WWE's 'Smackdown' moving from Fox to USA Network in new rights deal with NBCUniversal
Wrestler Akira Tozawa goes airborne during his match with Carmelo Hayes during the WWE Monday Night RAW event, Monday, March 6, 2023, in Boston. WWE’s popular television show, “Friday Night Smackdown,” will be moving from Fox to USA Network next year under a new five-year domestic media rights partnership with NBCUniversal, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. “Smackdown” will begin airing on USA Network in October 2024.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
WWE's popular television show, "Friday Night Smackdown," will be moving from Fox to USA Network next year under a new five-year domestic media rights partnership with NBCUniversal.
"Smackdown," a weekly two-hour live program that features wrestlers such as Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, Rey Mysterio and Bianca Belair, regularly performs strongly in the key 18-49 demographic. It's also experienced strong ratings of late with regular appearances by John Cena and an unadvertised appearance by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
"Smackdown" will begin airing on USA Network in October 2024. Fox had a five-year deal for "Smackdown" that started in October 2019. Prior to that, "Smackdown" had aired on USA Network from 2016 to 2019.
Financial terms of the deal between WWE and NBCUniversal were not disclosed.
As part of the agreement, WWE will also produce four prime-time specials per year that will air on NBC, starting in the 2024/2025 season. This will be the first time that WWE will air on the network in prime time.
"NBCUniversal has been a tremendous partner of WWE for decades," WWE President Nick Khan said in a statement on Thursday. "We are excited to extend this long-standing relationship by bringing SmackDown to USA Network on Friday nights and look forward to debuting multiple WWE special events annually on NBC."
USA Network currently airs "WWE NXT" and "WWE Monday Night Raw." The two programs will continue to be broadcast on the network through September 2024.
"It's a privilege and thrill to continue NBCU's decadeslong partnership with WWE which has helped cement USA Network's consistent position as the top-rated cable entertainment network in live viewership," Frances Berwick, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, said.
WWE is now part of TKO Group Holdings Inc., which started trading on the New York Stock Exchange last week.
Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. has closed on its previously announced deal with World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. The pairing of WWE with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship creates a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Indian rescuers just 2 metres away from reaching 41 workers trapped in collapsed tunnel for over 2 week
Rescuers in India were on the verge Tuesday of reaching 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel for over two weeks in the country's north, after drilling their way through debris to get to them, officials said.
Life expectancy for Canadians fell in 2022 for third year in a row, says StatCan
Life expectancy for Canadians decreased for the third straight year in 2022, and more people died of COVID-19 than in any other year since the pandemic began, according to a report released Monday.
Israel and Hamas extend their truce, but it seems only a matter of time before the war resumes
A truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group promising to release more civilian hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war and Israel under growing pressure to spare Palestinian civilians when the fighting resumes.
Mother of 2 and 4 exchange students identified as victims killed in crash in Huntsville, Ont.
The woman killed in a head-on collision in Huntsville over the weekend that also claimed the lives of four teenagers has been identified.
How Western Canada's sugar shortage is affecting bakeries, chocolatiers
Amid an ongoing strike at Western Canada's largest sugar refinery, bakery owners and chocolatiers are finding it hard to locate the amounts of sugar they need to keep their businesses going as we head into the holiday season.
Conservative deputy calls MP 'unhinged' for linking Poilievre and Winnipeg killings
Federal Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman is calling a Metro Vancouver MP 'unhinged' for a social media post that questioned if there was a connection between Pierre Poilievre and a weekend shooting in Manitoba that killed four people.
Six teens in court in connection with beheading of French teacher
Six teenagers go on trial behind closed doors on Monday in connection with the beheading of French history teacher Samuel Paty in 2020, a murder that shocked the country.
B.C. boy dies by suicide after online sextortion: RCMP
Mounties in northern British Columbia are investigating after a 12-year-old boy died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an apparent case of online sextortion. Warning: This story is about a child who died by suicide and may be distrubing to readers.
Man who pleaded guilty in incel-inspired murder at Toronto spa to be sentenced today
A man who pleaded guilty to the incel-inspired murder of a Toronto massage parlour employee is expected to be sentenced today.
Canada
-
Conservative deputy calls MP 'unhinged' for linking Poilievre and Winnipeg killings
Federal Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman is calling a Metro Vancouver MP 'unhinged' for a social media post that questioned if there was a connection between Pierre Poilievre and a weekend shooting in Manitoba that killed four people.
-
Ontario nixes cities' ask to allow more of them to get housing infrastructure money
Ontario's housing minister has shot down a request from big city mayors for a change in funding criteria that would help more of them qualify for money to build infrastructure necessary for new homes.
-
Man who pleaded guilty in incel-inspired murder at Toronto spa to be sentenced today
A man who pleaded guilty to the incel-inspired murder of a Toronto massage parlour employee is expected to be sentenced today.
-
Growing number of homeless people in Ontario turning to ERs for shelter and warmth, study says
A study found that across Ontario, non-urgent emergency department visits among people who are homeless increased by 24 per cent across the province over those five winters.
-
How Western Canada's sugar shortage is affecting bakeries, chocolatiers
Amid an ongoing strike at Western Canada's largest sugar refinery, bakery owners and chocolatiers are finding it hard to locate the amounts of sugar they need to keep their businesses going as we head into the holiday season.
-
Mother of 2 and 4 exchange students identified as victims killed in crash in Huntsville, Ont.
The woman killed in a head-on collision in Huntsville over the weekend that also claimed the lives of four teenagers has been identified.
World
-
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Indian rescuers just 2 metres away from reaching 41 workers trapped in collapsed tunnel for over 2 week
Rescuers in India were on the verge Tuesday of reaching 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed mountain tunnel for over two weeks in the country's north, after drilling their way through debris to get to them, officials said.
-
Elevator drops 200 metres at a platinum mine in South Africa, killing 11 workers and injuring 75
An elevator suddenly dropped around 200 metres (656 feet) while carrying workers to the surface in a platinum mine in South Africa, killing 11 and injuring 75, the mine operator said Tuesday.
-
Israel and Hamas extend their truce, but it seems only a matter of time before the war resumes
A truce between Israel and Hamas entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with the militant group promising to release more civilian hostages to delay the expected resumption of the war and Israel under growing pressure to spare Palestinian civilians when the fighting resumes.
-
China warns Australia to act prudently in naval operations in the South China Sea
A visiting Chinese official on Tuesday warned Australia to act with "great prudence" in deploying warships in the South China Sea after a recent confrontation between the two navies.
-
Sandy Hook families offer to settle Alex Jones' US$1.5 billion legal debt for a minimum of US$85 million
Sandy Hook families who won nearly US$1.5 billion in legal judgments against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for calling the 2012 Connecticut school shooting a hoax have offered to settle that debt for only pennies on the dollar -- at least US$85 million over 10 years.
-
Six teens in court in connection with beheading of French teacher
Six teenagers go on trial behind closed doors on Monday in connection with the beheading of French history teacher Samuel Paty in 2020, a murder that shocked the country.
Politics
-
MPs set to debate Ukraine trade deal, as Liberals chide Tories for vote against bill
A committee of MPs is expected to begin clause-by-clause study today of a bill that implements an update to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement, following a decision by the federal Tories to vote against the legislation.
-
What is the grocery code of conduct, and will it help to lower the cost of food?
Canada's grocery code of conduct is in the final stages with advocates saying it would help lower food prices while big grocers say it won't.
-
If Liberals need more time to deliver pharmacare bill, 'more results' expected: NDP
If the federal Liberals need more time to make good on their commitment to pass pharmacare legislation this year, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will be expecting 'more results,' in exchange.
Health
-
France to ban smoking on beaches at it seeks to avoid 75,000 tobacco-related deaths per year
France will ban smoking on all beaches, in public parks, forests and some other public areas as part of a national anti-tobacco plan presented by the health minister on Tuesday.
-
Life expectancy for Canadians fell in 2022 for third year in a row, says StatCan
Life expectancy for Canadians decreased for the third straight year in 2022, and more people died of COVID-19 than in any other year since the pandemic began, according to a report released Monday.
-
UN confirms sexual spread of mpox in Congo for the 1st time as country sees a record outbreak
The World Health Organization said it has confirmed sexual transmission of mpox in Congo for the first time as the country experiences its biggest-ever outbreak, a worrying development that African scientists warn could make it more difficult to stop the disease.
Sci-Tech
-
Google will start deleting 'inactive' accounts in December. Here's what you need to know
Under Google's updated inactive-account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven't been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive will be erased in a phased-approach beginning Friday.
-
Elon Musk visits Israel to meet top leaders as accusations of antisemitism on X grow
Elon Musk, who's been under fire over accusations of antisemitism flourishing on his social media platform X, paid a visit Monday to Israel, where he toured a kibbutz that was attacked last month by Hamas militants and was set to meet with top leaders.
-
Court document claims Meta knowingly designed its platforms to hook kids, reports say
Facebook parent Meta Platforms deliberately engineered its social platforms to hook kids and knew -- but never disclosed -- it had received millions of complaints about underage users on Instagram but only disabled a fraction of those accounts, according to a newly unsealed legal complaint described in reports.
Entertainment
-
The Last of Us named the 'largest series ever filmed in Canada'
The monumental effort it took to bring the first season of The Last of Us to the small screen paid off big time for Alberta, a new report says.
-
'Get Ready With Me': Video genre focusing on everyday life is everywhere, and not slowing down
"Get Ready with Me" videos are everywhere these days, and they're as straightforward as the name suggests. Social media users, often influencers, invite viewers to watch them get ready to do something or go somewhere.
-
Paramount Plus Canada developing comedies about prime minister, widowed limo driver
Paramount Plus Canada says it's developing two more homegrown comedies, one centred on a widowed limo driver trying to raise his kids, the other on an A-list actor who gets the chance to become prime minister.
Business
-
Government impersonation, phishing are top financial scams, Interac survey finds
A new Interac survey finds government impersonation is one of the biggest financial scams plaguing people across Canada. Forty-two per cent of survey respondents say they've dealt with scammers pretending to be representatives of official government institutions.
-
Scotiabank reports Q4 profit down from year ago, provision for credit losses up
Scotiabank reported its fourth-quarter profit fell compared with a year ago as the amount it set aside to cover bad loans more than doubled.
-
Air Transat's 2,100 flight attendants adopt strike mandate
The union representing 2,100 flight attendants at Air Transat says workers have voted to approve a strike if they cannot reach a new contract with the airline.
Lifestyle
-
What's Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself
In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is "authentic."
-
In the U.S., Hmong 'new year' recalls ancestral spirits while teaching traditions to new generations
For the annual fall renewal of her shaman spirit, Mee Vang Yang will soon ritually redecorate the tall altar in her living room where she keeps her father's ring-shaped shaman bells.
-
'It's a miracle': Missing B.C. cat found after almost 7 months far from home
A cat named Mucky has been reunited with his Vancouver Island family after being missing since May.
Sports
-
Injuries force Canada coach to make roster changes ahead of Australia friendlies
Coach Bev Priestman has called up forward Latifah Abdu and veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt to replace the injured Evelyne Viens and Julia Grosso for Canada's upcoming friendlies against Australia.
-
B.C. Place to be renamed Christine Sinclair Place for soccer star's final match
B.C. Place Stadium is being renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for one night only, in honour of the Canada captain's final international outing
-
Canada wins five medals on final day of Parapan Am Games in Santiago
Canada capped the Parapan American Games with five medals Sunday for a total of 52. Canada's team of 135 athletes competing in 14 sports claimed nine gold, 15 silver and 28 bronze overall in Santiago, Chile.
Autos
-
Tesla sues Swedish agency as striking workers stop delivering licence plates for its new vehicles
Tesla on Monday filed a lawsuit against the Swedish state via Sweden's Transport Agency as striking postal workers in the Scandinavian country halted the delivery of licence plates of new vehicles manufactured by the Texas-based automaker.
-
Honda recalls select Accords and HR-Vs over missing piece in seat belt pretensioners
Honda is recalling select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a missing piece in the front seat belt pretensioners, which could increase injury risks during a crash.
-
Buyers worldwide go for bigger cars, erasing gains from cleaner tech. EVs would help
The negative impact on the climate from passenger vehicles, which is considerable, could have dropped by more than 30 per cent over the past decade if not for the world's appetite for large cars, a new report from the Global Fuel Economy Initiative suggests.
