3 reasons why WWE's new 'Wild Card Rule' is a bad idea
WWE has finally acknowledged that the ratings for its weekly shows, Raw and SmackDown Live, are struggling and they have been struggling for a long time. The financial reports for Q1 2019, released on April 25, 2019, depict a grimmer picture for the WWE.
According to the report, revenues have dropped by $5.3 million from Q1 2018 to Q1 2019. Raw and SmackDown Live viewership numbers have reduced by 14% and 13% respectively, whereas the live attendance numbers have reduced by 11%.
The 'Superstar Shake-Up' was an attempt towards literally shaking everything in the landscape of WWE. However, this attempt has been a failure and it has been acknowledged by the announcement of the 'Wild Card Rule' by Vince McMahon on April 6, 2019 episode of Monday Night Raw. As per the 'Wild Card Rule', 3 superstars (or 4, since WWE themselves seem perplexed) from Raw can appear at SmackDown Live at any time and vice versa.
WWE may have expected to shore up the audiences and increase the viewership due to the sheer unpredictable nature of the concept. However, it might actually turn out to be bad idea and may make situations worse for WWE. Let us look at the reasons why.
#3 The apparent end of the 'Brand Split'
The reintroduction of the 'Brand Split' raised the hopes of the WWE Universe towards the throwback to the hay days of the concept back in mid-2000s. Initially, the move was well received by the audiences.
However, owing to inconsistent and, at times, illogical storylines, both Raw and SmackDown Live have struggled to garner the desired viewership. Further adding to the woes was the introduction of separate pay-per-views for each of the shows, which led to an overflow of wrestling content for even the hardcore fans.
With proper planning and build-up, the 'Brand Split' could have been salvaged. However, it seems that WWE has decided to throw the towel on the concept with the 'Wild Card Rule'. This would mean that a number of superstars would be appearing on both the brands on any given week, which goes completely against the fabrics of 'Brand Split'.