Reason Why WWE SmackDown Is Leaving FOX

WWE SmackDown is making its highly anticipated return to the USA Network on September 13, sparking a lot of discussion about how the move may impact the presentation of the blue brand. The USA Network is going all out to promote their exclusive coverage of WWE programming in America. However, behind the scenes, there’s more to this move than just promotional strategies.

Billi Bhatti, speaking on his Dirty Sheets podcast via Patreon, shed light on the real reason behind WWE’s departure from FOX. According to Bhatti, the network struggled financially during their five-year deal with WWE, primarily because they couldn’t sell enough advertising to recover their investment.

While WWE publicly praised their relationship with FOX, the network’s inability to attract major advertisers for SmackDown led to significant financial losses. Despite WWE’s strong ratings and high show prices, FOX regretted their investment due to the lack of premium advertising partners.

“The reason WWE doesn’t stay on FOX is because FOX lost a ton of money by signing WWE on that five-year deal. The FOX network massively struggled to sell advertising to make their money back based on what they paid to WWE. So it’s very interesting to note that while WWE was very high on FOX in their praises and talking about their relationship this week, FOX lost a huge amount of money. They could not get those big advertisers on board. So while WWE was in a great place business-wise, and the show price is as high as ever with those partners getting into bed with them, the actual big companies that pay for premium advertising would not advertise during SmackDown on FOX, and FOX ended up losing a load of money and regretting getting into bed and making that investment on WWE.”

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As WWE shifts back to USA Network, the move signals more than just a new chapter for SmackDown; it reflects how crucial ad revenue and corporate partnerships are in sustaining long-term television deals. Fans can expect more changes as WWE continues to evolve its brand, but this shift offers a glimpse into how the business side of wrestling can shape major programming decisions.

Keep checking back with us here at Ringside News for more on this story and so many more. We will have to see how the blue brand goes on Friday, but they already have a loaded card, complete with an Undisputed World Title match, ready for the show.

Are you excited about WWE leaving FOX? Do you think that it will result in better episodes of SmackDown? Let us know what you think in the comments section!