WWE Pay-Per-Views Balloon to Four Hours

When WWE consolidated its pay-per-view schedule to make each show co-, a significant cut was made to their premium content. So how do you make up for the snipping a handful of PPV's?

Easy, just make the other ones longer.

PWInsider reports that WWE reached out to its broadcasting partners to let them know that pay-per-view will be at 7 PM ET with their kickoff shows starting at 6 PM ET. By moving the start time up, this allows WWE to expand the runtime for each PPV to nearly four hours. Even more, foundational shows like SummerSlam will likely balloon to five hours.

This new decree is will be effective as of the June 17 Money in the Bank event.

Marathon PPV's have become a regular occurrence in today's WWE. With events like WrestleMania and the Greatest Royal Rumble easily eclipsing the six-hour mark, Vince McMahon and Co. will have no troubles filling a four-hour time slot.

While some fans may be ready to bemoan the concept of further inflated shows, this is actually a good thing—or at least is for the wrestlers.

When WWE hit backspace on 1/3 of its PPV's a lot of Superstars lost money and opportunity. However, with things getting elongated, there will be more room on each show for wrestlers to nab their spot. So while fans may turn their nose up a bloated PPV's they'd be inconsolable if their favorite star kept missing the cut for WWE's monthly extravaganzas.

As mentioned WWE's first officially crack at the four hour PPV will be next month's Money in the Bank. Here's the card so far:

- WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura:

- Raw Women's Championship: Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey:

- SmackDown Women's Championship: Carmella (c) vs. Asuka:

- Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal

- Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Braun Strowman vs. The Miz vs. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor vs. Rusev vs. Bobby Roode vs. New Day member vs. TBD

- Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Ember Moon vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. 3 TBD

Other Matches to Expect:

Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. TBD

US Championship: Jeff Hardy (c) vs. TBD

Sami Zayn vs. Bobby Lashley