5 reasons WWE has already done a good job with Survivor Series 2017
What a difference a few days can make!
When the Survivor Series card was first announced, very few people were enthusiastic about it. Now, about a week and a half before the event, it's the one I'm very much looking forward to. Survivor Series this year might even wind up being one of 2017's best shows, which isn't something I thought I would be saying as recently as yesterday. What looked to be an event that would be defined by high highs and low lows now looks like it could be a real gem with a stacked card. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this show winds up being superior to next year's WrestleMania.
WWE should be commended for putting together Survivor Series, and here are five of the reasons why they managed to make the build to this event work so well.
#1 Making meaning out of something meaningless
Right out of the gate, WWE created a polarization between RAW and SmackDown by staging the "under siege" invasion the night after TLC, when the initial Survivor Series card was rolled out. Polarization catches attention and engages emotions, which is exactly what you want while selling something.
Sure, there were a lot of logical plot holes. Guys who wanted to rip each other apart one night were suddenly teammates on the next. That was awkward to a lot of people. Still, the siege felt like a big event, and that matters more. It isn't uncommon for enemies to team up against a bigger, more dangerous enemy either. A lot of wars throughout history will attest to that.
The invasion ensured that Survivor Series wouldn't feel like a ho-hum, friendly, but meaningless competition. It made the event feel like it could actually matter, a feeling that has been steadily built upon in the weeks since, which brings me directly to the second reason this build has been so good.