Revamping Smackdown. What can be done to improve it?

[Stopspot]

Smackdown. As many of us know, has seen better days. Even though it is the B show it should still be treated like a serious show, with good booking and storylines. Some on here have said to kill it, some want it to live on. I am in the latter category but for that it needs revamping. Here are some of my ideas to revamping Friday nights and my reasoning behind them.

A dedicated creative team - Need I really explain this. A Creative team charged with solely writing for Smackdown and that is actually dedicated to the show will produce better work then a team that has to write for multiple shows and therefore puts Smackdown as a after thought.

Move the WHC to RAW - If SD is to be the B show and the place to develop new talent. Move all the "major" titles to the major show. This would then also help halt the super show concept. Keeping all the big guys on RAW. Giving the young bucks a chance to develop on Smackdown.

Move the US title to SD - If the WHC goes to RAW, the US title goes to SD. It would also give the title a chance to become more important.

Introduce other titles to SD - Reinstate the cruiserweight title, light heavyweight. European. Any title that would give the guys on Smackdown something to strive for. Have one title (IC or LHC) being the big title on the brand. This could also prevent SD stars from being left out of PPVs since they'd still have titles to compete for.

Develop a tag team division - Whilst this looks to slowly be in the works I believe a good tag team division that can move between the two brands would help Smackdown majorly. Have them put out showstealers.

Introduce and build new talent - I think it explains itself.

What do you think needs to be done? Discuss!

 

[Asskicker]

IMO, I used to think that stuff could make it better but now nothing.

 

[Leo C]

I like the way you officialy make SD the #2 brand, if WWE has done that subtly for some years now, why not make it official? It's a good way to make SD relevant, it would focus on young talent/cruiserweight matches/tag teams. I like it. However, I think Smackdown could also be revamped and still remain theorically at the same level Raw's in, but what we need is a strong brand division, a dedicated writing team (which should always be present, but that obviously is not the case), matches with a lot of time... If they do all those things and it works, they could make it live. But since they always leave the big stars on Raw, it's difficult for both brands to be at the same level.

 

[Crayo]

Only Heyman can save SmackDown.

 

[Stopspot]

Heyman would be a double edged sword. Whilst a creative genius he has proven time and time again that he sucks when it comes to organisation and financial management. And Paul only works a show like Smackdown when he has complete control of it all. That was one of the reasons for him leaving WWECW.

 

[Crayo]

Just give him creative management of the show, that's it.

 

[Stopspot]

Just give him creative management of the show, that's it.

Problem with Paul is. He refuses to just have creative management. He has been reported to have demanded full control of both Smackdown and WWECW during his previous runs with them. Major reason for his falling out with WWE.

 

[Leo C]

I heard Paul was offered a position in TNA, but they didn't seal the deal because he wanted complete control over the entire promotion, and we know what Heyman does when he's in that position. Him in the creative team would be good, but he wouldn't want to work in a group, not even as a head writer. He'd want control over everything.

 

[Crayo]

He should have complete control, the guy is a genius. Let him control everything just leave the business side to Vince. He doesn't need to handle finances and that stuff, he just needs to have full control of the show. I wouldn't want Heyman with a bunch of untalented idiots like creative, they'd try to filter his ass.

 

[Stopspot]

He should have complete control, the guy is a genius. Let him control everything just leave the business side to Vince. He doesn't need to handle finances and that stuff, he just needs to have full control of the show. I wouldn't want Heyman with a bunch of untalented idiots like creative, they'd try to filter his ass.

You're missing the point me and Leo C are trying to make. When Heyman says complete control. He means control over everything. Creative, booking AND finances. Otherwise he refuses to work.

 

[Leo C]

I think hiring Heyman to control your federation is really risky. He always changes EVERYTHING and takes control over finances... I wouldn't let him just walk in and make my federation his.

 

[seabs]

Re: RE: Revamping Smackdown. What can be done to improve it?

I think hiring Heyman to control your federation is really risky. He always changes EVERYTHING and takes control over finances... I wouldn't let him just walk in and make my federation his.

He didn't in his last run at SD.

Sent from my MZ604 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Rysenberg]

I agree with the OP besides making it a complete B show. The tag team division should be Smackdown's, there is no time for it on Raw so it makes total sense for it to move.

Here's some more besides going live, which I think everyone agrees Smackdown needs to do.

Concentrate on good match quality. There is a lot of talented in ring wrestlers. A few months ago Smackdown was a lot more interesting when we seen decent length matches featuring Rhodes, Orton, Barrett and Bryan - it was great to watch - so why get rid of it?

Move over talented stars that are not fulfilling their potential at Raw. Ziggler, Miz, (unless he's away to get a push, I'm uncertain) Ryder etc. They will get time to show off their obvious abilities and cement themselves in a higher spot in the card. Then WWE may have the option of moving them back to Raw again.

This is the main thing for me, stop focusing your shows around untalented superstars like Big Show, Khali and Sheamus. Seriously we see so much of them and they are not remotely charismatic, can't seem to progress a fued on the microphone and none of them put on good matches on a consistent basis (or ever in Khali's case).

If they did these things then Smackdown would be a hell of a lot more watchable.

 

[Snowman1]

No more jobber matches! This week's Smackdown had 6 matches, 5 of them were under 2 minutes.

The fan base has been led to believe that guys who beat up jobbers every week will be quickly exposed when they face "real superstars", (see Jinder Mahal and Vladimir Koslov) plus they usually don't have a feud to go into afterwards. It's not the 1980's anymore.

Overall, the show simply lacks focus. Find a few people to shine the spotlight on and really get behind, make them feel important and give them good feuds. The rest of the show should be filled with young talent showcasing their skills and trying to get over.

 

[Leo C]

Squash matches are good for nothing. The winner doesn't get over, the loser is a jobber anyway and the fans don't like seeing it.