Smackdown moving back to Thursday nights?

[MattRhys20]

So, there's a picturte going around (which can be seen here - http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/499403-photo-is-wwe-smackdown-moving-back-to-thursday-nights ), and the rumours are going to start that Smackdown will be moving back to Thursday nights.

What do you make of this?

Is it to go up against TNA? Merely to change the ratings (people tend to stay in on Thursdays, so more viewers)? Just to 'shake things up a bit'?

Discuss

 

[Reflection]

TNA is on a roll lately. If Smackdown indeed comes to Thursday, it could mean one of the two things:

They ruin TNA's momentum totally; they take the audience away which TNA had the potential to attract with their recent surge in product quality. Smackdown could also steal some of TNA's resident audience away. They might drive TNA out of the Thursday spot into some other day, and that would be another boost of ego for the McMahons and embarrassment for Dixie.

They stab their own foot with the axe. There are marks, there are sheeps, and there are people that haven't heard about TNA... but there are also people (and a large number of them) who will watch the better product out of the two. And it is this demographic that will matter in the long run. It always does. If TNA has learnt from their infinite mistakes, and doesn't fuck things up yet again, they could give WWE a run for their money... maybe even to the extent that they bow out and move back to Fridays- something that would be a huge triumph.

 

[rbv13]

I could see this helping Impact Wrestling. The E Universe jumps the Thursdays and while flipping stations they see something different. Maybe they stick around for a few segments and the TNA product grows on them a bit. Impact is MUCH better than SD! and this could be a time to show it.

 

[MattRhys20]

Something else has just occurred. Whilst it's not a major issue, I assume that NXT will now have to move to a different night

 

[PeterSellersSTL]

It's not hard to move NXT, its their network. They'll probably move it to Tuesdays after Main Event. Hopefully knowing NXT with all the talent that they seem to have coming in there will force those appearing on Main Event to step their game up. Even having some NXT talent do a soft debut on Main Event would be cool to see occasionally. You could build some synergy between the shows.

I'm pretty happy to hear Smackdown might move back to thursdays. Now just trim RAW back down to 2 hours please.

 

[OddManRush]

I'd actually make an effort to watch Smackdown if it returned to Thursday. I am simply not home on Friday nights and have no desire to watch it on replay or anything.

Three things could make Smackdown better.

1. Go back to Thursday.

2. Stop making it such a B-Show. Use the two hours to actually advance storylines from Monday night like they used to. The one time I did catch Smackdown this year, the main event was between two midcarders.

3. Consider going live. If not that, at least once in awhile.

 

[No Count Pup]

A recorded Smackdown vs. NFL Thursday Night Football? Yikes. Smackdown would probably have to go live. It would also need to become either its own brand or a true follow-up show to Raw. It won't succeed in its current form against the NFL head to head.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Is it to go up against TNA?

The thought occurs that if Smackdown is making this move in (or near) the time TNA's Spike contract runs out, perhaps they aren't thinking of knocking out the smaller company at all.....figuring it will be gone by then, anyway. Could it be WWE knows something we don't?

At any rate, I think it's a good idea. Friday is the weekend and I think far more people will tune in on Thursday night, myself included.

 

[MattRhys20]

A recorded Smackdown vs. NFL Thursday Night Football? Yikes. Smackdown would probably have to go live. It would also need to become either its own brand or a true follow-up show to Raw. It won't succeed in its current form against the NFL head to head.

They'd only be dealing with NFL for 14 weeks out of the year. That still leaves 38 weeks when they'd be on their own

 

[4realpeoples]

SmackDown moving to Thursday could be something that's helpful for the WWE. The amount of people staying home on a Thursday night is higher than the amount of people staying in on a Friday night. If I had cable and didn't rely on Netflix/Hulu/WWE Network for my entertainment then I would tune in to watch SmackDown. I just wish it was actually used to advance storylines and treated like it was an important part of their programming. I feel at this point that they put more focus on Main Event than they do for SmackDown. I can't help but think that the end of the Brand Extension has drastically reduced the value of SmackDown. Hopefully increasing the quality of SmackDown makes it more watchable for a Thursday program.

