How WWE can make SmackDown relevant again

'We fight on Friday nights!'

SmackDown has become something of an unloved and unwanted commodity for WWE over the last few years. What used to be a weekly show on par with Monday Night Raw has now become an afterthought; a watered-down, two hour segment to act as a crutch for fans between Mondays. WWE has seen several significant changes to its business model of late; the launch of the WWE Network earlier this year, the opening of the Performance Centre and emphasis on NXT as a developmental ‘brand’ and the continued strengthening of their social media presence. As a result of these developments, Friday Night SmackDown has fallen rapidly down the pecking order of importance to the average fan and is now arguably languishing behind NXT as the third most entertaining and relevant show that the pro wrestling giant produces.

In Cult of Heel’s debut post, we will look at why this has happened, what the consequences could be for WWE and the steps that can be taken to reassert SmackDown as a popular and entertaining show.

WWE's new No. 2 show

Currently, SmackDown occupies a two hour slot on Friday nights. Unlike its big brother on Monday, it is not broadcast live, instead taped on Tuesday nights and shown on tape delay three days later. This is not necessarily detrimental; SmackDown has been taped for the majority of its lifespan since its inception in the late 90s when it was just as popular – if not more – than Raw.

With Raw having moved to a three hour time slot in the summer of 2012 at its 1000^th episode, WWE on Friday nights is now the more easily consumable product. Many fans can attest to the lethargy setting in come the third hour on Monday in the occasion of a sub-par show and SmackDown should provide a fast-paced alternative to the ‘longest running weekly episodic TV show in history’.

In order to understand the role that SmackDown occupies and why, we have to look back at the shows history. Debuting in 1999, SmackDown was a product of the unprecedented success of WWE – then WWF – in the late 90s. In America, it was the first time that weekly WWE television was shown on a broadcast network, in this case the now defunct UPN. The strength in depth of the talent pool was at an all-time high; ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, Mick Foley – all world class performers and all in their prime. With such a strong and diverse field, it made sense for WWE to add programming to its week in order to maximise the potential of its assets.

In the intervening years, the show has played host to some of the industry’s top talents; showcasing memorable rivalries and historic championship matches.  Brock Lesnar established himself as a genuine main eventer on SmackDown; engaging in some incredible feuds and matches with the likes of Kurt Angle and The Undertaker. Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho and John Cena all have Friday nights to thank for elevating their careers – the added exposure has allowed many individuals to gain their share of the spotlight, rather than fighting for real estate with the behemoths that dominated the late 90s and early 00s.

The very best of SmackDown

Fast forward to 2014 and fans are lucky if more than one or two of the company’s top stars appear on the show on a regular basis. The likes of Randy Orton, Sheamus and the Big Show have been the principle pillars for the ‘blue brand’, but appearances from John Cena, CM Punk and Triple H have been fleeting at best.

The end of the brand extension certainly hasn't helped. In bringing the curtain down on this experiment, the two World titles no longer held similar footing. The World Heavyweight Championship – which was already becoming the inferior of the two – assumed a rank similar to that of the Intercontinental title. Upper mid-card superstars found success with the Big Gold Belt – Christian, Randy Orton, Mark Henry and Big Show all held the title following Edge’s retirement and subsequent relinquishing of the championship. Meanwhile, the company’s main draws – John Cena and CM Punk – dominated the WWE title scene. The era of two champions, each the pride of their respective brands, was well and truly over.

The second World Championship is no more

A discussion on the merits of the brand extension and a possible return to the format is a topic for another day. Addressing the issue of SmackDown and what it still has to offer as a product of the WWE’s portfolio is the paramount concern.

So what can be done to help make Friday nights must-see viewing again for WWE fans?

The first issue to address is whether SmackDown’s current TV spot is the most appropriate in terms of maximising the show’s potential. As we noted earlier, the show has been a taped affair for the majority of its run; the occasional live ‘special’ interspersing the usual format. Therefore, the suggestion that moving the show to a live slot, either to remain on Friday or possibly move to Thursday, would not result in any automatic upturn in its fortunes. It is the content, rather than the setting that will make the difference.

There is one production element that needs to be considered however, and that is the effects of WWE’s post-production on SmackDown. One of the drawbacks of any taped show is that the producers may feel the need to alter the product in an effort to squeeze every last drop from the content at their disposal. With WWE and SmackDown this has led to poorly implemented audio dubbing; post-production that is painfully obvious without the need to stretch your senses too far.

