WWE will leave FOX and has signed a five-year deal to bring SmackDown back to the USA Network.
SmackDown ran on the USA Network from 2016 to 2019, before moving to FOX. This change will take effect in October 2024, keeping the blue brand on the network until 2029.
While speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that WWE intends to hold the show on Friday nights when they move to the United States.
“I know the last time I talked with somebody with WWE. And on that discussion, they told me outright that, like, like, nothing’s official. I mean, the stations are gonna have to all work this out in whatever. The plan, as of right now, which I would say was about a month ago I’m gonna guess, is that SmackDown would be Friday. I don’t know why you would do that. If you’re USA, it feels utterly stupid to do SmackDown on Friday. But that was the plan as of a month ago, was for SmackDown to stay on Friday. And be called Friday Night SmackDown.”
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
