The WWE TV contracts are set to expire in over a year and there is speculation that NBC could be interested in airing Smackdown. Since October 2019, FOX has been the home of WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown program, which has become the most-watched weekly pro wrestling show over the past four years. The five-year deal that FOX agreed to in 2018 will pay WWE over $1 billion to air Smackdown until October 2024.
The move to FOX was massive for WWE because they were on smaller networks previously with Smackdown as well as cable channels, but FOX is one of the big four TV networks along with NBC, ABC and CBS.
When WWE made it known that they were for sale, there was a lot of speculation that a company that owns multiple TV networks would purchase the company. However, it was Endeavor who ended up acquiring WWE for about $9 billion and are combining it with the UFC for a massive $21 billion deal.
Billi Bhatti has now reported that “Fox already been told they have virtually no chance of re-securing Friday Night SmackDown.” He reported that “The steaming platforms are making insane offers for live sports content. Yes, this qualifies.”
He further added that: “I’ll say more on my podcast with Brad Shepard this week, but the #WWE under Endeavour now have a looser attitude towards blood. Turns out, the WWE will be pitched and sold as live sports content to appeal more to streaming sites who are desperate for anything live, and will be looking for more MA advertising, as opposed to food and candy bars— which are lower ended family products. The next evolution of marketing will involve selling UFC/WWE as live sports content and ignoring the predetermined aspect of WWE, which was previously crucial to emphasise for tax breaks, but they don’t need to highlight that aspect as a United company that is publicly trading.”
Fox already been told they have virtually no chance of re-securing it. The steaming platforms are making insane offers for live sports content. Yes, this qualifies. https://t.co/81hwNDVaYm
— LockBetting.Com (@LockBettingCom) May 7, 2023
I’ll say more on my podcast with Brad Shepard this week, but the #WWE under Endeavour now have a looser attitude towards blood. Turns out, the WWE will be pitched and sold as live sports content to appeal more to streaming sites who are desperate for anything live, and will be…
— LockBetting.Com (@LockBettingCom) May 7, 2023
