WWE Raw broadcasts are set to be shorter than what fans were used to for the foreseeable future.
Although fans were happy with the 2-hour format of the red brand for the final 3 months of the year, many expected to see the show extended once again in 2025 when the Netflix era began. Additionally, with there being no strict time restrictions on the streaming platform, there was concern that marathon episodes of Raw could become the norm along with 3-hour SmackDowns each week.
The Raw on Netflix premiere was originally 3 hours and 3 minutes long, which was later shortened to 2 hours and 20 minutes for the on-demand broadcast. The second episode, which was viewed as a more traditional iteration of the show as opposed to the star-studded premiere, was a much more concise 2 hours and 35 minutes in length. According to a new report, this will be the case for most shows moving forward.
As reported by Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 2 and a half hours is the “sweet spot” that Triple H is looking for:
“From what we’ve been told, right now (and this can and has changed over time), Paul Levesque is looking at two and a half hours as the “sweet spot” as far as the time of the show.”
More International WWE Premium Live Events On The Way
While Netflix subscribers in the United States will get to watch Raw as part of their subscriptions, international fans also have SmackDown, NXT and Premium Live Events included as part of the deal. When discussing Premium Live Events set for 2025, WWE President Nick Khan confirmed that 2 shows will take place in European countries.