WWE SmackDown to Remain Three Hours for the Foreseeable Future Despite Initial Plans

Friday Night SmackDown became a three-hour show earlier this year and it was expected to last until the first six months of 2025 but now it appears the show will remain under its current format for the foreseeable future.

According to WrestleVotes Radio, plans for the length of SmackDown have changed. WWE and USA Network had originally agreed back in January that the show would go back to 2 hours after May 30th. However, SmackDown will now stay at 3 hours for the foreseeable future.

Sources noted that the USA Network is happy with how the show is performing, especially in the third hour. There are still ongoing talks about possibly returning to a 2-hour format, with the idea that it could happen when the new TV season begins for most networks in late September.

We have previously reported that some people within WWE’s production and creative teams believe that the three-hour format has led to problems. They feel it has led to slower pacing, unnecessary filler, and creative burnout.

Instead of using the extra time to show off rising talent, many say the third hour is often filled with segments that don’t feel important. This has led to comparisons with Raw, which has faced the same kind of criticism ever since it moved to three hours back in 2012.

SmackDown is still running for three hours and even though fans aren’t happy about this decision, USA Network is happy with the ratings and the extra money from ads. Therefore, fans will have to wait until late September to see if the show goes back to two hours, if it even changes at all.