The result of which is ‘copy and pasted’ cheers and boos according to the superstars and their on-screen actions. This makes watching the show a bit of a chore at time, knowing that regardless of the crowd’s reaction, you’re being fed what WWE want you to hear; worse still for the athletes, especially those trying to get over, who may find the crowd reactions they naturally incite dubbed over in order to fit the narrative.

Dolph Ziggler – never one to keep his opinions to himself – took to Twitter to complain of the crowd’s ‘We want Ziggler’ chants being dubbed out during a confrontation with Batista on an episode of SmackDown earlier this year. It’s hard enough for mid-card performers to make their mark without the show’s producers handicapping them in post-production. Allow the show to flow naturally – listen to the fans and respond accordingly. Most SmackDown viewers will also be watching Raw on Monday nights and will be aware of the discrepancies in crowd reactions. WWE are fooling no one.

'SmackDown Six'

Now that production issues have been addressed, it is important to now focus on the content of the show. You could have a live SmackDown show every Thursday night, with sell-out crowds wherever WWE goes, but without engaging content and top drawer superstars, it will still struggle to maintain relevancy. This doesn't necessarily mean that SmackDown has to follow the same formula as Raw, far from it. During its successful years in the mid-00s, the show was built around young, athletic wrestlers – not all main eventers, but individuals who were relevant and made to matter in the world of WWE. The ‘SmackDown Six’ are a prime example of such a tactic; half a dozen of the best athletes on the roster, ranging from established top stars (Kurt Angle) to mid-card wrestlers looking to make the next step up, such as Edge and Rey Mysterio.

The 2014 WWE roster is not lacking in talent. In fact, it could be argued that there are a high number of underutilised members of the locker room waiting for their chance. WWE has two hours on a Friday to showcase these men – Wade Barrett, Damien Sandow, Cody Rhodes and the aforementioned Ziggler all possess great attributes and SmackDown can be their stage. Still involve these guys on Raw of course, but give them ample time to get over on the ‘B’ show. Not just matches, but actual storylines that engage the fans and generate emotional investment. It might sound like an obvious remedy, but as things stand, WWE isn’t providing much of an opportunity for their mid-card wrestlers to assert themselves – meandering from one poorly booked ‘feud’ to the next will not achieve this.

We mentioned at the start of this article about WWE’s rapidly growing social media presence and it is an aspect of the business that is beginning to affect the in-ring product. WWE is so keen to push its brand on as many of its media channels as possible and this can have a positive in terms of reaching new fans and engaging with new corporate sponsors. In light of this, it is almost to the point incredulity that WWE insists on using SmackDown almost as a Raw re-run. Every main angle and story is recapped and shown again, taking up more airtime that could be used to push the younger or underused members of the roster. Along with social media channels, WWE as an app, a website and now the Network; there are enough channels in which to cover your flagship show without infringing on Friday night’s timeslot.

The WWE Network can be Raw's PR vehicle

It used to be said that anything could happen in the WWE; that the excitement and action was extrapolated by the unpredictable nature of professional wrestling. It was must-watch television. Fans had to tune in every week lest they miss out on a big storyline or a shocking upset. Such a phrase doesn't hold quite as much anymore; the educated fan can make a pretty accurate guess as to where most angles will end up and roughly how they’ll get there. That doesn't mean that shocks still don’t occur, this is still pro wrestling after all. The return of Chris Jericho this summer was a very well-kept secret and resulted in a great moment upon his entrance on Monday Night Raw a couple of weeks ago. SmackDown however appears to be void of any such instances in recent years. Understandably, high profile returns, face/heel turns and title changes are reserved for Monday nights, with Friday’s reserved for recaps and the occasional wrestling match.

This is not advocating swerve after swerve on SmackDown, but the occasional open-mouth moment would remind fans that SmackDown still represents must-see television that regardless of the show, WWE produces entertainment that very few other entities can. This article is not a fool-proof blueprint for the restoration of a perfect SmackDown show – such a thing does not exist, but it does offer some suggestions that if implemented well, could see a more worthwhile product being produced. SmackDown has a long and illustrious history and it would be to the WWE’s detriment if they allowed it to continue as the company’s end-of-week afterthought.