10 Ways To Solve WWE's Ratings Crisis

WWE’s television ratings are firmly entrenched in the doldrums at the moment, and both Raw and SmackDown have seen better days While the 2016 Brand Split provided an initial boon to SD’s ratings, the show reverted to a figure close to its pre-Draft status this week, and Raw was just as miserable.

Raw drew just 2.7m television viewers this week, while SmackDown hit a miserly 2.3m. While many predicted SD would finally overtake its big red cousin this week, both show’s viewership figures fell well short of expectations, and the gap between the two only widened in Raw’s favour.

There are a number of reasons behind this, of course. The ratings fail to take into account the different ways in which fans are watching television in 2016, while Raw are currently contending with NFL Monday Night Football, and SmackDown went up against a number of high-profile season premieres this week.

Such explanations provide convenient excuses for WWE to pin their recent failings on, but while they definitely contribute, the blame lies mostly in the company’s own hands. Externalities are going to happen regardless, and there’s little WWE can do to control them, but when ratings hit a 19-year low back in June, it wasn’t entirely down to changing viewer habits and outside competition.

WWE must shoulder the blame for their declining viewership, but there are a number of things that can be done to recover their lost audience. Here are 10 ways to solve WWE Raw & SmackDown’s ratings crisis.

Raw’s three-hour show format has been a huge detriment to the brand since the official switch in July 2012. Dedicating yourself to watching three hours of wrestling every Monday night is a huge commitment, and an exhausting undertaking. It’s tough not to feel fatigued by the end of it, regardless of the quality, and Raw’s three-hour format has left WWE’s product oversaturated and diluted, and their fanbase weary.

Moreover, WWE don’t know how to fill a three-hour Raw without cramming each show with filler. It was bad before the Brand Split, and with the roster cut in half, it’s getting worse. Each show is rife with pointless in-ring talking segments, insignificant matches, and stories that only ever go round in circles. There isn’t enough talent to keep these overlong shows compelling on a regular basis, and if WWE are to recover the red brand’s ailing fortunes, they must scale back to two hours immediately.

It’s extremely unlikely that they’ll do so, as the extra hours increased ad revenue brings a lot of money in for the company, but it’d be a relatively easy move to make. All they need to do is cut the filler, and Raw will be a more streamlined and easily-digestible show. At this stage, WWE are asking far too much of their fans in expecting them to sit through Raw’s epic slog every single week. The format has scared countless fans away, but losing an hour might bring them back.