Raw Moving To 3 Hours Permanently

[PHX]

Pretty much what Cork said it would make sense if it was done to build storylines more, more in ring action, not having the divas have 30 second matches, but all they ever do is say lets see how much bullshit we can jampack into a 3 hour show. If you believe some reports it's always being said how drained creative is coming up with shit and having to deal with a crazy Vince wanting to change stuff so if they going through that in 2 hours imagine 3 hours it will be nerve wrecking.

 

[The Cork]

Plus it devalues the PPV's somewhat, being the same length.

Theres nothing to distinguish a B PPV from a Raw now.

 

[SAIYANS]

NXTs writing staff is being separated among Raw and SD, as they are getting a total overhaul. That's my point. They are taking the current nxt roster in the ring and behind the scens and integrating them into the company. Logically they have to expand as they have a roster for 5 hours of tv and 1 hour of the roster and it's writers would be displaced with the FCW and nxt merger so to speak

Its far too simplistic to say that they have had 3 hour specials before and drawn them out with filler and yet ignore the context of the change and this announcement timing wise with the nxt revamp

 

[John McHenry]

Plus it devalues the PPV's somewhat, being the same length.

Theres nothing to distinguish a B PPV from a Raw now.

One has wrestling the other has just promos?

 

[SAIYANS]

One has wrestling the other has just promos?

not to mention Raw has damn near been 2 hours and 20 Minutes of tv all year. That just means adding 15mins of commercial and 25 on promos and matches

Plus title matches which Raw ain't giving away

 

[AZUCAR!]

This is terrible, the extra hour is gonna be filled with awful comedy segments and promos.

Totally agree

 

[PHX]

I just don't have confidence in WWE that they will use 3 hours wisely. I will have to see it to believe it. I mean you don't even have to use the extra time for longer matches but use it to build feuds better so we don't have to sit here every week saying this match has no build going into the PPV. Instead they'll just use it for pointless comedy segments for example.

 

[Heisenberg]

If they're doing it each and every week maybe then they can start getting more experience with doing such a long episodic show each and every week and it will slowly start getting better than the occasional 3 hour RAW's that we currently get that are pretty bad. I think this might improve their ratings too in the long run as well. They will also have more time to develop more talent and get TV time which is a bonus as they can fill them in each week now. Not just cramp them into a 2 hour show. Although, the biggest risk of going to three hours is over-exposing superstars every week. WWE has the money and the right men in place backstage to make it successful, but it has to be done correctly. But what if this could just be a Summer thing where there is nothing really on TV then when a lot of primetime stuff comes back, they'll switch back to the normal 2 hours?

People will bitch and moan about RAW being 3 hours but guess what? They'll all be watching.

 

[We Are Legion]

And the phase-out of Smackdown begins...

I seriously think that's where we're going now. The 3 hour Raw will only further the involvement of SD wrestlers on Raw and slowly diminish the need for a 2nd show.

I bet the titles will be unified as early as Mania.

 

[PHX]

These 3 hour Raw specials they been spitting out were the experience builders. If we've seen how the format goes with their 3 hour Raw's and how they've hardly had good 3 hour Raw's how is someone gonna all of a sudden think hey this is a great idea? Wouldn't make sense so of course people gonna bitch some about it until they show they can do a 3 hour show the right way. If it turns out good then good but my initial feelings about this are understandably not good.

 

[Heisenberg]

Also, these have been the ratings for some of the 3 hour shows in 2011 which are nice and much better than the 3.1, 3.0 or 2.9 they're doing now:

3.7 - 2011 WWE Draft
3.5 - The Rock's Birthday Bash
WWE All Star Night - 3.5
Power to the People - 3.6
Raw Gets Rocked - 3.2

 

[PHX]

And the phase-out of Smackdown begins...

I seriously think that's where we're going now. The 3 hour Raw will only further the involvement of SD wrestlers on Raw and slowly diminish the need for a 2nd show.

I bet the titles will be unified as early as Mania.

That really isn't too far fetched since the brand split is already fairly useless as is and talking about adding new shows like the Lucha one and such.

 

[John McHenry]

I could see them ending the brand split but I see no reason for eliminating smackdown as it does generate money

 

[SAIYANS]

And the phase-out of Smackdown begins...

I seriously think that's where we're going now. The 3 hour Raw will only further the involvement of SD wrestlers on Raw and slowly diminish the need for a 2nd show.

I bet the titles will be unified as early as Mania.

SD won't be phased out. Wwe can make good money off b show house show events. They will have their talent pool changed greatly IMO like I said by getting the guys like Kidd, McGuilicutty, Watson, the Usos, Maxine, Curtis, Fox, JTG, Bateman, Kaitlyn, and others to fill out the friday night roster like they have slowly down with Ryback, Young, Titus, AJ, and others. This just allows for the lead guy and face of SD to be a Rhodes as Orton and Bryan don't fucking draw anyhow.

Raw will just get more guys to fill out their show like Orton and Show.

If they wanted to they could have do divas matches for Superstars and tape them before SD and Raw, then air them online. In fact it wouldn't be a terrible idea to tape Superstars all at one time before SD sk the taping runs 3 hours like the company is accustomed to and paying customers are Tuesday night. Me being one of them, I hope they do tape a hour of Superstars as I get tickets for a SD taping next week because 2hrs of SD alone ain't worth the fucking money like it and a hour of nxt/ECW were

 

[Sugarhill]

I am curious to see how this will work over time. It should be interesting, but I have a feeling that, as mentioned above, it will be more talking than wrestling. Personally, I think the length of the promos are one of the reasons why it feels like some of the storylines drag out so. For example, CM Punk, when he initially went on the corporate rampage, it was cool, but week after week of what felt like 10 minute promos, I couldn't take it.

It would be nice if they actually took about ten minutes every week to specifically feature certain wrestlers that are lower on the card. Really give them a chance to see what they can do in front of a relatively active crowd.