The WWE announced its upcoming rights deal with Fox Sports with SmackDown Live starting on FOX Friday night October 4, 2019 according to a company press release. The deal with Fox Sports more than triples the fees it was receiving in its prior deal with NBC Universal.
The show, which currently airs on the USA Network, will remain a 2-hour show airing year-round.
“WWE and FOX are a perfect match,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “Moving SmackDown Live to broadcast TV and having the ability to leverage FOX’s extensive portfolio of world-class sporting events will expand the reach of our flagship programming.”
The announcement is part of a new 5-year deal with Fox Sports. In addition, it signed a deal with Comcast Corp.’s USA Network for Raw to remain on the Network.
Payout Perspective:
The announcement confirms that Smackdown Live will be on network television in 2019. The news of the deal with Fox Sports last month boosted WWE stock. Smackdown Live on network television is an even bigger coup for the company as its business continues to ascend. The clamor for live content has made this round of rights fees for the WWE a bounty of riches as it adjusted its annual average rights fees from $468 million as compared to the $130 million in its previous deal for its two key programs.
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