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SmackDown! to Leave CW
Topic Started: Feb 8 2008, 11:34 AM (804 Views)
WWEFootos48
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God
WWE.com
 
The WWE issued the following press release on February 7th:

“After a successful decade of SmackDown on both UPN and The CW, World Wrestling Entertainment and The CW and have agreed to conclude our partnership. Since CW's exclusive negotiation period ran out as of last Thursday, January 31, we have been contacted and have been in negotiations with other networks. WWE SmackDown will continue to air on The CW until the conclusion of the 2007-08 broadcast season. We are grateful to Les Moonves, Dawn Ostroff, and their entire organization for bringing WWE SmackDown to millions of viewers for so many years.”

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_DL_
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BURN IT DOOOWWNNNNNNNN!
I wonder if they'll move to cable so that they'll be more open to doing things on SD.
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Cybrus
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STAY HYPED!!!
I know that WWE would be allowed to do more risque things on cable than on network TV, but I really don't see much of a difference between Raw and SD! The divas dress th same. The language is pretty much the same. I don't see how moving to cable would really affect SD! much. :shrug:
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TheObserver

It seems that diffent places are also covering this, such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, MovieWeb, and tv week.

Not sure what other network could be good for them seeing as much of Cy's post is agreeable.

I was just roaming around my tv and trying to see what options they have and so far I came up with, they could try and get some deal with USA, being that they already run a couple shows, but instead of running a recap show like WWE AM, they could cut that out and leave a open slot for more time on a different day to put SD! on.

Then there's FX which doesn't seem to bad being that they don't have much going on fridays.

VS is another option but I don't see them being on the same channel that has WEC and hockey, and even boxing, more of the brutal stuff.

WGN would look good since they play mostly reruns of sitcoms.

There are options I just don't know if going to an actual cable station would change what they are doing overall?

Just what I think though.
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Purple Marauder
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Stand Back! There's a Hurricane Coming Through
The thing about FX and VS etc is that they are not in nearly as many homes as the CW or USA. If WWE moves, they will want it to be on a bigger network like Fox.
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TheObserver

I thought that FX was an outlet of Fox?
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Purple Marauder
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Stand Back! There's a Hurricane Coming Through
It is. But, What I am saying is that the WWE would prefer a network outlet like Fox, than the cable small channel of FX. I don't think they will downgrade from the CW to FX or VS. They may end up on cable, but they aren't going to go that far back IMO.
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Kame

I think they should merge the ECW and SmackDown! rosters. Then, they could simply change the name of "ECW" to something new and keep it on Sci-Fi.
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Kraul

Kametsou
Feb 8 2008, 02:21 PM
I think they should merge the ECW and SmackDown! rosters. Then, they could simply change the name of "ECW" to something new and keep it on Sci-Fi.

I've been saying something along those lines for months.

Since ECW and SmackDown have reached a point where neither can really exist without the other, they should just merge and become something new.

How are ECW's ratings compared to SmackDown's? How much of a loss in ratings would SmackDown suffer if it took ECW's spot?

Though, honestly, I would rather see ECW and SmackDown merge then the new show is on USA along with RAW - like back in the day when it was RAW is WAR and Heat on USA Network.
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WWEFootos48
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God
I think SD! should stay on network TV, at least. (the type of outlet, not that dumb network) It's the best mass exposure you could get, especially a cheap Friday night slot on NBC. (since NBC and USA are partners) There are a lot of people who don't even have cable that can't find anything other than SD! to watch, so though it won't show in the ratings (since you can't detect homes without cable) you might actually be losing viewers. I know CW must be kicking themselves because they're losing their highest-rated show.
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Purple Marauder
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Stand Back! There's a Hurricane Coming Through
Kametsou
Feb 8 2008, 03:21 PM
I think they should merge the ECW and SmackDown! rosters. Then, they could simply change the name of "ECW" to something new and keep it on Sci-Fi.

