Fox, WWE Close Five-Year Deal for 'SmackDown' Reportedly Worth $205M Per Year
Fox and WWE announced Tuesday that it will be the new broadcasting home of WWE Smackdown Live.
The five-year agreement will begin Oct. 4, 2019, giving the network two hours of live event programming 52 weeks each year. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the deal is worth $205 million annually and is worth $1.025 billion over the five years.
"Fox and WWE are a perfect match," WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon said in a statement. "Moving SmackDown Live to broadcast TV and having the ability to leverage Fox’s extensive portfolio of world-class sporting events will expand the reach of our flagship programming."
NBC and WWE also closed a five-year extension Tuesday to continue showcasing Monday Night Raw on USA Network. That deal is reportedly worth $265 annually, according to the Reporter.
Smackdown Live has been on air for almost 20 years and nearly 1,000 episodes.
