WWE and NBCUniversal have agreed on an impressive new deal that will see WWE Smackdown Live return to the USA Network, as part of a more than 1.4 billion dollar deal between the two entities.
The full details of the new deal are still under wraps, but it is reported that Smackdown will now air on Friday evenings beginning in October, with its broadcasting taking place on the USA Network through the 2023 season. This deal is a nine-figure multi-year contract, noted to be the most lucrative rights agreement in the history of the franchise.
The current WWE Smackdown agreement with the Fox Network and Fox Sports will come to a close in September after two decades of broadcasting relationship. The show’s move back to its original home, the USA Network, marks the show’s return to NBCUniversal, which first began airing wrestling programming on the USA Network back in 2001.
The deal gives NBCUniversal exclusive rights to the show, including the ability to stream Smackdown Live on the NBCU streaming service, Peacock, as well as across other NBCU networks, including SyFy. NBCU also has the option to broadcast the show on the NBC broadcast network, although that option will require a substantial payment from NBCU.
WWE smarkdown Live has been consistently gaining viewership for many years, reaching an average of 2.5 million viewers for its past year. With NBCU bringing Smackdown Live onto its highly sought after networks, the viewership is anticipated to move even higher.
The shift of Smackdown Live returning home to NBCUniversal suggests that WWE will be looking to explore other opportunities to expand its long-running programming on the USA Network. For NBCUniversal, the deal opens up a variety of possibilities for cross-promotions, with its other entertainment channels, as well as an exciting new roster of wrestling content that is sure to be a hit with a wide range of viewers.
