WWE made some big changes with their two biggest brands months ago as Raw moved to Netflix and SmackDown moved to USA Network. When SmackDown made the jump to USA Network a third hour was added to the show. Originally it was expected that SmackDown would go back to a two hour format after a few months, but that has yet to happen.
Dave Meltzer recently shared an update on the situation on Wrestling Observer Radio, and it was noted that SmackDown will likely keep the third hour until USA Network decides to make a change.
“Until USA changes the idea. It’s three hours until they change it. Originally it was gonna stop in June and USA had a show that they wanted to put on from 10 to 11 piggybacking off SmackDown, and for whatever reason, they made the call that it wasn’t worth it.”
“And for their ratings, it’s not worth it – I think they realized that hour three (of SmackDown) is gonna do triple of anything (else) that they were gonna put on. SmackDown is so far and away the biggest show on that station. So yeah, they’re not making the move, at least for the foreseeable future, whatever that means.”
“No (WWE is not being paid extra to continue with a third hour). I guess the way they signed the contract, they must have given USA the option. Because if they were making more money on the deal it absolutely would have been said at the investors’ call, and we would have seen it, we would have seen the difference in the money. So obviously the money has not changed. Because if it had, we’d have been told.”
H/T WrestleTalk.com