A new report has provided the reasoning behind WWE’s decision to move Monday Night Raw to an earlier 7 p.m. ET start time for three weeks in September. According to WrestleVotes, the move is a strategic test by WWE and its broadcast partner, Netflix, to see how the show performs against the return of the NFL’s Monday Night Football.
A WWE Raw Experiment Against ‘Monday Night Football’
On the latest episode of WrestleVotes Radio, the outlet detailed the plan. “Monday night, Raw will have a special start time of 7pm Eastern for a few weeks this upcoming September, specifically on the 15th, 22nd, and 29th,” the report stated.
“According to a source, this decision was made some time ago as WWE and Netflix want to see how the show performs with an earlier start-up against Monday Night Football,” the report continued.
A “Smart Move” For WWE Raw
The report also noted that on two of the three Mondays with the earlier start time, ESPN will be airing Monday Night Football doubleheaders, with the first game kicking off at 7:15 p.m. ET. One source called the schedule change a “smart one” for WWE.
The earlier start for Raw means that the show’s main event should be ending “before the crunch time in the NFL action,” preventing fans from having to choose between the two broadcasts during the most critical moments of the football games. The test will allow WWE to see how the numbers perform and how fans react to the new time slot.