As for NXT and Superstars airing on Thursday right now, they could easily move those shows to Wednesday. That would mean WWE runs their shows Monday-Thursday and the weekends are off for everyone to enjoy. If it's PPV weekend then come in early to watch it. Moving NXT and Superstars is not exactly a problem for WWE.

 

[No Count Pup]

They'd only be dealing with NFL for 14 weeks out of the year. That still leaves 38 weeks when they'd be on their own

True. Even so, CBS will have a strong line-up with the Big Bang Theory and the Millers after the Super Bowl. Competition is fierce on Thursday nights.

Its hard to know if Smackdown's ratings will rise. Personally, I prefer wrestling on Thursday nights. I just don't see how WWE benefits. I question if it's a WWE decision or an NBC Universal decision.

To go from the #1 show in the key cable demos on Friday nights to who knows what on Thursday nights is not without risk.

I also question the wisdom of moving to a more competitive night when the show may not have a regularly appearing world champion. Lesnar could become champion until as long as April.

The old schoolers will say you don't need a regularly appearing world champion. I say that's naive thinking. This isn't 1988. World champions are the main characters, and to be chronically absent for a Thursday night show could be damaging.

 

[we the pee pole]

Thursday Night Smackdown is perfect for me. Ill have something to watch before Party Down South

 

[THTRobtaylor]

Thursdays is the natural time for Smackdown, Fridays were never going to work for a live audience but DVR ratings have saved the show.

This is likely part of a raft of measures, irony is only 6 months ago there was talk of the show going live again. That's not likely right now with the costs but if it's moved to Monday as rumored on a "Supershow" taped basis then Friday is simply a day too far when spoilers etc are out there. The 3 day window they currently have is barely adequate but who really wants to make an effort to watch something they know how it ends 4 days prior? They won't... so moving it back makes sense if they are gonna try this insane taping idea. Most worrying part really is that "filler" has crept into the shows in the last few weeks. They really can't fill the time right now, not cos of the lack of talent but cos the writing is clearly not keeping up.

To be honest I can see RAW going back to 2 hours, but this basically proves that the great "experiment" of Hollywood writers etc failed... if WWE is going to go down to 5 hours of main shows a week then they have to go back to using wrestling writers to fill them.. the time will become too precious.

On a positive side, this could mean something for NXT... If SyFy still wants wrestling on a Friday then we may see NXT on SyFy on the Friday night after it's aired on the Network. That can only be a good thing for the talent there.

Or of course... if we want to go REALLY outlandish... perhaps they might be clearing Friday for another slot... maybe a WCW revival type show... I mean if TNA DOES go, it makes a lot of sense to buy it, rebrand and use this interest they are currently building with Sting etc... even if it's not... if they're ever gonna try to use WCW as an IP now is gonna be the only time it'll ever work.

 

[Pedigree1]

It very could mean wwe does know something we don't. I think moving back to Thursdays, is a smart move,given how much TNA is in trouble as rumored. This could very well be the death nail for TNA.

People party on the weekends, so moving to Thursday will bring more eyes to the TV set. TNA contact runs out I believe in October, so if the wwe is smart they wait until then.

 

[lil steroid meat]

I'm all for this move. It can possibly increase the quality of both Impact and Smackdown and ratings will be higher since less people are out on Thursdays than Fridays.

I think it's a great move and I hope it goes down in the near future.

Low-risk competition for WWE to improve product quality and a chance for TNA to repair their tarnished brand image if they manage to get higher ratings or force Smackdown back to Fridays.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I read about this earlier in the week and while WWE & Syfy are currently talking about shifting it to Thursdays, I have a feeling it'll happen if WWE really wants it to. SmackDown! will have been on Syfy 4 years October 3rd and, to my knowledge, the only show to draw more viewers for Syfy than the blue brand in all that time was the Sharknado sequel that aired late last month. That gives WWE leverage that can't be discounted or brushed off.

