Backstage Unrest in WWE Grows Over Three-Hour SmackDown Format
WWE creative and production teams reportedly frustrated with SmackDown’s three-hour format, with sources indicating a return to two hours planned for June after WrestleMania.
The longer isn’t always better approach to WWE programming seems to be wearing thin backstage. What was intended as a showcase for underutilized talent has apparently transformed into a creative burden, with the three-hour SmackDown format reportedly causing significant frustration among those working behind the scenes.
According to recent reporting from WrestleVotes Radio, WWE’s decision to extend SmackDown’s runtime is being viewed as a misstep within the company’s own ranks. Rather than providing meaningful opportunities for rising stars, the extra hour has reportedly led to pacing issues, unnecessary filler segments, and a creative team struggling to maintain quality across the expanded broadcast. The situation mirrors the long-standing criticisms fans have directed at Raw since its expansion to three hours back in 2012.
This backstage discontent comes as no surprise to regular viewers who have noticed similarities between SmackDown’s current format struggles and RAW’s decade-long battle with maintaining engaging content across its extended runtime. The blue brand, traditionally praised for its tighter, more focused presentation, now appears to be facing the same creative challenges that have plagued WWE’s Monday night offering for years.
There may be light at the end of the tunnel, however, as sources indicate the three-hour experiment isn’t permanent. WWE reportedly plans to revert SmackDown to its traditional two-hour format sometime after WrestleMania season concludes, with June being targeted for the change. Until then, both the creative team and production staff will need to navigate the challenges of filling an extra hour each week, even as frustration continues to mount among those responsible for putting the show together.
