The WWE Draft is right around the corner! Fans have long been awaiting news of a shakeup of some kind, and that shakeup is just about ready to take place. The big news came from Triple H a few weeks ago when he announced that the Draft is set to return, and it'll be back in a big way.
The game-changing event will see RAW & SmackDown properly split again. Additionally, a new World Heavyweight Champion is set to be crowned at Night of Champions, with Roman Reigns set to remain exclusive to whichever brand he is drafted to.
The first night of the 2023 Draft will take place on this week's SmackDown, with the second night taking place on the following week's episode of RAW. While there's a lot of excitement over the event, there also needs to be some caution displayed by the promotion.
There are numerous mistakes that can be made that will not only hurt the legitimacy of the brand extension but also the WWE product as a whole. This article will look at a handful of mistakes WWE needs to avoid making following the Draft.
Below are five mistakes WWE must avoid following the Draft.
#5. The company must avoid mishandling single-brand premium live events
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman
Premium live events are a major part of WWE's business model and have been for decades. Dating back to closed-circuit and then pay-per-views, monthly, quarterly, or yearly major events have been watched by fans from all over the world.
Rumors are circulating that WWE may introduce single-brand events following the big two-night Draft. Currently, RAW & SmackDown matches are included in every special event. If this ruling comes into play, RAW & SmackDown will have individual special events, much like NXT has.
While the brands will still come together for major events and stadium shows, it would be wise for the company to make these individual branded events as special as possible. If fans are hooked, they can work even without the influence of other shows. This also gives major opportunities for more wrestlers. They can't afford to drop the ball on these shows, or they'll struggle to garner interest.
#4. RAW & SmackDown must avoid too much intermingling
WWE will present the final Monday Night RAW before Wrestlemania 39 tonight, with Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa in the main event. The lineup includes:
* Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa
* Braun Strowman, Ricochet & the Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy & The Viking Raiders
* MizTV with…
* Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa
* Braun Strowman, Ricochet & the Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy & The Viking Raiders
* MizTV with…
For the brand extension to work, WWE needs to make sure they appropriately honor it. This might sound obvious, but the same unfortunate routine is typically followed following each major Draft & brand split.
WWE will initially aim to keep the shows apart. Then they'll have a traveling champion or an inter-brand feud that will lead to a crossover. Soon, there are more and more crossovers, and before fans even know what happened, there's barely a brand split at all.
If World Wrestling Entertainment wants the brand split to truly work, they need to keep RAW & SmackDown intermingling limited. The aforementioned brand-exclusive events will help, as will avoiding any brand warfare for the foreseeable future.
#3. WWE cannot have mass releases after the upcoming Draft
Bray Wyatt at Crown Jewel
For most fans, releases are one of the worst parts of wrestling. WWE has been doing mass releases in recent years, specifically under Vince McMahon's watchful eye.
There have been numerous cuts in recent years, with COVID-19 playing a major factor in most of them. Stars such as Bray Wyatt, Hit Row, Braun Strowman, Dakota Kai, and Bronson Reed, among others, were hit by these cuts.
If the brand extension is to work, WWE cannot do mass releases as they did from 2019 to 2022. They need fresh talent to fill up their television time, handle live events, and make their way onto premium live events. If anything, the company may need more talent, not less.
#2. The brands can't feel too similar
Monday Night RAW
Talent is a major part of what makes a brand extension work. Yes, WWE needs to keep the wrestlers apart and avoid mass firings. Still, there are plenty of aspects the company needs to account for that don't even include the in-ring talent. Specifically, brands need to feel unique.
RAW and SmackDown need to have unique identities for the brand split to work. This includes having a unique set of commentators. Thankfully, the company already has this end of things covered. The same applies to ring announcers and, ideally, even interviewers and referees. A unique staff is important, and even the authority figures involved can be assigned to a specific brand.
Beyond the personnel, unique sets and graphics will go a long way too. RAW in 2003 and SmackDown in 2003 felt different visually. WWE would be wise to replicate that feeling in 2023. Plus, new sets and graphics will help make both shows feel fresh immediately. Failure to do these simple tasks will doom the split.
#1. The company must keep up with long-term storytelling despite Vince McMahon's influence
How are we feeling about this right now, WWE Universe?
Vince McMahon is back in WWE, and most fans aren't happy about it. The former CEO's influence was mostly felt on the RAW after WrestleMania, where he allegedly re-wrote the script. His influence can still be felt from time to time, however, with shows often having segments cut and changed at the last minute.
While McMahon has obviously had a lot of success, his style of scrapping and re-writing shows doesn't lend itself to long-term storytelling. At best, the stories become short-term and superficial. WWE needs to avoid falling into this trap.
For years, WWE programming lacked proper storytelling, but that changed once Triple H took over. If fans want to see angles like The Bloodline & Sami Zayn, the rise of Cody Rhodes, and Dominik Mysterio vs. Rey Mysterio, the company must avoid Vince McMahon's style of storytelling and stick to what has been working.
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