Just yesterday it was revealed that WWE is close to renewing their deal with NBC Universal and it will mean that Monday Night Raw will continue to call USA Network its home.
However, it was also reported that the deal does not include SmackDown Live meaning that the Blue Branded Show will hit the open market.
Since then there have been lots of speculation on the future of SmackDown and according to one report, the Blue Branded Show could end up following Raw’s footstep and stretch itself into a three hours show.
The report from Variety’s Kristopher Tapley first talks about how SmackDown is becoming a huge asset for WWE and the front-running contenders for its media rights are Fox, Facebook, and Amazon.
Continuing on the topic, the report explains why SmackDown could move to three-hours format with the new broadcast partner as it will inflate the show’s advertising potential:
“One option open to “SmackDown” is moving from a two- to three-hour format akin to “Raw.” That would obviously inflate the show’s advertising potential, which might even be an enticing lure for suitors. The smaller two-hour bite is more appealing to fans, but a deeper breath would allow the brand to broaden its storytelling spotlight to include some of its underutilized talents.”
Do you think moving SmackDown to a three-hour format would be a good idea? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
