by Adam Collier

Created on: February 17, 2008

I think, on a talent relations level, a financial level and an alternative level, it has been better. Say, for example, if you don't like what is happening on Monday Night RAW, then you could watch a whole different program that is the same program in and of itself on Friday Night Smackdown. And also, it gives WWE more exposure on a national and global level with more "variety" to watch from.

Plus it gives more stars a chance to showcase their abilities.

On RAW, you usually have the big names, who can draw the audience, and are "sure" to do so.

On Smackdown, you have the lesser known, yet big names to help put over the new guys. If it was all just one re-occurring program, with the same guys on the same brand doing the same thing, eventually they would run out of ideas or material to use.

Example, look at Ken Kennedy, Carlito, and John Cena.

They were all on Smackdown. They got their start there. If it was all one program or one unified show as it was from 1999 - 2002, there would not have been enough time to get them both over if the same storylines, angles, feuds and rivalries carried through RAW and Smackdown.

They both got their start on Smackdown, developed into their characters, got "over" with the fans so to speak, and when they got pushed enough, they moved up to RAW. Smackdown in my opinion is more or less a show that has both the big names (Undertaker, Edge, Batista, Rey Mysterio, Kane) but also has the newer guys to put over and bring in the future stars, (guys like MVP, CM Punk) where as RAW has the big names (Cena, HBK, HHH, Jericho, JBL, Randy Orton) and the somewhat popular guys on the mid-lower card. (Kennedy, Carlito, Umaga)

If you had all the big names on one show and the brand split never happened in 2002, chances are by now everyone would have already feuded with everyone, and the one program would have to focus on just the same big names and no one new would get a chance to shine without pushing some of the other talent off screen for awhile.

Having split brands makes it easier for more wrestlers to showcase something different instead of it just being all one program week after week.

I don't necessarily think they have done the best they could do with the brand split, but I think its a good way to broaden business and to get even more exposure for the talent, with two separate brands.

If you have not figured by now, I am talking about Smackdown and ECW together, as I never really considered ECW a brand because in my honest humble opinion, its not strong enough to even be considered its own brand.

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