Maybe they seek do to college hoops on Friday nights effective Nov 24
FOX loses WWE Programming
- Thread starter NYShoreGuy
- Start date
Interesting move for WWE as the FOX deal served SmackDown well (and vice versa).
On the occasional Friday when SD was moved from FOX to FS1, they lost about 2/3 of the typical viewing audience -- a combination of the difference between being on linear TV as opposed to cable/streaming and people pushed out of normal viewing habits/finding something else to watch.
The next shoe to drop is Monday Night Raw. My guess is it moves to either FOX or Disney -- the latter is already a broadcast partner of the WWE's new tag team partner UFC. Either way, I suspect RAW will replace SmackDown on linear broadcast TV.
On the occasional Friday when SD was moved from FOX to FS1, they lost about 2/3 of the typical viewing audience -- a combination of the difference between being on linear TV as opposed to cable/streaming and people pushed out of normal viewing habits/finding something else to watch.
The next shoe to drop is Monday Night Raw. My guess is it moves to either FOX or Disney -- the latter is already a broadcast partner of the WWE's new tag team partner UFC. Either way, I suspect RAW will replace SmackDown on linear broadcast TV.
WWE ‘SmackDown’ Leaving Fox for USA Next Year, as ‘Raw’ Hits the Market
In addition, the WWE will produce four primetime specials for the NBC broadcast network.
www.hollywoodreporter.com
WWE ‘SmackDown’ Leaving Fox for USA Next Year, as ‘Raw’ Hits the Market
In addition, the WWE will produce four primetime specials for the NBC broadcast network.BY ALEX WEPRIN
In a significant shakeup of pro wrestling programming, WWE SmackDown will leave Fox and jump to USA Network, beginning in October 2024. In addition, the WWE will produce four primetime specials per year, which will air in primetime on the NBC broadcast network.
SmackDown will debut on USA beginning in Oct. 2024, with the NBC specials beginning in the 2024-2025 broadcast season. The new TV deal is for five years.
The Friday night program currently airs on Fox, its TV home since 2019.
The news was announced Thursday morning by the WWE, which earlier this month merged with the UFC to form a new company called TKO Group Holdings.
NBCUniversal, which owns both USA and NBC, has been in business with the WWE for decades, with the wrestling promotion’s Monday Night Raw franchise debuting on USA in 1993. Raw still runs on USA, as does NXT, the WWE’s development program. NBCU’s Peacock is also the streaming home of WWE’s signature events, including Wrestlemania.
While the new deal will bring WWE to NBC primetime and SmackDown to USA on Friday nights, it will also mean the end of Raw and NXT on USA.
A source familiar with the Raw discussions tell The Hollywood Reporter that the market for the program is “extremely active,” with traditional linear networks, streaming services and “unexpected players” all interested.
Raw was the top scripted program on cable Monday nights this past TV season.
WWE roster cuts include former world champion Dolph Ziggler
A round of talent cuts hit some big names in WWE on Thursday.
nypost.com
WWE roster cuts include former world champion Dolph Ziggler
By Ryan GlasspiegelA round of talent cuts hit some big names in WWE on Thursday.
Among the biggest names was Dolph Ziggler, the 43-year-old wrestler who is a former two-time world heavyweight champion, six-time intercontinental champion and two-time tag-team champion.
Other wrestlers who have been released include Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Emma, Aliyah and the “Hit Row” team of Top Dolla and Ridick Moss.
Ziggler’s release and a number of the other cuts were first reported by the wrestling outlet Fightful.
A WWE spokesperson declined to comment on the cuts to The Post.
The releases come the week after WWE merged with UFC, to create a new company, TKO, which is both publicly traded and under the Endeavor umbrella.
Former WWE champion Dolph Ziggler was among the wrestlers released by the company Thursday
Getty Images
Elias carries a guitar during his NXT run in 2015.
Getty Images
There were also cuts in WWE back office roles last week.
A number of wrestlers confirmed their releases Thursday.
“From Drifting onto the scene.. To WrestleMania with John Cena & The Undertaker.. To Millions around the world for years Walking With Elias.. A #1 ITunes Album & To being my own younger brother (ZEKE) while traveling the world.. It’s been a blast. God is Good!” tweeted Elias, referencing a number of twists and turns of his character over the year.
Wrote Mustafa Ali: “I am no longer working with WWE. I look forward to the future. Thank you.”
He signed the tweet with his real first name, Adeel.
Emma, whose real name is Tenille Dashwood, tweeted Thursday morning that it was “a dream” that WWE was hosting its “Elimination Chamber” event in her native Australia next Feb. 24.
Tenille Dashwood, who performed in WWE as Emma, announced she was released on Thursday.
Instagram / Tenille Dashwood
Hours later, she tweeted: “Oops nevermind. I just got released… I am no longer with WWE.”
Thursday morning, WWE announced that “SmackDown” will be leaving Fox for USA Network next year.
“Raw” and the developmental “NXT” brand, which currently air on USA, are proverbial free agents in the live rights marketplace.
The Wall Street Journal reported that “SmackDown” rights on USA will total $1.4 billion, a 40 percent increase over WWE’s deal with Fox for the program.
From what I read, Fox is out of the WWE business. They were expecting minimum and consistent 4.0 viewership ratings and never got close to that. I think this is more the case of WWE retreating to USA rather than any kind of move out of strength.
Aav went up in this deal. Wouldn't a retreat mean another media property paying a less cost for product?
Yes, I've read FOX is bowing out, which is fine. They were paying north of $200 million a year and I'm sure they expected ratings commensurate with that outlay even if they were beating programming on the other networks. On the other hand, they will likely generate far less viewership in that time slot unless it's with sports programming (which of course is expensive).
I think going to Disney is very likely given the synergy with UFC. It would not shock me if WWE/TKO adds another partner beyond that.
And a dollar now is worth much less than a dollar five years ago. The point is that Fox is the one that walked away from this deal because it wasn't getting what it paid for, which is ratings that would justify the price point.
Looking at this a little deeper, if they were expecting a consistent 4.0 viewership rating, someone (or more likely several someones) should be fired.
For the weekend ending September 17 according to Nielsen, seven prime-time TV programs drew a 4.0 rating in its respective timeslot for the entire week. Five of them were NFL related -- either a game or a pre-show. The 10th rated show for the week (NBC's Football Night In America) did a 2.2.
Plain and simple, a 4 rating for normal weekly programming is increasingly rare.
For all TV (including streaming and cable across all dayparts) for the week ending September 19, Smackdown was the 34th rated show of the week. 16 of the shows ahead it were football related.
Again, FOX will likely save money on programming (if Hollywood ever gets going again) but they probably won't see the numbers they were doing in that time slot unless they are willing to dip into their sports inventory the way Disney is by airing Monday Night Football on ABC in addition to ESPN.
