By Jason Powell, Prowrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
The WWE and Fox television deal for Smackdown is reportedly a five-year deal worth more than $1 billion. HollywoodReporter.com reports that the deal is worth $205 million per year.
Powell’s POV: At that rate, I’m surprised that Fox didn’t simply acquire all or even half the company. Vince McMahon has stated repeatedly that the company is “open for business” when it comes to a potential sale. UFC sold for $4 billion in July 2017. Just for the sake of argument, let’s say WWE is asking for the same price. Fox could have acquired half the company and presumably locked in the television rights for double what they paid for just five years of Smackdown. It’s surely more complicated than I’m making it out to be, but it does seem like an acquisition of some kind could have saved Fox money over the long haul. To follow up on the previous story about whether Smackdown will be taped or air live, for that type of money and Fox’s desire for live sports programming, I can’t help but think that the show will air live once it moves to Fox in October 2019.
With that kind of money they might be able to buy some real writers!