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What’s the Story?
Rumors surrounding WWE going to a dual-brand pay-per-view format were confirmed earlier this morning when the company officially announced the new schedule.
In case you didn’t know...
The company revived the brand split concept in 2016 and reverted to the formula of separate television rosters and pay-per-views following the debut of SmackDown Live and the Battleground event.
The heart of the matter
The following was the information WWE released regarding the new pay-per-view schedule and the full schedule for 2018 pay-per-view events:
After WrestleMania, you’ll get the best of both brands – Raw and SmackDown LIVE – every month, on every pay-per-view. Catch every event streaming live on the award-winning WWE Network
WrestleMania 34 - April 8, 2018
WWE Backlash - May 6, 2018
WWE Money in the Bank - June 17, 2018
WWE Extreme Rules - July 15, 2018
SummerSlam - Aug. 19, 2018
WWE Hell in a Cell - Sept. 16, 2018
WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs - Oct. 21, 2018
Survivor Series - Nov. 18, 2018
WWE Clash of Champions - Dec. 16, 2018
The past two years under the brand split have resulted in WWE producing 15 pay-per-views a year, but their new schedule will result in only 12 pay-per-views for 2018.
The original brand split, which began in 2002, maintained the separate pay-per-view format for five years until the company sent out a press release in 2007 stating that all pay-per-views going forward would host members of both the Raw and SmackDown rosters.
The initial plan for WWE pay-per-views in 2018 was to make Money in the Bank the fifth annual dual-brand show along with the Big Four, but this new pay-per-view layout has caused that plan to change.
Author’s Take
WWE changing the pay-per-view format in 2007 was the beginning of the end for the brand split and eventually lead to the company introducing the Supershows in 2011.
Whether this is an early sign that the brand split will be coming to an end in the next few years just became a bit more plausible.
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