WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown is set for further changes as it migrates from FOX to the USA Network.
The inauguration episode of SmackDown last Friday flaunted a fresh aesthetic supplemented with modernized graphics, colors, logo, and theme.
Thanks to the channel switch, the show no longer has to conclude two minutes before the hour, an adjustment formerly required to accommodate local news on FOX. This change allows for increased flexibility in programming.
As we previously mentioned here at eWn, the transition from the USA Network to Netflix implies Monday Night RAW will momentarily revert to being a two-hour show, a format it hasn’t utilized since 2012. This change will commence on October 7 and will continue until Netflix’s agreement starts in January.
The USA Network and WWE finalized an arrangement to extend RAW’s broadcast on the station after the original contract anticipated expiry this month. The USA Network took an executive decision to convolute RAW into a two-hour series.
Upon RAW’s transition to Netflix, it will revert to being a three-hour feature with the convenience of altering the duration weekly.
A recent expose from WrestleVotes Radio hints that WWE SmackDown will begin 2025 by shifting to a three-hour format, echoing RAW’s revamp.
The report mentions, “Before moving on from SmackDown, our initial insight here on WrestleVotes, as we delve into this behind-the-scenes look at SmackDown, reveals that beginning with the January 3, 2025 show, SmackDown will indeed expand to three hours. Another noteworthy piece is the speculation that the show, once concluded, will be available for streaming on Netflix. This hasn’t been disclosed elsewhere, but current internal discussions indicate that Smackdown will likely be uploaded on Netflix a day after the live show. However, the main takeaway is that, starting January 3, SmackDown will expand to a three-hour telecast.”