After WWE recently signed a lucrative new deal for RAW to remain on the USA Network, Smackdown Live became a free agent. Multiple sources are reporting FOX has signed a deal to bring Smackdown Live to their main broadcast network beginning in October 2019, as opposed to the rumored Fox Sports 1 (FS1). Smackdown Live would likely air on Friday evenings. Per The Hollywood Reporter the deal is for $205 million a year and the contract is for five years, totaling over one billion dollars. More on this story as it develops.
BREAKING: WWE’s SmackDown Live is coming to Fox, after network agreed in principle to a “massive deal.” https://t.co/h4C7lf9JHT
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 21, 2018
Additional details from The Wrap – SmackDown is expected to move to Fox in Oct. 2019, moving to Friday nights on the Fox network https://t.co/sRMBOBYQOM
— John Pollock (@iamjohnpollock) May 21, 2018
WWE stock skyrocketing again, after news that Fox has agreed to pay to broadcast SmackDown Live. pic.twitter.com/Bl6mcTNFS4
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 21, 2018
The price tag on that Fox-WWE deal for SmackDown – more than $1 billion. https://t.co/MH2ywEyARS via @thr
— Marisa Guthrie (@MarisaGuthrie) May 21, 2018