THE WWE has announced a major network change for Friday Night SmackDown.
The organization revealed that SmackDown will be leaving FOX and heading for USA Network starting in October 2024.
WWEThe WWE has announced a major SmackDown TV network change which will affect all viewers from October 2024[/caption]
GettySmackDown will be leaving FOX[/caption]
In a statement released on Thursday, the WWE stated that they had reached an agreement with NBCUniversal on a five-year deal.
This will mark a return for SmackDown to the network it had called home from 2016 until 2019, as per Cleveland.com.
Not only will SmackDown be returning to USA Network, but once the 2024/25 season begins, four specials will be produced by the WWE to be aired in primetime on NBA.
WWE President Nick Khan said in the statement: “NBCUniversal has been a tremendous partner of WWE for decades.
“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.”
The relationship between the WWE and NBCUniversal is nothing new, as the USA Network already broadcasts NXT and Monday Night Raw, both of which are set to remain with the network through 2024.
The WWE Network is also broadcast exclusively by NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock.
In the statement, NBCUniversal chairman Frances Berwick said: “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.”
This announcement comes just over a week after the merger of the WWE and UFC was completed.
51-percent of the newly formed TKO group is now owned by Endeavor while WWE shareholders own the remaining 49-percent as per The Athletic.
Since the merger, a number of high-profile WWE stars have been let go including former Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler and former United States and Intercontinental champion, Shelton Benjamin.
However, one major star has made a comeback.
After an absence of six years, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson appeared in SmackDown on Friday, September 15, where he got into a feud with Austin Theory.
Johnson was later welcomed back by fellow WWE legend John Cena backstage, after which the two hugged it out.
GettyNBCUniversal also owns the rights for NXT and Monday Night Raw[/caption]