WWE/FOX Update: Talks for NXT on TV, 20th Anniversary Show, More

FOX had a meeting yesterday to talk to their TV affiliates about their upcoming fall lineup, which of course includes WWE SmackDown.

Here are some of the key points from the meeting, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter…

NXT on TV?

There are talks to bring NXT on TV, presumably on FOX’s cable sports network, FS1.

If it airs in its same time slot on Wednesdays, it would very likely go head to head with AEW when their TV starts in October.

This is “not a done deal” yet, according to Dave Meltzer.

WWE will have a weekly talk show on FS1, which will be hosted by Renee Young.

Launch Show in September

There will be a one hour “launch show” in September on FOX to promote the October debut and introduce WWE talent to the FOX audience.

20th Anniversary Show

This year will be SmackDown’s 20th anniversary and the presumption right now is that the 20th anniversary show may happen on the FOX debut on October 4.

At the FOX meeting, it was promoted that there would be a lot of surprises for the debut show.

Preempted for World Series

SmackDown will air on Friday nights on FOX 51 weeks a year and will be preempted for one week during the World Series. It’s not clear what will happen that week, but it may just air on FS1 instead.

“Legitimate Sport”

FOX “wants everyone to promote WWE as a legitimate sport, not that the outcomes are real, but that it is a choreographed sports presentation,” Dave Meltzer says.

SmackDown will be part of a Thursday-Sunday sports block for FOX in the fall, with an NFL game on Thursday, SmackDown on Friday, college football on Saturday and the NFL on Sunday.

Promotion

FOX and WWE are planning a promotion where WWE wrestlers will travel around the US on a moving truck to promote SmackDown’s move to FOX.