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| Game-Changing WWE Television Deal: SmackDown's Move to USA Network and NBC Primetime Specials Announced |
In a significant shift within the world of professional wrestling entertainment, WWE SmackDown is set to undergo a major transition, moving from its current home on Fox to the USA Network, with this change slated to take effect starting in October 2024. Additionally, WWE has inked a deal to produce four primetime special events annually, which will be broadcast on the NBC network.
The eagerly anticipated shift will see SmackDown making its debut on the USA Network in October 2024, coinciding with the commencement of the 2024-2025 broadcast season. This landmark television agreement spans a duration of five years, signaling a new era for the franchise.
Historically, the Friday night wrestling program has found its televised home on Fox since 2019. However, the latest development was officially revealed by WWE itself on a Thursday morning.
It's important to note that WWE recently underwent a merger with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), giving rise to a new entity known as TKO Group Holdings. This merger has reshaped the landscape of combat sports entertainment, setting the stage for groundbreaking changes.
Notably, NBCUniversal, the parent company of both USA Network and NBC, has a longstanding partnership with WWE, stretching back several decades. WWE's Monday Night Raw franchise, for example, originally made its debut on USA Network in 1993 and continues to air there today. Likewise, the WWE's development program, NXT, has also found a home on USA Network. Furthermore, WWE's iconic events, including Wrestlemania, are exclusively available for streaming on NBCUniversal's Peacock platform.
However, this monumental new agreement will not only usher in WWE programming to NBC primetime and SmackDown to Friday nights on USA but also signal the end of Raw and NXT's tenure on USA Network.
Sources close to the discussions regarding Raw's future have indicated an exceptionally active market, with interest stemming from traditional linear networks, streaming services, and even unexpected industry players. Raw had held the distinction of being the top-rated scripted program on cable Monday nights during the previous TV season, further fueling the high stakes surrounding its future broadcasting rights.
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