I dunno if anyone else has mentioned this, haven't read through all the responses yet due to time, but this does raise some potential issues. If it moves, SD! will probably be going up against Impact Wrestling if TNA & Spike can come to terms on a new TV deal. I know that some people will be all "Yeah!!! Thursday Night Wars!!!!" even though the days in which TNA had the remotest chance of waging a ratings war against WWE have been gone for more than four years now. A much more substantial threat would come in the way of football making its return to Thursday nights come the fall-winter seasons. Since NXT also airs on Thursday nights, WWE could always simply move it to another night. One of the benefits of owning & operating your own network is rearranging programming schedules to your choosing.

Personally, and I might be wrong on this, but I think it'd be a good opportunity for them to take the show live. All in all, there've been few programs throughout the year that've challenged SD! on Fridays when it comes to the combination of overall viewers and key male demographics. Some that have include some baseball or basketball playoff games and a few reality shows on Discovery Channel. On Thursdays, WWE will not only have to contend with football but with huge network draws like The Big Bang Theory & Two and a Half Men. There's no way SD! will put a dent in The Big Bang Theory, though interest is definitely down in 2.5 Men compared to recent years, but not remotely enough for SD! to pose a threat. Going live might be something that can ultimately help cushion SD! and prevent being obliterated by the ratings giants on Thursdays this fall.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Not really a fan of this. We already have NXT on thursdays so would it move as well? Two shows on the same day might be overkill.... Plus there is the argument of tradition. There has been a WWE show on friday nights for so many years, not having Smackdown be "Friday Night Smackdown" anymore would feel quite odd. It would take getting used to. I'll watch Smackdown no matter what day it is on though. I'd personally prefer it remains on fridays. However, if they did make this change and it benefits the wrestlers or the federation then maybe we as the fans should give it a chance. The only real problem with that is I just do not see what moving to thursdays would really change unless the show goes live. Speaking of that.... Jack-Hammer made a great point. Those who want a live Smackdown could potentially get that with this, if WWE wanted to go that route. A live Smackdown on thursdays would be better than a live Smackdown on fridays. That way they do not have to give up fridays and potentially be able to still spend them with family or friends if the plan indeed is to make Smackdown go live. They would still have to change up their taping schedules from tuesdays to thursdays though and that could be a pain.

 

[Terry Gyimah]

If Smackdown moves over to Thursday nights like how they used to have Smackdown on Thursdays back in the day then it actually is a great business move but then that means they would still be taping on Tuesdays no? Either way if Smackdown moves over to Thursday nights with Impact Wrestling also on Thursdays, you could have a Thursday Night Wars imagine? But from what I hear anyway isn't Impact Wrestling moving over to Wednesday nights now?

 

[WBL]

I'm not concerned either way. I usually only watch Raw.

But I do think it's kind of sad, concerning poor TNA... remember several years ago, I believe it was, when Dixie Carter had the chutzpah to move TNA to Monday nights... right in the middle of Wrestlemania season?

Now there's a mere rumor of SmackDown going to Thursdays, and TNA is immediately shifting their timeslot.

If that's not a troubling sign, I don't know what is.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It's official. SmackDown! will be moving to Thursday nights on Syfy beginning October 2nd. Over the weekend, Syfy released its updated TV schedule for the upcoming fall season and SmackDown! will air from 8 to 10 pm on Thursday nights followed by the original series "Haven."

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Personally, I think it is a great decision all around. Many people are out on friday nights and don't really feel like staying in and watching wrestling. Well we might but the target audience might have better things to do. Smackdown was home to thursdays back in the day and it worked out fine. I am not sure about the consensus of it going live though. Smackdown for the past few years has mainly just been about the angles that didn't get a chance to flourish on Raw, or just the ones that aren't as important as the ones that get the big coverage on Raw.

Plus it would mean far more work than right now for all of WWE to put on a show worthy of being live rather than taped.