Earlier, we announced on eWn that WWE Friday Night SmackDown is set to transition into a three-hour format starting from January 2025.
This shift implies that every week, six hours will be dedicated to original WWE programming (NXT doesn’t count in this), considering that WWE Monday Night Raw will also take up three hours on Netflix.
Recently, an update was shared by Wrestlevotes regarding future modifications following the migration of WWE SmackDown from FOX to the USA Network.
The report suggests that WWE SmackDown is planning to dial it back to a two-hour setup after the initial six-month, three-hour period, presumably around June.
The report explicitly states, “We also want to quickly touch on the news that SmackDown will expand to three hours. Presently, the internal discussion reveals this shift to be a temporary arrangement for 6 months. [The 3-hour setup] is expected to start in January alongside Raw’s move to 3 hours. However, the current arrangement is for SmackDown to return to a 2-hour duration after the six-month period.”
You must remember, situations can always take a new turn. If the Friday night viewership shows positive results, the USA Network might ponder upon offering WWE a higher amount to retain the extended three-hour format.
WWE is stepping into the WrestleMania 41 season from January, which means the stretched-out timeframe might assist in hosting more content. It will be of greater interest, especially with the comeback of big names like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena.