WWE and USA Network announced on Thursday that the wrestling brand would be returning to USA Network for WWE SmackDown, and would also be producing specials for NBC.
What is the new WWE and USA Network agreement?
Beginning in October 2024, WWE SmackDown will no longer be on Fox, but instead USA Network, the same network that currently houses WWE RAW. In addition to the move, WWE also announced that it will produce four primetime specials per year for NBC, the first time that WWE will air on the network in primetime.
“NBCUniversal has been a tremendous partner of WWE for decades,” said WWE President Nick Khan in a statement on the move. “We are excited to extend this longstanding relationship by bringing SmackDown to USA Network on Friday nights and look forward to debuting multiple WWE special events annually on NBC.”
In a surprising move, while SmackDown will be moving to USA Network beginning in October 2024, it seems as if WWE RAW and NXT will be leaving the network that same year.
The press release for the move notes that RAW and NXT will air on USA Network “through September 2024,” with The Hollywood Reporter noting that traditional linear networks, streaming services and “unexpected players” are all interested in acquiring RAW.