The only problem with that is that then ECW would need a 2 hour time slot. Sci-Fi is still hesitant about ECW because it's a wrestling show on the network for science fiction. It would be difficult to gain that second hour to me.
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Legacy
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snooooooooop
Kametsou
Feb 8 2008, 01:21 PM
I think they should merge the ECW and SmackDown! rosters. Then, they could simply change the name of "ECW" to something new and keep it on Sci-Fi.

I don't have SciFi. :P

They should put it on TNT. :lol:

That'd be tight.
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TheObserver

Quote:
 
The final edition of WWE SmackDown on the CW Network will be on Friday, September 12th 2008.


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MY85
It's a fabulous new day, yes it is!
The CW wants female audience...

WrestleZone
 
Today I was looking at the Los Angeles Times Business section of the newspaper. The article is The CW gives 'Smackdown' the brushoff. The TV network will drop wrestling as it tries to build its audience by targeting young women. In the article it says that The CW dropping Smackdown because they are not drawing the young women viewer demographic on Smackdown. Credit: Chris A.
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TheObserver

I was just about to post the article lol.

Here anyways...

From LA Times
 
The CW no longer will be a ring rat for wrestling.

For the last decade, millions of viewers have tuned in each week to witness the antics of the pumped-up characters of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s popular "Friday Night SmackDown." But the CW network and WWE said that come September they would end their partnership.

"Since the CW's exclusive negotiation period ran out as of last Thursday, Jan. 31, we have been contacted and have been in negotiations with other networks," WWE said in a statement. Its final appearance on the CW will be Sept. 12.

"SmackDown" has been largely a match of convenience.

In the late 1990s, the show averaged more than 7 million viewers a telecast for the CW's predecessor, UPN, giving some ratings juice to the struggling network. But wrestling didn't fit in with UPN's other shows, including "Girlfriends" and the "Star Trek" spinoff "Enterprise." Nonetheless, hanging on to the pseudo-sport show helped attract the elusive young male audience desired by some advertisers.

When UPN folded in 2006, its successor, Burbank-based CW -- a joint venture of CBS Corp. and Warner Bros. -- brought along "SmackDown" and its hefty Friday audience.

This season, "SmackDown" has been pinning down nearly 5 million viewers a week, according to Nielsen Media Research. Although off from its heyday, the two-hour program continues to be a champ for the CW, whose prime-time ratings have fallen 21% among its key demographic of viewers 18 to 34 years old.

"Wrestling has been one of the most consistent ratings performers for the CW," said David Scardino, an executive with Santa Monica-based advertising agency RPA. "That stability has value. Maybe they want to go out and test the waters to see what they could get in the open market. I don't think this is their final act."

Neither the CW nor WWE would comment beyond their separate statements. But the CW is facing financial strain. The network will lose about $50 million this year, and it is trying to build its audience by targeting young women with such shows as "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill." Wrestling fans rarely watch other female-oriented CW programs, making the night an island on the network's schedule.

Stamford, Conn.-based WWE did not say what other suitors may be outside the ring interested in claiming the rights to the franchise. Another WWE program, "Monday Night Raw," is also a heavy lifter in the ratings for NBC Universal Inc.'s USA Network. "Raw" brings in an average 4.8 million a viewers for the cable channel.
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MY85
It's a fabulous new day, yes it is!
When Smackdown arrived to The CW, didn't The CW had Gilmore Girls as a show to air? Losing that show hurt The CW, as it brought female audience to watch it.

I think The CW shouldn't get rid of SD! for their own good.
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Kraul

Quote:
 
The CW no longer will be a ring rat for wrestling.


Quote:
 
This season, "SmackDown" has been pinning down nearly 5 million viewers a week...


Quote:
 
...the two-hour program continues to be a champ for the CW...


Quote:
 
Another WWE program, "Monday Night Raw," is also a heavy lifter in the ratings...


