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February 10, 2012
 
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The CW gets out of the ring with WWE

by Jason Hughes, posted Feb 8th 2008 11:31AM

WWE Friday Night SmackDown!Never fear all you wrestlemaniacs. While WWE has abandoned renegotiations with The CW to bring Smackdown back to the network, it has announced that it is already in negotiations with other networks to carry the long-running Friday night staple. Smackdown has delivered solid ratings for The CW (and UPN before it) since 1999, but has at times been an awkward fit for the demographics and perception the network has wanted to put out there.

While talks are still at an early stage and no one is willing to talk about where Smackdown might wind up, it's only logical to figure somebody will pick it up. WWE is still a cash cow, catering to a very specific demographic. In fact, it might fit well with MyNetworkTV as they're trying to find their own brand identity. They're already airing International Fight League programming. Oh, and if Sci Fi is in the negotiations, somebody needs to smack them upside the head with a dictionary on the page where science fiction is defined. Wrestling is fiction, but it's not science fiction. Capische?

[Thanks to Corey Clayton for the tip.]

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Hollywood Ron

Why not bring back Smackdown's Saturday Night Main Event? Dig up Hulk Hogan, cross-promote it with American Gladiators.

February 09 2008 at 4:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MCW

MyNetworkTV would be the worst choice possible. Could you imagine them announcing that?

Admittedly, I haven't watched wrestling in the past few months (In hope that John Cena would quit wrestling, along with a few others), but I know that just about any channel would be a better choice. I'd consider NBC, as another posted before me. It'd be tough to get their backing though, having to kick the other friday night shows. Maybe it could move to Saturday night instead?

February 09 2008 at 8:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sam

Alternate-programming-loving chief + prior working relationship = NBC's Friday Night Smackdown. Watch.

February 08 2008 at 6:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kevjohn

I guess it was too hard to promo Gossip Girl in between the steroid-enhanced rasslin' matches.

February 08 2008 at 1:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to kevjohn's comment
Hollywood Ron

You can't mix your non-watched female soap opera with your watched male soap opera.

February 09 2008 at 4:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hollywood Ron

There's a reason USA went back and picked up Monday Night Raw, and why TNN/Spike TV went from ECW to WWF to TNA. Wrestling draws ratings in the 18-35 demographic, no matter what time or what kind. The CW's target demographic, given their place in the ratings, should be "anyone we can find."

February 08 2008 at 12:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Josh

This seems like a bad move for both sides. The CW isn't going to find anything that will get half the ratings Smackdown gets on Fridays, and the WWE is giving up a broadcast network spot for cable, or even worse, MyNetworkTV.

I can't imagine they'd put it on MNT. The "network" still doesn't reach the number of people that others do. Ours is only on an antenna sub-channel that most people don't bother to pick up.

February 08 2008 at 12:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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