WWE SmackDown will continue as a three-hour broadcast on the USA Network for the foreseeable future, and according to a new report, WWE is not receiving any additional financial compensation for the extra hour…at least that is the belief. On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer detailed why the show’s runtime is not reverting to two hours as was originally planned.
Meltzer stated that the decision to stick with the three-hour format was made by the USA Network. The original plan was for SmackDown to return to a two-hour show in June, with USA Network planning to air a different program in the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET time slot. However, those plans were changed. “For whatever reason, they made the call that it wasn’t worth it,” Meltzer explained.
The reasoning, according to Meltzer, is based on viewership. “I think they realized that hour three is going to do triple of anything that they’re going to put on in that show,” he said. “Smackdown is so far and away, the biggest show on that station. So, yeah they’re not making the move, at least for the foreseeable future.”
During the discussion, co-host Bryan Alvarez speculated that WWE must be getting paid more for the extended runtime, asking, “So clearly they must be being paid some new deal.” Meltzer’s response was a definitive “No.” This prompted a humorous follow-up from Alvarez: “They’re doing this for free? I’m suffering through this for charity?”
Meltzer then explained the likely business arrangement. “Well, I guess the way they signed the contract, they must have given USA the option,” he theorized. He noted that if WWE were making more money from the third hour, it would have been a material change announced to shareholders on an investor call. “We would have seen the difference in the money,” Meltzer said. “So obviously, the money is not changed, because if it was, we’d have been told.”
The third hour of SmackDown is clearly a ratings success for USA Network so unless something else comes along that can generate the same ad revenue, don’t look for SmackDown to cut back to 2 hours anytime soon.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit F4WOnline.com with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
