On the heels of NBC Universal continuing their partnership with WWE by only agreeing to air Raw on USA, FOX has reached a deal with WWE to add SmackDown to their programming.
In July of 2016, WWE started airing SmackDown Live on USA to promote the move to the network, which occurred earlier that year, as well as the return of the brand split. Since USA now aired both Raw and SmackDown, the feeling was that it would create more of an equal feel if they were live, and increase the distinction of the two brands.
Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon stated in 2016 that airing both shows live will "build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around the world." In addition, NBC Universal President Chris McCumber stated that WWE fans are the most passionate in the world, and "here is a huge appetite among our viewers for live programming, and the ability to move SmackDown to a live format brings a new level of excitement and helps truly eventize this every week."
In addition to the announcement that SmackDown is moving to FOX, TheWrap also reported that they were informed by a source with knowledge of the deal that the blue brand will move back to Friday nights. For many years of its series, SmackDown was on Friday nights. However, to reduce production costs and maintain its WWE Live events schedule, the show was taped on Tuesday evenings.
While the show remaining live or is taped has not yet been confirmed, Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer reported that he asked people within the WWE about what format it will be upon the move. According to his sources, many stated that it will go back to being taped.
For FOX, it will be hard to imagine that going back to taped episodes will be the path that both parties agreed on. With the announcement of Rupert and his son Lachlan Murdoch leading the "new FOX," which includes FOX, FS1, and FS2, the company is looking to add more live sports content along with their NFL and MLB programming.
If WWE continues to air live with the Friday night move, it would cause a major wrench in the current SmackDown live production schedule, and even potentially increase cost to put together the show.