WWE and NBCUniversal have announced they have reached a deal that will see professional wrestling staple SmackDown return to USA Network for the first time in five years. The new five-year agreement will reportedly be worth more than $1.4 billion, which includes more than $265 million per year from USA and Fox for the rights to air the series exclusively on cable. SmackDown is one of the longest-running weekly episodic programming on television, having aired on various networks since its debut in 1999. The show will return to USA Network starting October 4 of this year.
WWE’s SmackDown to return to NBCUniversal’s USA Network in more than $1.4 billion deal
