After 20 years of SmackDown being WWE’s B-show behind Uncooked, the blue model noticed itself changing into the middle of the sports activities leisure world when it moved to FOX in 2019. Being on community TV meant an enormous spike in scores that pushed it previous the Monday night time crimson model on the USA Community. Then got here the extremely profitable Bloodline storyline, which solely helped SmackDown develop much more.
Nonetheless, not solely did the Bloodline ultimately come to an finish, however so did SmackDown’s time on FOX. Final yr, it moved to the USA Community, and together with it got here a change because the present modified from being two hours to a few hours lengthy. There have been experiences that SmackDown was going to return to the two-hour format in simply days, however the USA Community has instantly modified their thoughts. I want they would not have. A 3-hour SmackDown is so troublesome to sit down by way of.
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SmackDown Rankings Are Method Down On The USA Community
Rankings Drop Considerably Throughout The Third Hour
SmackDown gained 1,000,000 viewers when it aired on FOX.
A current SmackDown was the bottom rated of the yr.
Three hours is simply too lengthy for a wrestling present.
When SmackDown moved to FOX in 2019, it turned an exceptional success. After the struggles of COVID and the Thunderdome period, SmackDown peaked in the course of the Bloodline period. Each week they had been drawing in round 2.5 million followers, whereas Uncooked was bringing in 1.5 million on the USA Community. This confirmed that community TV had induced a staggering a million extra viewers to tune in. Nonetheless, final yr, with FOX being sad with the advert income they had been getting from SmackDown, they determined to not renew it. This led to SmackDown touchdown again on cable on the USA Community. There, scores have plummeted right down to 1.5 million or much less. The million that had been gained has now been misplaced.
SmackDown has been struggling on USA. For instance, the Could 23 episode drew simply 1.383 million viewers, the second-lowest ranking since returning to USA and the bottom of 2025. A part of this has to do with the robust competitors from the NBA playoffs, however a lot of the blame goes to SmackDown having been at three hours this complete time, after being two hours lengthy on FOX. Uncooked’s years of scores experiences present that viewership drops off within the third hour as drained viewers change the channel or go to mattress. It has been the identical factor for SmackDown. Three hours is simply too lengthy for a wrestling present.
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The USA Community Has Determined To Maintain SmackDown At Three Hours
The Friday Evening Present Was Set To Return To Two Hours
Uncooked on Netflix is within the candy spot between two and three hours lengthy.
The 2-hour-long SmackDowns had been alleged to be over subsequent week.
The USA Community is proud of the third hour numbers for SmackDown.
Since transferring to Netflix, Uncooked has discovered the candy spot, placing the present at round 2.5 hours. This manner, we get extra wrestling, however not a lot that it begins to turn out to be a chore to look at. It appeared like WWE and USA knew that three hours was an excessive amount of for SmackDown as effectively, as there was speak of returning it to the two-hour format as quickly as subsequent week, however on the final minute, the USA Community has modified their minds. On WrestleVotes Radio on SportsKeeda’s Backstage Go, they reported:
“Based on sources, the plans for SmackDown present size on USA Community modified again in January. WWE and USA agreed that the Could 30 present can be the ultimate three-hour presentation, with the present reverting again to 2 hours on the June 6 version. We’re advised the present will stay three hours for the foreseeable future, as USA Community was steadfast on holding it that size. Aources say USA has been completely happy general with the efficiency of the present, numbers-wise, with the additional third hour.” (h/t WrestlingNews.co)
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A Three-Hour SmackDown Is Tough To Watch
WWE Has Too Many Business Breaks & Backstage Segments
Three hour SmackDowns have manner an excessive amount of downtime.
It is troublesome to look at the present reside in particular person too, with drained crowds being quieter within the third hour.
Would a lowered time SmackDown imply that midcard wrestlers lose alternatives?
Though scores for wrestling exhibits have at all times gone down within the third hour, USA has chosen to disregard this, as in the event that they determined that success was viewership not happening previous a sure level. That is the very last thing I and most wrestling followers need, particularly on a Friday night time. For one, there are different issues to do, and two, regardless of how a lot you like wrestling, three hours is exhausting, particularly when that further hour means far more commercials and backstage segments. I’ve discovered that if I document SmackDown and watch it later, I can often catch up in just a bit greater than an hour.
If you happen to attend a three-hour-long SmackDown in particular person, you’ll be able to actually really feel the time drag after 10 pm. I went to SmackDown in Dayton a number of weeks in the past, however after two hours the gang began to get quiet as they bought extra drained. I felt dangerous for Aleister Black popping out for a match and barely getting any response. It took John Cena exhibiting up on the finish to wake everybody up.
There are positives to a three-hour SmackDown, as there have been extra matches, with the tag crew division particularly shining. With a two-hour present, there are comprehensible fears that moments like this could possibly be misplaced because the runtime focuses extra on the principle occasion scene, however I’ve religion that Triple H, regardless of his failures of late, will be capable of determine it out. It doesn’t matter what, I want three hours of SmackDown to turn out to be a factor of the previous.
