WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings and USA Network parent company NBCUniversal worked out a five-year media rights deal for WWE SmackDown to air on Friday nights late last year. Originally, it was said the deal would start in October, but the official start date has been moved up to September 13.
Earlier this week it was revealed in the TKO earnings report that WWE Monday Night Raw would remain on USA Network through the end of the year before it moves exclusively to Netflix to kick off that 10-year, $5 billion deal. The short-term arrangement was needed due to the current Raw contract ending in October. The 3-month agreement came with a discounted $25 million price tag.
In a release, NBCUniversal said, “Starting in September and through the end of 2024, USA Network will serve as the exclusive linear home of the WWE’s two tentpole franchises, “WWE Monday Night RAW” and “WWE SmackDown,” which returns to the network on Sept. 13 as part of a new multi-year partnership.”
WWE SmackDown previously aired on USA Network from January 2016 until October 2019 when it began airing on Fox.
