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Posted in: Fox, Sports, TV, USA Network, WWE | Tagged: fox, Smackdown, USA Network, wwe
WWE SmackDown Heading to USA Network Earlier Than Expected
It looks like WWE SmackDown will be making the move from FOX to USA Network a bit earlier than expected - September 13th, to be exact.
By the time the dust settled on Thursday, we knew where all of the WWE's main programming would be ending up by the end of the year and into 2025. We have WWE NXT moving to CW in October of this year, and we have WWE Raw remaining on USA Network through 2024 (with a deal that TKO says it is receiving $25 million for over the course of the deal's three-month run) before moving to Netflix in 2025. That left WWE SmackDown, making the move from FOX to USA Network in October – or so we thought. Just to be clear, WWE SmackDown is still moving to USA Network – it's just that the show is moving a bit earlier than expected (September 13th, to be precise). In addition, the deal includes four annual specials earmarked for NBC – with each set to air during the network's primetime schedule.
"NBCUniversal has been a tremendous partner of WWE for decades," WWE President Nick Khan said in a released statement. "We are excited to extend this longstanding relationship by bringing 'SmackDown' to USA Network on Friday nights and look forward to debuting multiple WWE special events annually on NBC." NBCUniversal Entertainment Chairman Frances Berwick added, "It's a privilege and thrill to continue NBCU's decades-long partnership with WWE, which has helped cement USA Network's consistent position as the top-rated cable entertainment network in live viewership. With Friday nights on USA, primetime specials on NBC, and the WWE hub on Peacock, we'll continue to use the power of our portfolio to super-serve this passionate fanbase."
"TKO is off to a strong start in 2024 with multiple record-setting live events, new brand partnerships, and media rights deals for WWE Raw," shared TKO CEO Ari Emanuel in a released statement on Wednesday regarding recent moves. "With our momentum in the first quarter and solid financial results, we have raised our full-year 2024 guidance. We also reached an agreement to settle all claims asserted in both UFC antitrust lawsuits. These positive developments, along with the strength in our underlying businesses, give us more conviction than ever in the combination of UFC & WWE and in TKO's ability to deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders."
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