While much of the focus regarding WWE’s new media rights deal has been placed on WWE Raw‘s upcoming move to Netflix, changes are coming to WWE SmackDown too.
In an update posted to its website regarding the impending changes to its programming, WWE confirmed that SmackDown will be moving from two hours to three hours at the start of 2025. Although there had been speculation regarding the weekly show changing nights, the weekly USA Network show will continue to air on Friday nights, as it has since its previous move to Fox in 2019.
“SmackDown continues to air on USA Network every Friday night at 8/7 C in the U.S.,” the company’s website reads. “At the start of 2025, SmackDown will expand to three hours starting with the Jan. 3 episode from Phoenix, Arizona.”
While SmackDown has shifted networks on multiple occasions throughout its history — including this past fall, when it moved back to the USA Network from Fox — it has remained a two-hour program since its inception in 1999. The change in SmackDown‘s runtime will presumably give WWE at least eight hours of weekly programming when combined with Raw and NXT, although it appears that Raw‘s runtime will be flexible when it moves to Netflix on Jan. 6.
At this point, it’s unclear whether WWE is receiving an increase in its media rights revenue as a part of SmackDown‘s move to three hours, although one would imagine that’s the case. From the USA Network’s perspective, it’s understandable that the network would want to maximize SmackDown’s presence on its airwaves as Raw departs for Netflix after having been a staple of its programming since its return from Spike TV in 2005.
Understandably, SmackDown’s expansion to three hours has created some cause for concern among fans regarding potential burnout from the product, especially during weeks in which WWE also hosts its Premium Live Events (formerly known as pay-per-views). But considering the company’s recent hot streak and the importance of WWE’s presence on the USA Network, such a move hardly comes as a surprise.
[WWE]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.