Fox Sports Executives Backstage At Smackdown Live

Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch is reporting, that a number of FOX Sports executives, including FOX Sports President Eric Shanks, FOX Sports Producer Jacobs Ullman and even Colin Cowherd, who has always knocked professional wrestling fans (but also admits he grew up watching Don Owens’ Pacific Northwest promotion) were all at last night’s Smackdown Live taping at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

WWE is looking to secure a new TV deal before quarter 3 of this year. While WWE continues to map out future plans and work on securing its next major partnership with a broadcaster, FOX has been speculated as one of those in the race for WWE’s rights.

FOX has been attempting to negotiate a new deal with UFC, however at this time UFC has requested more than Fox will pay.  It should also be noted that UFC owner IMG, represents WWE, so it’s not out of the question that they could offer a package deal for both entities to FOX or another broadcaster.

FOX Sports has aired wrestling in past, with TNA’s Impact Wrestling series when it was initially a one hour broadcast in the early 2000s, but that was believed to have been a “pay for play” deal at the time.  Obviously, any relationship between WWE and FOX would be a far more lucrative and top-flight deal, especially as the FOX is poised to sell much of its television and film assets to Disney, a move that will leave FOX flush with lots of money to potentially spend on sports properties, something it has been said FOX is eyeing greatly forward.

My Thoughts:

If you have followed me for any length of time on Twitter, then you know I love this side of the business. I find it extremely relatable to jobs in the past (on a smaller scale) and interesting. While many will say this is Fox trying to replace UFC due to them wanting to much, I see it as something else. Fox is going all in on sports and live events because that’s where money is on television today. Raw and Smackdown Live along with their entertainment shows (Total Bellas and Total Divas) provides more viewers than UFC on itss own does. I believe Fox is attempting to double down and grab both UFC and WWE. This would allow Fox to become a one stop shop for combat sports and sports entertainment. Keep an eye on this as I believe Fox is a real player however don’t sleep on the relationship between Vince and NBCU Universal. While change is always fun to discuss, very rarely does a company allow it’s best Cable shows leave. This is a business move by WWE and was leaked so NBC Universal knows they were there.

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