NBCU letting Smackdown go to open bidding

[ALonelyDad]

Just a tweet from The Hollywood Reporter’s Editorial Director Matthew Belloni at this point, but here’s an interesting item about WWE’s next television contract: apparently Belloni has a source (or sources) telling him NBC Universal is going to pay a lot of money to keep Raw under contract, but let Vince McMahon shop SmackDown to other networks:

Interesting timing, too, as earlier this week, WWE Chief Financial Officer George Barrios appeared at the 46th Annual J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference where he was asked about this possibility, and said the company was open to it (transcription courtesy Wrestling Inc):

“From our end, [we don’t think] it’s an issue to split it.

We have done it before. We think we’re pretty good at promoting and moving our viewers from one platform to another. Seven or eight years ago, it was only from one network to another network, which changed dramatically. We can’t over-emphasize it, is the nature of social and digital and helping do that.

So, we’ve been able to do it before, we would feel even more comfortable doing it today just because we have a direct connection with all our fans which we did not have seven or eight years ago. So, our ability to do that, if it made sense economically, there were partners interested, if we felt comfortable with the partners in question, operationally we would not see an issue with doing that.”

Which makes sense. When SmackDown was UPN/The CW/MyNetworkTV/SyFy, social media wasn’t nearly the force it is today. And WWE’s social media reach is amazing.

If they’re really getting triple the value (Belloni doesn’t specify if the “3X” figure is just three-times as much as they used to pay for Raw, or triple the entire last contract) AND can get another network or streaming service to pay for SmackDown? Wall Street is going to be very happy.

This is far from an official report, but it’s another indication WWE is in a great position right now.

Stay tuned. We’ll let you know to which channel or channels.

UPDATE: Asked about the report, WWE replied “no comment”.

 

[julesocean]

Fox deal imminent. :_danawhite:

 

[Kidd Dibiase]

This can be good or bad, good if SD gets a good deal. Bad if its not considered a priority due to the wrestling stigma

 

[Metal Face]

3 Hour RAW's still sticking around

 

[The Prince of All Saiyans]

A-show they said

UPN about to

 

[Lord Scion]

This can be good or bad, good if SD gets a good deal. Bad if its not considered a priority due to the wrestling stigma

I think Cokeboy got a golden opportunity here.

SmackDown is in a much better position now than it was pre-brand split.

Now that he knows FOX wants to play due to the UFC acting crazy, try to ship SDLive over there into a prime time position and pour more star power into the program. No way in hell are FOX gonna stick SDLive on FS1 knowing they’re not gonna get RAW.

The bad thing here obviously... is FOX reversing their position knowing they’re not getting the flagship program anymore.

Who knows, maybe Cokeboy can do like TNA and finesse another network

 

[El Cocodrilo]

i was hoping that other story about USA losing RAW was true tho, end of 3 hr RAW

 

[Bob-omb]

Would SD going to a competing network bring forth any change to the product? Or will it just be the same shyt on a different channel?

 

[AquaCityBoy]

Would SD going to a competing network bring forth any change to the product? Or will it just be the same shyt on a different channel?

Yes.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Would SD going to a competing network bring forth any change to the product? Or will it just be the same shyt on a different channel?

I'd assume if they're going to a different channel, the product would change a little. It should anyway.

 

[trick]

I think Cokeboy got a golden opportunity here.

SmackDown is in a much better position now than it was pre-brand split.

Now that he knows FOX wants to play due to the UFC acting crazy, try to ship SDLive over there into a prime time position and pour more star power into the program. No way in hell are FOX gonna stick SDLive on FS1 knowing they’re not gonna get RAW.

The bad thing here obviously... is FOX reversing their position knowing they’re not getting the flagship program anymore.

Who knows, maybe Cokeboy can do like TNA and finesse another network

They really cancelled The Mick and Brooklyn 99 for Smackdown? Goddammit

 

[MenacingMonk]

They really cancelled The Mick and Brooklyn 99 for Smackdown? Goddammit

It's Fox.

 

[TransJenner]

3 Hour RAW's still sticking around

Please tell me this isn’t true
That 3 hours will make or break them


Trust me nobody wants to watch 3 hours of anything , if it’s still 3 hours I might have to give it up till the next contract

 

[RammerJammer]

Would SD going to a competing network bring forth any change to the product? Or will it just be the same shyt on a different channel?

Probably, remember we were stuck with the McMahons/Authority for years because of USA.

 

[MushroomX]

this is going to be some weird shyt going on.