Should Smackdown move back to Thursdays?

[Prodigy]

You've had a hard week and work, all you want to do is go out to the clubs and pubs and get smashed......not watch WWE Smackdown.

You see a big problem looking at Smackdown in it's current state is the shows scheduling.....you've obviously got the stupid storylines and main event scenes putting people off, and added to the fact that people want to do other stuff on Fridays they aren't exactly going to find time for WWE when it's so off putting are they?

I mean the numbers speak for themselves. In 2005 when Smackdown was on Thursdays the show was reaching a peak of 3.6 rating and even earlier than that it was peaking at 5.0, yes that's right 5.0. Now in 2011 the show is reaching lows of 1.69, how poor?

Don't you think on Thursday SD! would perform much better. Fans are doing much less and even if they're not a huge fan of the product, it's more more conviniant to tune in....

Discuss.

 

[Deezy]

It's not just being on Friday, it's the combination of alienating the hardcore wrestling fans who watch Smackdown because it's the wrestling show. There isn't a major focus put into the show. The ratings were better when Trips was on it and there was actual focus put on the show.

The show boasts the better wrestlers on the show, and they are not given solid time to work, if they were given 20 minutes for matches the ratings will pick up. Contrary to what WWE thinks, people watch their shows to watch actual wrestling matches.

 

[SpectreVLV]

Well the 5.0 rating was probably the beginning of Smackdown and its first few years. The 3.6 was also the early times I guess, maybe still the traces of the Post-Attitude Era.

Going from Friday is a good idea in my opinion; if goes to Thursday, this time, it means that WWE is almost openly beginning to compete with TNA for ratings. The effects of that are unknown because it is Smackdown and not RAW. TNA and Smackdown would overlap by 1 hour, and it's possible that Smackdown would lose some viewers in the second hour every week (or it can be vise versa).

 

[Lucky]

I'd like to see a couple of changes happen.

Moving the show to Thursdays would be fine, and it would make sense. As you've noted, Friday's are a bad night for something to be on television, as it's the beginning of the weekend and data shows people want to actually do stuff on the weekend. I've always questioned the move. As someone who DVR's it on a weekly basis though, I wouldn't care either way. But the fact of the matter is I DVR it because I usually have better things to do. I watch it on my time.

No one wants to sit around devoting their Friday night to Smackdown. Okay, some do, I'm just with the majority that doesn't.

I'd like to see Smackdown move to being live instead of changing nights. I think THAT would help out with ratings a little bit too. Who cares if you missed Smackdown on Friday? You can always read the spoilers of what happens three days before the show even airs!

I think thats what kills a lot of it. But that's simply not going to happen anytime in the near future.

 

[SpectreVLV]

Technically, Smackdown can go live because it has a completely different schedule than RAW. The brands are usually completely separated, unless they come together for World Tours or SuperShows.

 

[Deezy]

It's just cheaper to pre-tape shows, having both shows go live just adds to costs. Plus the fact that certain channels are only alotted only so much live air time. Because I guess being live is terrible, because parents don't know how to explain things to children in case they see something or hear something "bad".

I didn't think about Impact, and quite frankly, if WWE went to Thursday that would be it for TNA. They wouldn't split the audience like Thunder and Smackdown did in 99. It would be like competing against Thunder circa 2000.

 

[Troy]

Thursdays would be much better for Smackdown. I remember when they were first moved to Fridays, I think by UPN, due to Everybody Hates Chris being shown on Thursdays and WWE weren't happy at all about that move. If Smackdown was booked as an equal to RAW then that would help the ratings as well, now Smackdown is clear number two when it should be in WWE's best interest to have both brands as strong as each other.

I don't know why they haven't made that move back since it should garner them greater ratings. I can't ever see them going live with both RAW and Smackdown since it would simply cost them too much. It also seems like Sci-Fi just isn't working out as well as it could. Yes they have occasionally had ratings above 2.0 but some things need to change with that, maybe they need to be promoted more on RAW like Smackdown always shows video from RAW.

 

[Purple PuNk]

Most "live" programming has a tape delay ever since the Super Bowl Janet Jackson thing. Ergo if something "bad" happens it can be edited. That is why most of the Rock's promos were censored.

Also Thursday would be good, but given how SMACKDOWN is grounded on Sci-Fi it does not help too much. Extra ten bucks to watch one show? No thanks.

 

[Troy]

Most "live" programming has a tape delay ever since the Super Bowl Janet Jackson thing. Ergo if something "bad" happens it can be edited. That is why most of the Rock's promos were censored.

Also Thursday would be good, but given how SMACKDOWN is grounded on Sci-Fi it does not help too much. Extra ten bucks to watch one show? No thanks.

I didn't realise that getting that channel package cost an extra ten bucks. It is good that they are under the same NBC umbrella as RAW but maybe they need to find a stronger rating channel.

What other alternatives are out there for Smackdown if they changed channels after this contract with SciFi finished?

 

[Deezy]

Can't see why Smackdown doesn't just move to NBC on either Fridays or Thursdays, would definitely boost their numbers simply off that. Also NBC gets original programming for their line up and since Smackdown is already an established show, would do solid for a channel that is lagging behind the other big channels.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Thursday would be a major improvement and I actually would watch it live. They should seriously consider it, but I doubt it happens. It's about the ten year old's not us.

 

[Purple PuNk]

Thursdays is NBC Comedy lineup, so I would see that as a no. Fridays is plausible.
NBC would be good, Versus (Hahaha), MtV, USA, hell maybe even G4. If they moved to G4 though they would be in he same predicament.

 

[Deezy]

Forgot about the thursday line up. Friday on NBC would work well for both NBC and WWE.

 

[The_RB_Brand]

Smackdown should be on USA network on Tue. so what it cost a pretty penny...at lease you know that if Vince spends a pretty penny he will make sure the product is worth the rise in cost.

 

[Troy]

Forgot about the thursday line up. Friday on NBC would work well for both NBC and WWE.

Would they really have a chance at getting on NBC? I would have thought that if any brand was to get on NBC it would be RAW since it is the "bigger" show. The ratings for Smackdown on NBC on fridays would be really interesting because realistically the ratings should increase by a lot due to the increased exposure.