WWE SmackDown’s extended runtime is not going away anytime soon.
Despite initial expectations that the blue brand would return to a two-hour format this summer, that no longer appears to be the case. During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed that SmackDown will remain a three-hour show for the foreseeable future, with USA Network backing away from plans to air a new program in the 10 PM slot.
“Until USA changes the idea. It’s three hours until they change it,” Meltzer said. “Originally it was gonna stop in June and USA had a show that they wanted to put on from 10 to 11 piggybacking off SmackDown, and for whatever reason, they made the call that it wasn’t worth it. And for their ratings, it’s not worth it – I think they realized that hour three (of SmackDown) is gonna do triple of anything (else) that they were gonna put on. SmackDown is so far and away the biggest show on that station. So yeah, they’re not making the move, at least for the foreseeable future, whatever that means.”
Meltzer also clarified that WWE is not receiving additional compensation for producing the third hour.
“No (WWE is not being paid extra to continue with a third hour). I guess the way they signed the contract, they must have given USA the option. Because if they were making more money on the deal it absolutely would have been said at the investors’ call, and we would have seen it, we would have seen the difference in the money. So obviously the money has not changed. Because if it had, we’d have been told.”