WWE's Wild Card Rule Has Turned Into A Wild Mess

I get the reasoning behind the Wild Card Rule: among declining ratings, both networks (USA and the future home of SmackDown LIVE, Fox) want to ensure they get an equal pooling of big WWE superstars on each show. What better way to make this happen than including as many high-level talent on both team Red and Blue each week as possible, so that fans have a good reason to tune in, right?

Well, wrong. And this is why.

It’s Confusing

The entire concept of Wild Card Rule (and its stipulations) are not really confusing, more like, adding superstars in storylines are making each show confusing. Sure, I’d love to see Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins go at it during a main event, but these shows are really about offering fresh and compelling storylines to help build up programs for pay-per-views so that fans are invested enough to either purchase said event, or subscribe to the WWE. At the very least, television shows should be entertaining, but all these main superstars on each brand reminds me of an old saying my father would use a lot: too many chiefs, not enough Indians. Stories are going everywhere these days, and adding players in these programs is just complicating things. On top of that, rules aren’t really being followed as there are more then “three or four” SmackDown LIVE superstars popping up on RAW (and sometimes vice versa). Adding to the confusion is the fact that fans didn’t settle into the draft in April in the first place, with some many changes post-draft, most of us fans don’t even know which talent truly lies on which show.

Why do we have the brand extension again at this point?

A Ton Of Repetition

The cool thing about the brand extension was separate stories on each show; however, now with the Wild Card Rule, it seems like stories on RAW are being repeated on SmackDown LIVE to the point where there are specific storylines I wish would end. Shane McMahon versus Roman Reigns is one; the “Best In The World” angle has been played out. I love the Usos, but the WWE needs to slow down on having them here, there, and everywhere; time to focus as storyline or solid feud around the tag team championships (program on both brands). And the IIconics are entertaining, too; however, it’s time to place them in a program and scrap these jobber matches.

Lost In The Shuffle

Speaking of the IIconics: why aren’t they in a solid rivalry? Where’s the program around the Intercontinental Championship? Both RAW and SmackDown LIVE tag titles? While the high-level championships are getting their fair share of focus, both on the women’s and men’s rosters, other titles are getting lost in the shuffle, the tag team division is suffering, and only a handful of mid-card talents are getting television time, thanks to the 24/7 Championship, which, along with Firefly Funhouse, are the only two entertaining segments on both shows.

What Happened To The Women’s Revolution?

Seems like the women hit a milestone of main eventing Wrestlemania, and are once again being swept under the rug. Alexa Bliss is teetering on heel and face personas, it seems like the Becky, Bayley, Lacey Evans, and Charlotte show at times, with the WWE Universe not being exposed to many other women on both brands. During the draft in April, after all heck broke loose with this Wild Card Rule, I was looking forward to the mix up that occurred on both shows. Where’s Sarah Logan? Naomi? Nattie? Liv Morgan? Keeping these talents on the sideline feels like all the hard work the women have gone through all these years is slowly being derailed. But, how is there enough time on either show to profile others on each brand when only main event stars are being repeated and (somewhat) hogging the spotlight.

At the end of the day, it’s just too much a good thing, which doesn’t feel like anything even remotely good, and it has turned into quite a mess.

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