SmackDown’s Expansion To Three Hours: A New Era For WWE’s Blue Brand

The extension of SmackDown to a three-hour format from January 3, 2025, will be a sea change in WWE’s programming strategy. It puts the blue brand on par with its counterpart RAW and is part of WWE’s bigger strategy to maximize content offerings and cash in on new broadcasting partnerships.

Decision to Expand

The announcement by WWE to turn SmackDown into a three-hour format, starting with its Friday, January 3, 2025 show, sent shockwaves around the wrestling world. The show is still going to be on Friday night, live from the USA Network; it starts with an extended episode broadcast from Phoenix, Arizona. Moreover, in conjunction with RAW’s re-positioning on Netflix, the changes send a strong message-that this too is another play by the WWE to make considerable strides across multiple platforms2.

This is not an entirely new decision to extend runtime for SmackDown. It has been running a three-hour format since 2012, and the success of that model likely influenced the decision for SmackDown2. With an extended runtime, WWE hopes to give more time for in-depth storytelling, longer matches, and an opportunity for its diverse roster of superstars.

Impact on Content and Storytelling

The extended runtime brings with it a bunch of opportunities and challenges for the WWE creative team:

Better Storytelling: The extra hour allows developers to create more elaborate storylines and character arcs. More time is given to character development, storyline intricacies, and the possibility of better, more memorable promo segments.

Longer Matches: The fans are likely to witness an extended amount of in-ring action, and the possibilities for longer and technical matches are open. This might prove to be an improvement in the quality of the matches and allow a wider skill set of wrestlers to be shown.

Multi-Layered Storylines: The WWE will be able to intertwine multiple storylines together, therefore making the overall storyline of the show more intricate. This might result in the audience having a more interactive experience when viewing it.2.

Roster Utilization: With the increased format, the more talent gets showcased, which means some wrestlers that get underutilized will finally have a place. It will allow for the return of midcard storylines and an improved tag team division.

This will, however, be subject to sustaining the quality and pace for an extended period of time. WWE has to strike a balance between leveraging extra minutes and watering down its content to such a degree that fans tire themselves out tuning in.

Production Challenges and Opportunities

Expanding to a three-hour format creates both challenges and opportunities from a production standpoint:

Technical Production: The WWE production team thus needs to adapt to the longer runtime of the show, keeping the feel of high production values across the full three hours.

Pacing and Structure: There is a need to find the right rhythm for a three-hour show. WWE has to structure every episode carefully if it’s going to hold the viewer from beginning to end.

Live Event Experience: For those fans attending a SmackDown taping, a longer format would provide an extended live experience that could impact everything from ticket sales to in-arena engagement.

Commercial Breaks: While the added hour brings in more advertising dollars, it also means being more careful in placing commercial breaks to avoid disrupting the flow of matches and segments.

Changes in the Roster and Use of Talents

This extension to three hours most probably will introduce huge changes in the way WWE would be utilizing their talents:

More Opportunities: An underused talent may be given more TV exposure and character development, which could create new stars and revitalize the careers of established performers who had been on the sidelines.

NXT Call-Ups: The extended format may also ease the way for those NXT stars coming up to the main roster, lending them ample time to establish their characters and connect with the SmackDown audience.

Talent Transfers: SmackDown will be adding more superstars in between WWE transfer windows to fill up additional time that may lead to a balanced distribution between RAW and SmackDown.

Improved Tag Team and Women’s Divisions: An additional hour can be utilized to put more emphasis on tag team wrestling and women’s wrestling, thereby rejuvenating those aspects of WWE programming that are usually neglected.

Comparison to RAW’s Three-Hour Format

SmackDown’s expansion automatically invites comparisons to RAW’s experience with the three-hour format. Since 2012, RAW has been subject to praise and criticism alike for its longer runtime. Some key points of comparison include:

Content Quality: With the RAW format going up to three hours, many critics refer to times of ‘filler’ content. SmackDown will have to learn from this and keep all three hours engaging and entertaining.

Viewer Retention: RAW has often failed to retain its viewership across the full three hours. SmackDown will have to employ tactics that will make people watch it for a complete three hours.

Talent Rotation: With the longer format that RAW features, more regular talent is displayed. This could also work for SmackDown, since with more fluctuation in who’s on every week, it can be much different.

Brand Identity: While SmackDown shares the same hours of airtime, it’s ultimately going to have to create its own brand identity and atmosphere to differentiate itself from RAW.

Fan Reception and Concerns

Initial reaction to SmackDown’s three-hour format has been lukewarm. Some fans feel thrilled at the more content idea while others worry about diluting content and commitment to an extra half-hour show. Some important messages in the fans’ feedback:

Excitement for More Wrestling: Fans appreciate that they can see more wrestling in-ring action and longer matches.

A concern for viewers is how much time one has to invest in a three-hour show every week when there are other WWE shows like RAW and NXT3.

Quality vs. Quantity Debate: Many are debating among fans whether the additional hour will translate into better content or just more filler.

Impact on DVR Viewing: An extended format may affect how SmackDown is consumed through pre-recorded viewing, with fans being more selective in their viewing. 3.

Potential Ramifications on WWE and Wrestling

The three-hour expansion of SmackDown could have far-reaching ramifications for WWE and the wider wrestling landscape:

Content Strategy: If successful, this move could affect WWE’s overall content strategy, potentially leading to changes in other shows or the creation of new programming.

Competitive Landscape: The necessity might arise where other wrestling promotions begin to aggressively increase the scale of their programming, trying to stay relevant as WWE does the same. 6.

Talent Contracts and Scheduling: Perhaps the longer format will affect the building of WWE’s talent contracts and scheduling, which may alter the whole course of wrestlers and crew.

On-Demand and Streaming View: The longer show may also affect how WWE packages and distributes SmackDown on its streaming services, offering new ways to view the show or segment-focused viewing.

Financial Implications

Just how much cash SmackDown moving to three hours ultimately nets WWE depends on the specific terms of the WWE’s rights deal with USA. Without a further rights fee increase related to the extended runtime, for example, WWE’s recent deal with NBCUniversal may end up bringing in fewer dollars per hour than the prior contract it had with Fox6. If that is indeed the case, it would make it tougher for the company to positively impact the bottom line, unless the rights fees themselves help make up for added programming time.

But the change also allows for more advertising revenue and perhaps greater viewer engagement that could offset, at least partially, some of the financial challenges. WWE will have to carefully balance the costs associated with producing an additional hour of content against the potential revenue gains.

Conclusion

SmackDown going three hours is a big change for WWE programming. While it does offer exciting possibilities for enhanced storytelling, increased roster utilization, and more in-ring action, it also presents challenges in maintaining quality and viewer engagement over a longer duration.

This expanded format, as WWE launches into this new era for SmackDown, will likely find its success based on whether the company can create compelling content on a consistent basis, utilize its talented roster effectively, and take viewer feedback in stride. The next few months will be very telling if this risky move will pay off and possibly change the landscape of professional wrestling television for years to come.

Ultimately, however, the true test of success will always be with the WWE Universe. As the fans get accustomed to the new format, their patterns of engagement and viewing will go a long way in making informed decisions about the future of SmackDown and probably the wider content strategy of WWE in an ever-dynamic entertainment landscape.

The expansion of SmackDown to three hours is not merely a change in runtime but a statement of intent from WWE. This quite aptly explains the confidence of the company in its product and the commitment to more content for an extremely passionate fanbase. With much of the wrestling world watching, the success or failure of this venture is likely to set the tone for where the industry may head in the coming years.