4 Reasons why WWE SmackDown is failing right now 

The October 31 edition of WWE SmackDown drew under one million viewers on average, and was rated 0.20 in the key 18-49 demographic. This was the first time the blue-branded show had drawn under a million viewers in at least a year, and there were several reasons behind it.

While the show taking place on the same date as Halloween and the Sixth World Series game between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays were major factors behind the drop in numbers, they aren't solely responsible. There are several reasons why the ratings have been consistently falling since September, and here are some of them:

4. Lack of interesting storylines

In comparison to WWE RAW, the storylines on SmackDown seem incredibly shallow. While there are several feuds ongoing, none of them seem to have anything for fans to get invested in. The storyline between Aleister Black and Damian Priest has led to an intense last man standing match, but there is no credible backstory to it.

The same can be said about Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton's feud, which emerged all of a sudden and led to a shock title change. Even the program between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship seems sub-par, with no personal stakes for either superstar.

3. Limited number of main-eventers

With WWE's efforts to maximize its presence on Netflix, SmackDown has been left without a roster of bona fide main-eventers. Apart from Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, and perhaps Jacob Fatu, fans would be hard-pressed to name another main event talent on the blue brand.

Randy Orton has mysteriously disappeared from television, and his long-awaited rivalry with Cody Rhodes seems nowhere close to starting. With Roman Reigns, LA Knight, and Jimmy Uso all moving to RAW, and Kevin Owens being injured, there is a gaping hole in SmackDown's main event picture, which has to be fixed to revive fan interest.

2. Predictability and the same stories being recycled

Cody Rhodes' first WWE Championship reign lasted a year, and it was generally well-received. However, his feud with Drew McIntyre hasn't met expectations by a long shot. One of the biggest reasons behind this is that there seems to be no risk of him losing the title anytime before WrestleMania 42.

Even though the WWE Universe is clamoring to see McIntyre as the champion, they know deep down that Rhodes will keep the title. The same stories in the women's division are also being recycled with minimal build or substance, causing fans to not be invested in the product either.

1. The major feuds don't feel 'big'

The feud between Rhodes and McIntyre could have felt much bigger had there been a genuine risk of The American Nightmare losing his title. But, WWE has protected his character to the extent that his current feud with the Scottish Warrior merely seems like a transitional feud - something to kill time till April 2026.

Tiffany Stratton dropping the Women's Title to Jade Cargill after an abrupt heel turn also feels premature. Even though they had a match for the title at SummerSlam where Stratton retained, their story was just not fleshed out enough.

The tag team division on both brands has been an afterthought, as well as the Women's United States Championship. The only saving grace on the blue brand is the United States Championship open challenge, now being hosted by Ilja Dragunov after he dethroned Sami Zayn by making a shocking return.

WWE needs a reset on the blue brand and to raise the stakes for its ongoing storylines. Otherwise, there remains a risk that it will all be perceived as transitional till the business end of the company's calendar comes about.

Edited by Arsh Das