WWE Survivor Series - 3 Disadvantages and 2 advantages of the RAW vs. SmackDown concept
Like every year, RAW and SmackDown will take each other on at WWE Survivor Series 2020 in a battle for brand supremacy. As fun as the concept is, we all know that it is not perfect, and one tends to have mixed feelings about the same.
In this article, we shall explore the benefits and the disadvantages of the concept of brand warfare and explore whether RAW vs. SmackDown is really the best course of action for WWE Survivor Series and beyond. As always, know that this article is the opinion of one man and if you have a contrary opinion, you're always more than welcome to chime in.
#1 Disadvantage: The outcome of WWE Survivor Series 2020 will be forgotten on the episodes of RAW and SmackDown that follow
The main issue with WWE Survivor Series is that the night after, the outcome of the matches that transpired is forgotten on the episodes of RAW and (in time) SmackDown that follow. There may be a mention of what happened at WWE Survivor Series, but that's about all there is to it, as new storylines begin and new feuds start.
Had Vince McMahon or Adam Pearce (as an on-screen figurehead authority figure) stipulated that the winners of the matches at WWE Survivor Series get some kind of title shot after their victory, against the Champions of their own brand, then the audience may have been far more interested in the outcome.
Stakes are what keep the audience invested in the outcome of any sports entertainment program, and because no Championship is on the line and because no grudge will be settled at WWE Survivor Series, the stakes aren't the highest in this instance.
Brand pride is a poor substitute for actual stakes.