackdown hurt the worst when it came to selling tickets. Making it dual brand improves the star power by a lot for these events.

On the other hand, the undercard not involved in title feuds are going to be the biggest losers of this new change. A lot less time and opportunities for them on PPVs and maybe even less of a focus on tv now that WWE doesn't have to spend time building up smaller feuds for PPVs.

Historically though while the PPV draws go up duel brand ppv lower the draw on the SDL house shows...so like before the next move will be to end the split to save those numbers as well.

It's because Roman and Cena are on Raw. They need both guys to get the ratings and attendance the want. Nakamura is really good but not a huge star, AJ is a huge star but below the level of Roman or Cena... classic WWE fucking Smackdown over. They just can't ever put the big angle on Smackdown.

Like Taker and Cena should be a Smackdown story now, but we know its on Raw.

How about this.

.
.
.
.
.
........

Smackdown Live (sometime soon). We get the show on the air and it is mentioned that Shane McMahon isn't here tonight but D Bryan is. That's it.

Next week, we start the show talking about the disappearance of Shane McMahon. It's sold real as fuck, like maybe he just got fed up with his Dad and Triple H and maybe even "left the country".

Sometime during the week we get Tweets that tell us it's possible Shane McMahon's disappearance involves foul play. On Raw the announcers take a time out shot to talk about the developing disappearance. As Cole does his serious face, the screen cracks and flickers with some dark shit. I mean dark satanic fucking shit, torture chamber, blood, screams, three huge dark silhouetted men with weapons standing looking over something, someone? The only words spoken are a deadly scary quiet... "You will ... rest.... in.... peace"....


Holy shit? Daniel Bryan is backstage at Raw with Kurt Angle, they looks scared as fuck. Daniel says he doesn't know what he's going to do. Kurt looks lost and confused.

Smackdown, the next night.

Daniel Bryan looks like he hasn't slept, he comes out open the show, absent of his cheer and Yes chants. He starts a promo about the crazy stuff that has happened in WWE, but to take a man away from his wife and kids... it's just too far. The lights go out. The bells chime. The smoke rises, blue lights everywhere. Bryan is alone in the ring, scared, ready to take on whatever comes at him. As we focus on Bryan's fearful bravery, three huge shadows appear on the ring apron Wyatt family style. As the slowly enclose upon Bryan, The Dead Man appears to be gliding down the aisle like a true phenom. We get the special dark lighting for the scene about to take place.

Taker made a deal, he beats Shane, Shane was supposed to go away. But that didn't happen, and he has to live with the fact that yet again a McMahon used his name to make their own. We see the flashes of The Ministries abduction and crucifixion of Stephanie McMahon.

The Undertaker claims that he will keep Shane McMahon's soul forever, now that his Ministry is back, they will take whatever they want, Championships, careers ... and Souls. As he speaks the lights appear to show the shrouded figures as. HARPER, ROWAN, and finally CORBIN. The announcers ponder what this all means? Does The Undertaker control Smackdown Live! if he controls Shane McMahon?

Over the next few shows we see how the Ministry of Darkness is stronger than ever, that Corbin is obviously the young gun and the Bludgeon Brothers the muscle. We see clips of Shane McMahon begging for help. Being tortured, being converted into a pawn for The Ministry.

WM is around the corner and something has to be done. Who can help save Shane McMahon and Smackdown?

JOHN FUCKING CENA BITCH. Daniel cuts a promo on Taker saying that he'd love to be the one to make him tap out at Wrestlemania but since he can't do it, he knows someone who would love to. Cena comes out and there we go, two to three weeks of build. Cena wins, takes back Shane, Taker has no emo ceremony like last year, more of a death like he did against Yoko at the Rumble in 94. After WM The Ministry continues now with Baron Corbin as the lead and perhaps recruiting some of those freaks from NXT, and they feud with Cena, AJ, Nakamaura etc... all summer. Building to a big showdown with Baron and Cena or Baron Cena AJ triple at Summerslam.

lol It has begun!

How long do we give this version of the roster split now before this scatterbrained mess of a company changes their mind again?

Holy shit at this post. Write a book, why don't you?

Yeah them ending the brand split is going to be the next logical step. I'd wager it happening once the new tv contract takes effect especially if they go to a new home.

Then the next logical step after that is "shaking things up" with another brand split a few years later.

The brand split is dumb. BUT if they're gonna have a brand split, they should at least keep them as separated as possible.

Haha, well, the split-roster PPVs weren't working. Even when I had the Network I wasn't watching them. The very same things that happened with the last split are happening again now, only quicker. I imagine that we'll have a unified roster again soon. Everything will be better off that way.

And the title lineage/prestige will be a bit more of a clusterfuck after it all.

Haha, WWE created two Women's Titles within a year of each other.

If they stopped doing multi-man Main Events the undercards wouldn’t be so lacklustre. Of course, that would mean writing angles for, well anyone.

What is the Fastlane undercard going to look like with AJ, Sami, Owens, Corbin, and Ziggler in one match and Roode, Orton, and Mahal likely in another?

To be fair, the first one was created so that they could retire the Divas Championship and the years of stink associated with the Divas "brand", so I understood it.

But yeah, having a women's title on each show when there are only like 6 people in the division per show is pretty dumb.

Womens wrestling should replace 205 Live.

Probably a wise decision, so then they can hide the low numbers from people.

According to the Observer, WWE is seriously considering the idea of expanding the amount of hours for all PPVs.

christ

They need too. Smackdown is terrible. Who is paying to see anything that is Smackdown exclusive?

Please NO at every ppv being 5 hours...I don't even want WM 5 hours long.
The live crowd will be dead by the end of the show since I presume that doesn't include the pre-show.

Keep the PPVs separate unless they unify the brands and the titles. Which I don't want them to do.

There's only one thing I would pay to see on Raw and that is Lesnar.

Also according to the Observer, WWE is seriously considering the idea for non-title matches on future PPVs to be mostly multi-man matches in order to ensure all their big stars are always on PPVs. Going to be another big hit to the undercard if it does happen.

If you don't want them to be that long, stop watching.

Based on the title of this thread I am going to need to know if Mania is a raw or smackdown show

It's a 205 Live show ONLY

So if all of are now 4..is Mania 5

5 hours plus a 4 hour pre-show and a 2 hour post-show

It's official, here's the PPV schedule thru 2018:


https://www.wwe.com/article/wwe-2018...-view-schedule



HIAC in September, Clash moved to December and TLC now in October.

That sucks.....

The first brand split happened almost 16 years ago. How the fuck are they still trying to figure shit out?