by Wayne K. Wilkins

Created on: June 18, 2007   Last Updated: September 14, 2010

The brand extension is a concept in the modern day world of professional wrestling that has been a controversial aspect of the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. As a move that was drastically put into effect in the early 2000’s following the WWE’s purchase of the rival WCW promotion and its talent, as well as the rival of the ECW talent also, the WWE was pushed into a corner in regards to what to do with the sheer uncontrollable number of talent contracts. Instead of firing people, the WWE instead took action and separated their promotion into two brands; Raw and Smackdown, with each brand featuring its own unique talent and championship belts. Exactly how has the brand extension proved to fair over the last decade, and has it been a successful move for the WWE?

Despite the controversies and mixed opinions surrounding it, the brand extension has certainly proved to be a great addition to the WWE promotion as a whole. In the early days with talent being exclusive to either Raw or Smackdown, it created countless new feuding opportunities for both established wrestlers and new and up and coming stars alike. When the WWE “draft lottery” was put into effect each year, it saw the Raw and Smackdown brands trade talent, which in turn created subsequent new feuding and match opportunities for both the Raw and Smackdown brands each and every year. This not only added to the match potential and quality, but it also positively contributed to the factors of shock, awe and sheer excitement.

In the modern day era of the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion, the brand extensions is still in effect and is still proving to be a huge success as just as it did in its original concept, it continues to create new and exciting feuds and matches each and every year. With the WWE currently focusing on younger superstars in the coming 2011 year, the brand extension sees young talents such as Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio on the Smackdown brand being able to feud with such names as The Undertaker and Rey Mysterio, whereas simultaneously on the Raw brand, young superstars such as Daniel Bryan and The Miz are able to feud with the likes of Triple H and Chris Jericho.

While the brand extension is still something that is shrouded in controversy and mixed opinions, it is an idea that helped to shape and change the foundations of the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion throughout the popular and widely successful 2000’s era of the promotion, and it subsequently allowed the WWE and its superstars to rise to new heights of fame, success and prominence as a result. Despite the mixed opinions and controversies in regards to the brand extension, when it comes down to the facts and figures surrounding it, it is only as given fact that the brand extension has been a soaring success for the WWE promotion and will continue to be so in the coming 2011 New Year.

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