WWE PPVs need to be 2 hours

[Messiah]

SmackDown has been a great show since the brand split. They showcase better character development, better story-telling, wins and losses actually matter, etc. Despite the high quality of the show, look at the Backlash card. There is no way you can stretch that over 3 hours.

I've got nothing against the brand split. It's worked out so far. But if they are going to do brand exclusive PPVs, they need to make them 2 hours. I don't see why not. Maybe slightly longer, it would still be ahead of Takeover events in length and those are so top notch that it shows you can put on an amazing show within that time-frame.

[Str8Shooter]

Yeah definitely for the single branded shows I agree, they don't have the depth for 3 hours. That being said, there's no way they're reducing the PPV runtimes, especially for Raw where the "regular" shows are 3 hours.

[Everlong]

I still can't believe that they've stuck with the three hour RAW runtime. I don't think there's really any argument that it's made the product better in any way.

[Messiah]

I still can't believe that they've stuck with the three hour RAW runtime. I don't think there's really any argument that it's made the product better in any way.

I remember Triple H saying in the podcast with Steve Austin that changing Raw back to 2 hours would be his #1 priority if he could do anything. Apparently the reason they haven't or can't go back has something to do with the USA Network and advertisement revenue. Raw would have to see a ridiculous drop in ratings I think for them to switch.

[Str8Shooter]

I still can't believe that they've stuck with the three hour RAW runtime. I don't think there's really any argument that it's made the product better in any way.

I remember Triple H saying in the podcast with Steve Austin that changing Raw back to 2 hours would be his #1 priority if he could do anything. Apparently the reason they haven't or can't go back has something to do with the USA Network and advertisement revenue. Raw would have to see a ridiculous drop in ratings I think for them to switch.

Yeah I feel like it was reported somewhere that Vince himself doesn't want three hour Raws either but if that's what the Network likes they're pretty much stuck.

[SlightlyJames]

I'd be down for 2 hour Smackdown PPVs, would let them take a simpler approach to the show and build fewer but more interesting matches rather than struggling to fill out the standard 3 hours. As far as Raw goes, it would be weird having the PPVs be shorter than the TV, plus they have significantly more roster depth especially with the cruiserweight division on the way.

[Hanley!]

The Takeover shows are almost always two and a half hours. They could do that for Smackdown for sure. A pay per view show that was only two hours long might feel a little weird by now. And doing it just for Smackdown and not Raw would maybe make Smackdown look second rate compared to Raw.

It is going to be hard for them to fill out 3 hours with only six matches, but not impossible. Though I imagine we're going to get a last minute addition anyway. In future, they'll have more time to build for their pay per views and should hopefully have a few more wrestlers over with the fans, and they should be able to advertise 7 matches for a pay per view. That would be enough to fill out 3 hours, with video packages and backstage segments, etc.

I kinda hope they do land on about 2 and a half hours though, cos the Takeover shows usually feel just long enough.

[Str8Shooter]

I'm already dreading the Titus O'Neil vs Darren Young match on a single branded Raw PPV.