3 reasons why dual-branded PPVs are bad
After the brand split in 2016, both RAW and Smackdown were given exclusive Pay Per Views (PPVs). In addition, WWE would also have 4 dual branded PPVs - Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam and Survivor Series. However, after almost two years, WWE is reverting back to the formula of having only dual-branded PPVs for unknown reasons.
Many speculate low ticket sales as the major reason for this change. It was notable that the 2018 edition of Elimination Chamber PPV saw very poor ticket sales - so poor that one free ticket was given with every ticket bought.
We are sure WWE has its reasons to pull the plug on brand exclusive PPVs. But it will have some serious side effects - on both their product and the talents. We will be looking at the reasons why this is bad for the talents.
3. Fans have to invest more time
Brand exclusive PPVs were just 3 hours long. However, co-branded PPVs are 4 hours. It is easy to assume that WWE does not pay much attention towards the so-called B-PPVs. Hence the action in these PPVs would be mediocre to above average. People will not have the patience to sit through 4 hours of mediocrity.
Backlash 2018 was a major example of this. Though it was scheduled to be just 3 hours, it went overtime and people started leaving the arena midway through the main event between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe, which reportedly made Vince McMahon furious. This has a serious impact on the product.