Backstage Report On How Long WWE SmackDown Is Expected To Continue At Three Hours

At the beginning of the year, "WWE SmackDown" shifted to a three-hour format after moving over to the USA Network last September, airing from 8:00 p.m to 11:00 p.m EST on Friday nights. However, just last month it was reported that "SmackDown" was expected to revert to a two-hour show by the end of May, but it seems like the program will continue to be three hours a little longer than initially projected.

According to PWInsider Elite, the USA Network has listed "SmackDown" for multiple three-hour episodes internally throughout early June, despite the original plan being to return to a two-hour program before then. Although many fans have enjoyed the additional hour of wrestling on Friday nights, others have found much of the show to consist of filler content, with blue brand's quality significantly declining since last year. "SmackDown's" viewership totals also suggest that fans may be growing tired of the three-hour format, with the show posting its lowest numbers of 2025 in recent weeks.

"SmackDown's" ratings have continued to decline following WrestleMania 41, but this past Friday's episode was a new low for the program, only pulling in 1,290,000 viewers and posting a 0.36 in the 18-49 demographic. The number was the lowest total viewership "SmackDown" has drawn all year, while also being the second worst rating the brand has recorded since shifting to the USA Network.

Although it's uncertain whether "SmackDown" will become a more engaging product or increase their viewership numbers going forward, hopefully the eventual shift back to a two-hour format will improve both the quality of the show and its total viewers.