WWE: Wade Keller: Low Raw ratings are a bad thing. They count.

[GKJ]

USA is bringing Smackdown into their mix. They're obviously not that concerned with sinking ratings.

 

[Emperoreddy]

USA is bringing Smackdown into their mix. They're obviously not that concerned with sinking ratings.

They are owned by the same parent company so Smackdown falls under the same contract.

I believe the thought process is having both on the same channel could help both shows.

 

[GKJ]

They are owned by the same parent company so Smackdown falls under the same contract.

I believe the thought process is having both on the same channel could help both shows.

They could have not done that though. With Raw's sinking ratings, moving that to SyFy, or wherever, would have definitely made sense for them. I'm sure the contract ties them to USA though.

 

[Reality Check]

USA is bringing Smackdown into their mix. They're obviously not that concerned with sinking ratings.

Yep.

The only reason Raw is three hours of because USA wanted it. The television and toy contract(s) are what run WWE these days.

Ratings obviously matter. But things will have to become much worse for anything to drastically change.

Mind you, USA is the same network that still tape delayed Raw during the Austin/Attitude era for the Dog Show. Once WWE came back from TNN, that has never happened again to my knowledge.