What is the future of SMACKDOWN?

[Torgaman]

I hate to read too much into things but I get the feeling that SMACKDOWN is on it's last legs.Things that point to this are:

1.-The network they air on UPN will "merge" with WB[nice way to say WB gobbled up UPN much like WWE diod with WCW]and no word as to wether the new network will carry SMACKDOWN.

2.-Various stars have been moved from SD to either RAW or ECW,and some of these stars were big names the SD brand desperately needed.

3.-Other SD roster members have been released from the WWE in recent weeks.

4.-The ratings for SD just aren't the same as thos of RAW which does prety good for airing on basic cable.

I may be jumping the gun here but things seem to be pointing to the fact that SD may cease to exist as a WWE brand.Now that Vince will have ECW as a backup he may just shift the guys worth keeping to that brand or perhaps RAW and dump the ones who aren't cutting it.

Any thoughts on this?

[Xenorama ™]

it's official, i don't care about watching wrestling much (current stuff, i mean) any more. i'm choosing to watch Gene Simmons on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" and he's not. at least he's being quite entertaining. Shannon Tweed is there, looking like she's had one too many Botox sessions.

anyway, wwe? what?

[RoadWarriorYajuta]

they moved to My Network TV. the CW wanted to keep Smackdown but Vince wanted to move. The reason was even though Smackdown had UPN and CW's best ratings they and not WWE got the lion's share of revenue generated by commercials. With the new Network he gets most of the ad money. The thing could backfire on him though. CW had decent market penetration while who heard of My Network TV before this move? Right now they are reaping the rewards but if the audience is not there because of few people having the network ad revenues will go bye bye. I scarcely watch at all anymore. Hell even the Japanese wrestling scene stinks right now. You know the current product sucks if I don't watch religiously.