Kemo
09-22-2023, 09:12 PM
:smackdown:
The critical mass hit World Wrestling Entertainment's deal with FOX before Smackdown ever aired on the network.
FOX wanted 4 million viewers a week. Some said FOX would have been satisfied with three, but with the money spent, the prime spot on Friday nights, massive promotion during NFL games, prime time TV and elsewhere, FOX expected the blue collar WWE audience to roll in.
When WWE and FOX announced a five-year deal in June 2018, Raw recorded 2.6 million viewers while Smackdown had 2.35 million that week, both shows airing on USA Network at the time.
Smackdown debuted on FOX in October 2019 with 3.9 million viewers, but it didn't stay there. At the end of its first full year on FOX in 2020, Smackdown averaged 2.2 million viewers. By the end of 2021, it was down to 2 million.
The expectation was almost fact - moving Smackdown from basic cable to network TV will bring a massive increase in viewers.
WWE never got close, and the expectation was never realistic, whether either company - or anyone working in major TV - knew it.
Not to mention the creative lull WWE was in for years prior to the Bloodline story, with Vince McMahon resting on his laurels and his wrongful misconceptions on what makes a good contemporary product.
WWE tried buffering up Smackdown with a better roster. It brought in Brock Lesnar, who squashed Kofi Kingston for the show's title, but it didn't matter. Kingston was one of the few bright spots in the company at the time.
Now Smackdown is back on FOX, and for less money than most in the industry thought.
Most ironic, given viewership declines, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn and the Bloodline, the current ratings are probably equivalent to the 4 million FOX wanted in 2023. But the executives never changed their mind.
The critical mass hit World Wrestling Entertainment's deal with FOX before Smackdown ever aired on the network.
FOX wanted 4 million viewers a week. Some said FOX would have been satisfied with three, but with the money spent, the prime spot on Friday nights, massive promotion during NFL games, prime time TV and elsewhere, FOX expected the blue collar WWE audience to roll in.
When WWE and FOX announced a five-year deal in June 2018, Raw recorded 2.6 million viewers while Smackdown had 2.35 million that week, both shows airing on USA Network at the time.
Smackdown debuted on FOX in October 2019 with 3.9 million viewers, but it didn't stay there. At the end of its first full year on FOX in 2020, Smackdown averaged 2.2 million viewers. By the end of 2021, it was down to 2 million.
The expectation was almost fact - moving Smackdown from basic cable to network TV will bring a massive increase in viewers.
WWE never got close, and the expectation was never realistic, whether either company - or anyone working in major TV - knew it.
Not to mention the creative lull WWE was in for years prior to the Bloodline story, with Vince McMahon resting on his laurels and his wrongful misconceptions on what makes a good contemporary product.
WWE tried buffering up Smackdown with a better roster. It brought in Brock Lesnar, who squashed Kofi Kingston for the show's title, but it didn't matter. Kingston was one of the few bright spots in the company at the time.
Now Smackdown is back on FOX, and for less money than most in the industry thought.
Most ironic, given viewership declines, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Sami Zayn and the Bloodline, the current ratings are probably equivalent to the 4 million FOX wanted in 2023. But the executives never changed their mind.