WWE's "SmackDown Live" sits at Fox Broadcasting in 2019 – Variety

WWE and Fox Sports have formally entered into a five-year contract that will see "SmackDown Live" on Fox Broadcasting starting next year.

The sports entertainment company announced Tuesday that "SmackDown Live" will make its Fox debut on Friday, Oct. 19, 2019 as part of a new five-year deal with Fox Sports. The two hour live weekly show will continue to air throughout the year.

"WWE and Fox are a perfect match," said Vince McMahon, WWE President and CEO. "Move SmackDown Live" to broadcast TV and have the opportunity to leverage Fox's extensive portfolio of world-class sports events will expand the reach of our flagship programming. "

"SmackDown Live" is the second-longest episodic cable TV show in American history in prime time, behind a WWE show "Monday Night Raw," broadcast to date on more than 1,300 episodes. .

"At Fox, we are excited to host WWE in the Fox Sports family and bring" SmackDown Live "to television," said Eric Shanks, President, COO and Executive Producer Fox Sports. "We are big fans and we know that together, Fox Sports will be the leader of live events in the foreseeable future."

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In addition, WWE also announced that USA Network will continue to broadcast "Raw" for another five years. The United States had a first contractual right of refusal on both shows, with the cable operator choosing to focus on the most popular "Raw" brand and to allow "SmackDown" to enter the market.

"Raw" is currently averaging 3.6 million viewers per episode in Live + 7, while "SmackDown" is averaging 2.9 million.

The announcement comes after reports surfaced last month that Fox and WWE had reached an agreement to move "SmackDown" onto the broadcast network. This will be the sixth network in the series since 1999. "SmackDown" was launched on the UPN in 1999 before moving to The CW in 2006. It was then aired on Fox's MyNetworkTV from 2008 and then transferred at Syfy in 2010. He joined "Raw" in the United States in 2016, with "SmackDown" also moving to a live format at that time.

"SmackDown" is adding to the burgeoning sports lineup on the so-called "New Fox" if the proposed merger between 21st Century Fox and Disney is over. In addition to recently signing a five-year contract with the NFL to broadcast "Thursday Night Football," Fox plans to share UFC television rights with ESPN.