Internal television listings at the USA Network suggest that WWE SmackDown is poised to continue with its three-hour broadcast duration into the early part of June. This information, reported by PWInsider.com, presents a contrast to some previous indications that the program might revert to a shorter format.
According to the PWInsider.com report, upcoming editions of Friday Night SmackDown are currently slated for a three-hour runtime as June approaches. This scheduling detail is noteworthy because earlier reports, including one from WrestleVotes several months ago, had indicated that WWE was considering a return to a two-hour format for SmackDown, with June being a potential timeframe for this change.
If the current scheduling reflected in the USA Network’s internal listings remains unchanged, any prior considerations by WWE and its broadcast partner to shorten SmackDown could be either postponed or undergoing a reevaluation. As of now, neither WWE nor the USA Network has issued an official public statement concerning SmackDown’s runtime for the upcoming summer period.
Maintaining a three-hour length for SmackDown aligns it with WWE’s other flagship weekly program, WWE RAW, which has been a three-hour show since 2012. While an extended runtime typically provides more opportunities for matches and storyline progression, some viewers and industry observers have expressed a preference for the pacing of a two-hour broadcast.
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