Dave Meltzer confirmed the news on the Tuesday, September 10 episode of
Wrestling Observer Radio at
F4WOnline.com.
“Yeah, I got it confirmed about three minutes ago,” Meltzer stated about plans for Raw to switch back to three hours starting on 1/6 on Netflix.
“The basic situation is that it was a USA Network call, not a WWE call,” Meltzer said regarding the move to switch the show to two hours for the final few months on USA Network. “I’m not sure why.”
Meltzer speculated, “It will boost the ratings of the show, because they won’t have that third hour that drags down the average. But I’m not sure exactly why USA made the call.”
When WWE made their deal with Netflix, their deal with USA Network was supposed to end in September, which would have left Raw without a home for approximately four months.
This led to them making a deal with USA for an extension for those three or four months, and it was suggested as a possibility by Bryan Alvarez that USA Network may have had things lined up where something was planned for the 10pm hour from September on, and that the three or four month deal was only for two hours for that reason.
The reason the next few weeks are still three hours is because they are still working under the original deal made before the extra four month extension.
Apparently WWE had the choice to go with the three or four months on USA Network at two hours per week, or Peacock at three hours, and ultimately the decision was made to remain on USA until the real transition to Netflix on January 6 when the show reverts back to three hours.
It was also stated that not wanting to pay for three hours is not the reason USA Network made the call.
