WWE to Extend “SmackDown” to Three Hours, Reshaping Friday Night Wrestling Landscape

WWE is planning to extend “SmackDown” to three hours starting January 3, 2025, on USA Network. This change aligns with the current format of “Raw,” although “Raw” will temporarily reduce to two hours for the remainder of 2024. Financial analysis suggests this expansion is a low-risk, high-reward move for WWE, as the production costs for an additional hour are minimal compared to the potential revenue increase. However, there are concerns about viewership on Friday nights, which are traditionally challenging for attracting TV audiences.

The extension of “SmackDown” may impact AEW’s “Rampage,” which currently airs on Fridays at 10 pm. Speculation suggests that Warner Brothers Discovery might relocate or cancel “Rampage” once their new deal with AEW is finalized. Additionally, WWE’s streaming arrangements are set to change, with “SmackDown” moving from Hulu to Peacock in October 2024, and both “Raw” and “SmackDown” becoming available for next-day streaming on Netflix starting January 2025. “NXT” will have its next-day rights acquired by The CW next month.

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