WWE News: WWE Officially Announces SmackDown Live’s Move To FOX

After last month’s huge news that WWE had come reached an agreement to bring SmackDown Live to FOX beginning in 2019 (you can find that here), there has been very little talk since with most waiting for the official announcement from either side. The deal, reportedly worth over $1 billion would see the blue brand move back to network television, where it premiered back in 1999 on UPN. The program would remain on network television until 2010 when it was shifted to SyFy, part of the NBC Universal family.

While the details on WWE’s deal with FOX have still yet to be confirmed, below is WWE’s official announcement:

NEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn., June 26, 2018 – For the first time, every Friday night beginning October 4, 2019, FOX broadcast network will air WWE’s flagship program SmackDown LIVE as part of a new five-year agreement with FOX Sports. The weekly, two-hour live event will air 52 weeks a year and captivate fans with a unique combination of edge-of-your-seat action, unpredictable drama and world-class athleticism.  

“At FOX we are thrilled to welcome WWE to the FOX Sports family and bring SmackDown LIVE to broadcast television,” said Eric Shanks, President, COO and Executive Producer FOX Sports. “We are huge fans and know that together FOX Sports will be the leader in live events for the foreseeable future.”  

“WWE and FOX are a perfect match,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “Moving SmackDown LIVE to broadcast TV and having the ability to leverage FOX’s extensive portfolio of world-class sporting events will expand the reach of our flagship programming.”

SmackDown LIVE is a consistent winner on television, currently averaging 1 1.3M P18-49, 1.3M P25-54 and 3M total viewers P2+.

On air for almost 20 years and nearly 1,000 episodes, SmackDown LIVE is the second-longest running weekly episodic cable television show in U.S. primetime history, only behind Monday Night Raw. SmackDown Live is currently among the most-watched, regularly scheduled programs on primetime cable and delivers more viewers in primetime than any cable network in the U.S. (2.9 million average viewers). 

SmackDown LIVE has also helped launch the careers of pop-culture icons including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, Undertaker, Triple H, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Bella Twins.

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