The WWE sent out the following press release today about SmackDown leaving the CW Network:
STAMFORD, Conn., February 7, 2008 – After a successful decade of “SmackDown” on both UPN and The CW, World Wrestling Entertainment and The CW have agreed to conclude our partnership. Since The CW’s exclusive negotiation period ran out as of last Thursday, January 31, we have been contacted and have been in negotiations with other networks. “WWE SmackDown” will continue to air on The CW until the conclusion of the 2007-08 broadcast season. We are grateful to Les Moonves, Dawn Ostroff, and their entire organization for bringing “WWE SmackDown” to millions of viewers for so many years.
They will continue to be on CW till the end of September, but then have freedom to move wherever they want. Some sites are suggesting a move to a cable network like HBO or Showtime, but that’s not likley to happen. They could move to USA, where RAW already resides. Wrestling Observer says to look for a move to MYNetwork TV, and for the show to move back to Thursday’s which would be great and I think would push the ratings up a bit.
Labels: mytvnetwork, wwe smackdown
