Now that the WWE/Endeavor merger has been completed, the new focus for WWE becomes finalizing a new media rights deal.
While it appears that USA Network will continue to be the home of WWE’s flagship program Monday Night Raw and NXT, FOX doesn’t look like it will retain the rights to SmackDown on Friday nights.
Pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer said on his podcast Wrestling Observer Radio that the asking price for SmackDown is going to be too much for FOX.
“There’s a feeling that FOX is not going to go for the $300 [million], which is what WWE is trying to get out of Smackdown or more, and that Disney and Amazon are probably the two companies most in contention for it,” Meltzer said. “And if it’s Disney, (it could be) ABC or probably FX.”
If Disney ends up being the winner for SmackDown rights, Meltzer believes that the house of mouse could look to have SmackDown air on a different night as well.
“Perhaps there’s another night that ABC would want them or perhaps they want them to boost FOX, which they will boost greatly because it’s the number one show on a weekly basis when it comes to cable, on a year-round basis, 52 weeks a year,” Meltzer said. “It’s not always number one and obviously football is always going to beat it. But Smackdown will be a steady performer week in and week out.”
