By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE issued the following press release to announce that the NXT television series will move to USA Network beginning Wednesday, September 18.
NEW YORK and STAMFORD, Conn., August 20, 2019 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) and USA Network today announced an agreement in principle to air WWE’s weekly Wednesday night show, NXT, live on USA Network at 8/7c starting September 18.
Following NXT’s growth in popularity, the new two-hour weekly show will expand its reach on USA Network, the leader in cable entertainment, while staying in its Wednesday night timeslot that it has held since 2015.
“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXT brand,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & CEO. “Over the long term our goal is to develop a following that can be monetized to the same level as our flagship programs, Raw® and SmackDown®.”
“USA Network and WWE have one of the longest and most successful partnerships in television history,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks – USA and SYFY. “As the #1 cable entertainment network, we’re excited to add NXT to our weekly lineup alongside powerhouse flagship Raw, and to bring a new generation of Superstars to a wide audience.”
NXT launched in 2010 and has risen to become WWE’s third global brand alongside Raw and SmackDown, hosting nearly 200 live events around the world each year. Airing on Wednesday nights at 8 pm, NXT has been WWE Network’s #1 weekly series.
NXT offers a unique blend of authentic in-ring action with exciting and entertaining storylines that feature WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars including Adam Cole™, Velveteen Dream™, Shayna Baszler™, Johnny Gargano®, Matt Riddle™, Bianca Belair™, Io Shirai™, Candice LeRae™, Tommaso Ciampa™, Kyle O’Reilly™ and Bobby Fish™. The brand’s diverse roster consists of elite athletes from the NFL, collegiate and amateur sports, MMA and international sports such as rugby, kushti and kabaddi. It is also the birthplace to 80 percent of the current Raw and SmackDown rosters including Becky Lynch®, Seth Rollins®, Roman Reigns®, Charlotte Flair®, Bayley®, Sasha Banks®, Alexa Bliss®, Bray Wyatt® and Baron Corbin®.
The series will continue to emanate from Full Sail University in Orlando as part of WWE’s production partnership with the preeminent entertainment, media, arts and technology institution.
Powell’s POV: The move was expected to be announced on Monday’s Raw, but the company issued the press release today instead. It’s a big move that gives NXT a two-week start before the AEW on TNT series starts in the same time slot just two weeks later.
What a shitty, cynical move this is and NXT will no doubt suffer as a result. This is just a race to the bottom designed to hobble competition rather than offer the best possible product to its fans. I love NXT but hope nobody watches it on USA and everyone tunes into AEW instead. And WWE has the balls to pretend they welcome competition because it’s good for fans.
Omfg #FACTS.
I want this comment tattooed on one of my shoulderblades like one of those stylized Bible verses you see on gang members
Well this sucks seeing as how I’m Canadian and won’t be able to watch NXT now. AEW did bring this on themselves though. Thursday nights were wide open wrestling wise but they chose to go up against them on Wednesdays.
They’ll probably strike a deal in Canada too, but the show will be available 24 hours later on WWE Network VOD.
Why is everyone so upset? Just DVR one and watch the other live. Or record both and watch them at your leisure. DVR’s do not cost that much. It’s not really that hard. It’s actually good news because now people that don’t buy the network can see the show too.
Most of us aren’t upset with the new distribution platform (although this does further neuter the WWE Notwork, and if they really cancel 205 I am done with it). We are upset because in six months NXT is going to look like WWECW