For the ninth time in company history -- all since 2002 -- WWE will be holding a draft. And for the second time, WWE will be splitting its brand, which has been whole following the initial split from 2002-11.
The impetus for WWE to hold a draft and split the brand are massive changes to SmackDown, the company's No. 2 television program that has been anything but stable. It has appeared on six channels over 16 seasons and moved back and forth between Thursday and Friday nights.
WWE is rebranding the show starting July 19, turning the taped program into a live broadcast and airing it every Tuesday night on USA Network for the first time in history.