Why FOX Decided To Pull The Plug On WWE SmackDown

WWE fans were a bit shocked to discover that FOX is losing SmackDown in 2024. The blue brand will move to the USA Network, which also puts a lot of questions out there about RAW and NXT’s future. Although we are still waiting to hear about the red brand and WWE’s Tuesday show, we know what went wrong with FOX.

FOX’s partnership with WWE is set to conclude, and the reason behind this separation lies in the inability to meet the anticipated advertising targets. WWE SmackDown is preparing to exit FOX in the upcoming year, marking the end of a four-year collaboration initiated in 2019. Signs of a strained relationship had been noticeable for some time, as SmackDown’s absence from a 2024 schedule promotion earlier this year hinted at underlying issues.

During the Q1 2024 FOX Earnings Conference Call, Lachlan Murdoch, FOX’s CEO and the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, elaborated on the factors contributing to SmackDown’s departure from the network. While SmackDown may have fallen short of FOX’s advertising expectations, its ad space remained highly valuable. Recent reports disclosed an increase in the cost of advertising during SmackDown broadcasts, contrasting with a significant decline in ad space value for other shows.

“We were not hitting the advertising numbers due to the audience of the WWE to make…to return for our return on investment to be above the levels that we would accept. But also, we didn’t attribute enough significant retransmission revenue to the WWE either.”

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As SmackDown transitions away from FOX, it will make its return to the USA Network, where it resided from 2016 to 2019. This move comes as part of a substantial $1.4 billion deal with NBCUniversal, which includes the introduction of quarterly primetime specials on NBC. WWE CEO Nick Khan expressed his enthusiasm for this new collaboration, highlighting NBCUniversal’s long-standing partnership with WWE over the years. Meanwhile, the USA Network continues to be the home of WWE NXT and WWE Monday Night Raw.

We will have to see how this pans out, because you never know what can happen in the complicated world of television rights deals. Keep checking back with Ringside News for more on this, and many other stories.

What’s your take on WWE SmackDown leaving FOX? Do you think this is the right move for everyone involved? Let us know what you think in the comments section!