That's part of the reason why I really dislike when non-wrestling fans talk about wrestling. All the horrible puns. :lol:

I don't think CW will be around much longer anyway. If CW sees it's fifth anniversary (as in, fives years since becoming the CW), I will be hugely suprised.
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Cerebral Assassin

I'd be shocked if WWE put Smackdown on Sci-Fi. Let's face it, ECW barely pulls in big numbers at all, partly because Sci-Fi isn't available on many outlets. Same can be said for UPN and the CW. The smart move would be to put Smackdown on Fox or USA. I'd be curious to see how the ratings would be for Smackdown at that point.
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15 Shows
Aint cheatin aint tryin
I always knew Smackdown would get cancelled.
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Kame

Jimmy 15
Feb 10 2008, 01:10 PM
I always knew Smackdown would get cancelled.

Who said that it's being "cancelled"?
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15 Shows
Aint cheatin aint tryin
Kametsou
Feb 10 2008, 02:55 PM
Jimmy 15
Feb 10 2008, 01:10 PM
I always knew Smackdown would get cancelled.

Who said that it's being "cancelled"?

It was a joke.
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Ashy Shaq
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The Silver Standard
Woah, I hope that all the brands can just merge now. I know they want to push 3 people at once, but it sounds logical.
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MY85
It's a fabulous new day, yes it is!
If they merge all 3 brands, more jobbers for Cena, Orton and Trips... :wallball:
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Cybrus
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STAY HYPED!!!
If the brands were merged, then it would actually mean less domination from one guy at top. On Raw, you have Cena at top constantly with guys like Triple H, HBK, and Orton playing back up. On SD!, you have Batista constantly near the top with Edge edging his way into the absolute top spot, and Undertaker and, to a lesser extent, Rey Mysterio playing back-up. So if the brands merged, then you'd have Cena, Batista, Edge, Undertaker, HBK, Triple H, Rey and Orton all in the main event. And you cannot forget guys like Jericho and JBL who used to be in main events but are currently just below that level. That would be 10 guys that have held the title before and could easily hold the title again, which makes for a very strong division. I don't see it happening any time soon, but it's a far way away from "more fodder for...". :wallball:
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Nubochanozep
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merging the brands brings up a whole bunch of other problems though.

I never watch Smackdown so I honestly don't care. It sends me to sleep. Zzzzzz
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JVicious
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Money, money, yeah, yeah!
Doesn't matter much to me because I can just watch it on TheScore in Canada.
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15 Shows
Aint cheatin aint tryin
Jimmy C
Feb 12 2008, 07:06 PM
merging the brands brings up a whole bunch of other problems though.

I never watch Smackdown so I honestly don't care. It sends me to sleep. Zzzzzz

If we could just snag Edge back and send Kennedy and Cena to Smackdown, the world would be perfect. And maybe grab MVP while were at it.
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TheObserver

Quote:
 
According to an article by TVWeek.com, WWE reportedly has two bidding options in finding a new home for Smackdown. These two options include MyNetworkTV and Tribune Broadcasting. For those wondering, if Tribune was to gain rights to the show then Smackdown would likely air on Superstation WGN.

PWInsider is reporting that neither of the networks at this point are a "best case scenario" for WWE since both have coverage issues. Of the two, WGN would have much less clearance and many within WWE feel MyNetworkTV could be the right direction to go in.
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WWEFootos48
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God
Yeah, MyNetworkTV would be the right direction to commit suicide. :lol:

Seriously, since it's looking for that one big hit I think WWE would have a lot of creative freedom on the network, but the fact is, nobody watches that network, and probably only 2/3 of WWE fans actually have the channel, so they'll be losing a lot of audience. (besides that whole lack of advertising thing) The only thing they have is that (at least in my area) the channel's affiliate, my 9, is a sister station of Fox 5, one of the largest local networks in the country, which could help in cross-promoting it.
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_DL_
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BURN IT DOOOWWNNNNNNNN!
Ohhh, I know what MyNetworkTV is now. I can get that at home, but I don't have access to it at the dorms.
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