NBC Universal To Re-Sign RAW, SmackDown LIVE Not Renewed – Will Go To Open Bidding
It looks like one of WWE’s weekly episodic television programs will be moving to a new network.
Matthew Belloni of The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that NBC Universal will not re-sign SmackDown LIVE and will let the weekly program go up for open bidding. The report also added that NBCU will be retaining RAW, however the deal is so big, said to be three times the current value of the program, that they decided to not re-sign both of WWE’s weekly TV programs.
You can see Belloni’s tweet embedded below:
Interesting tidbit among all the TV news today: NBCU is letting WWE SMACKDOWN go to open bidding. They're keeping RAW but the deal is so big (3x current value, I'm told) that they're not re-signing both. Big sports opportunity for another network.
— Matthew Belloni (@THRMattBelloni) May 16, 2018
We had previously been reported back in February of this year, that FOX had expressed interest in SmackDown LIVE. A number of FOX Sports Executives and Personalities had even attended the February 27th episode of SmackDown LIVE in Los Angeles, California. Fox Sports president Eric Shanks, Fox Sports talent producer Jacob Ullman and Fox Sports Radio & TV Personality Colin Cowherd were in attendance.
We will keep you updated when more information regarding a potential future home for SmackDown LIVE becomes available.
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