Regarding speculation on WWE possibly going back to one brand when SmackDown goes to Fox on Friday nights next October, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that this will likely not happen.
There had been speculation on WWE needing all the top Superstars on Fox because of how important the network primetime numbers are.
It was noted that Fox doesn’t really want to cross-promote the same Superstars that are seen on NBCUniversal’s USA Network, which airs RAW. It’s believed that the separate RAW and SmackDown rosters will remain.
On a related note, it looks like they will have separate production teams for RAW and SmackDown, and they will start doing more live events for the WWE Network. Early word is that the blue brand will do the live Friday SmackDown shows and whatever Saturday live events that will end up airing on the WWE Network. The red brand team will work Sundays, for pay-per-view events or Sunday live events, along with RAW on Monday.
It was reported recently that there are more big changes planned for when SmackDown premieres on Fox on Friday, October 4, 2019. Fox network officials reportedly want SmackDown to show less comedy and take more of a sports direction, according to the Observer. Fox is including SmackDown as a part of their new sports block of programming, which will run Thursday through Sunday in 2019, and they want some changes made to the product. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was said to be more into the comedy presentation with wrestling.
It was reported back when WWE signed the deal with Fox that the network wanted to do a lot of cross-promoting with the other sports programs they have. Fox wants to have some of their sports stars & personalities appear on the various shows to heavily promote the block, and they want to give them something athletically-oriented to promote, according to the Observer.
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