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The CW will need to start finding new Friday night programming

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The CW will need to start finding new Friday night programming

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Old 02-08-08 | 10:12 AM
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The CW will need to start finding new Friday night programming

WWE has issued the following statement:

After a successful decade of "SmackDown" on both UPN and The CW, World Wrestling Entertainment and The CW have agreed to conclude our partnership. Since The 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.

Predictions on where the show will land?
Old 02-08-08 | 10:36 AM
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Somewhere on cable, I doubt any other network would have wrestling on their schedule.
Old 02-08-08 | 10:46 AM
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Originally Posted by Bluelitespecial
Somewhere on cable, I doubt any other network would have wrestling on their schedule.
Not even NBC? They seem desperate enough.
Old 02-08-08 | 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Double_Oh_7
Not even NBC? They seem desperate enough.
Yeah I think the WWE is kidding themselves if they think they're going to get wider disrtibution than the CW. But hey, they gotta do what they gotta do. Kinda shocked that the ratings-challenged CW is bailing on a semi-reknowned standy-by for Friday night. They have enough trouble programming ratings-grabbers Sunday through Thursday for 2 hours a night!
Old 02-08-08 | 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by Double_Oh_7
Not even NBC? They seem desperate enough.
They've already got American Gladiators, which is just as silly as wrestling. So yeah, why not NBC?
Old 02-08-08 | 10:51 AM
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man, wouldn't Friday Night Lights fit in on the CW?
Old 02-08-08 | 10:51 AM
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thank Christ! about time.
Old 02-08-08 | 10:53 AM
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I'm broken up over this decision.
Old 02-08-08 | 10:55 AM
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CW just lost the only show that gave it consistent high ratings.... WWE might as well end the brand extension
Old 02-08-08 | 10:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Big Boy Laroux
man, wouldn't Friday Night Lights fit in on the CW?
Yeah whats poor ratings to NBC would be huge ratings for the CW.
Old 02-08-08 | 11:15 AM
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No doubt it'll end up on the SciFi channel.
Old 02-08-08 | 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Bluelitespecial
Yeah whats poor ratings to NBC would be huge ratings for the CW.
I was kinda thinking that in the back of my head. But then again every since BUFFY and ROSWELL jumped ship back in like 2001, a lot of networks have been very wary about picking up leftovers for some reason or another.


I'm really happy with this decision because I hope CW can provide us with some more good shows. I'm just a little butthurt that it lasted this late, when EVERWOOD could have survived with another 2-hour block of time.
Old 02-08-08 | 11:19 AM
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If they throw the show back to NBC Universal (home of Raw & ECW), here's the list of stations

Bravo
Chiller
CNBC
MSNBC
NBC Weather Plus
Oxygen
Sci-Fi Channel
ShopNBC
Sleuth
Telemundo
Universal HD
USA Network
Old 02-08-08 | 01:50 PM
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It's definitely going to end up on NBC Weather Plus. It's a perfect fit!
Old 02-08-08 | 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted by abrg923
It's definitely going to end up on NBC Weather Plus. It's a perfect fit!
Why not Oxygen?

I'd think, if ECW was doing well enough, getting rid of or combining ECW and Smackdown and airing on an expanded Sci-Fi slot would be the way to go. They've already pretty much made the rosters interchangeable, perhaps with this change in mind.

I know, I know, it doesn't fit on sci-fi, but if it'll stop even one bad "sci-fi original" from being produced, I'm all for it.
Old 02-08-08 | 04:56 PM
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I never watch Smackdown but seeing as I don't get USAHD I wanted to check it out last week to see some HD wrestling action. I was bored to tears but it looked great. Where else are they going to get a prime Friday night slot on an HD station?
Old 02-08-08 | 06:05 PM
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I would actually expect it to end up on USA Network. Talk about a perfect fit...

Either that or PAX or I or whatever that so-called sixth network is called.
Old 02-09-08 | 08:24 AM
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from cnn.com

Although no details were disclosed for a possible new home for the show, candidates might include NBC Universal, whose USA cable channel already carries "WWE Raw," and MyNetworkTV, where some affiliates aired "Smackdown" when they were UPN stations.

Last edited by GuessWho; 02-09-08 at 09:52 AM.
Old 02-09-08 | 09:41 AM
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Why doesn't the WWE create the wrestling network? I'd think they could make it work, particularly if they could get DirecTV (or in the worst case Dish) to carry it on their most popular package.
Old 02-09-08 | 10:20 AM
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Originally Posted by GuessWho
from cnn.com

Although no details were disclosed for a possible new home for the show, candidates might include NBC Universal, whose USA cable channel already carries "WWE Raw," and MyNetworkTV, where some affiliates aired "Smackdown" when they were UPN stations.
I forgot about MyNetworkTV. I guess that's the so-called seventh network. It would probably work better on there than on I.
Old 02-10-08 | 12:16 AM
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I thought CW was a wrestling channel. CRAPPY WRESTLING
Old 02-10-08 | 03:16 AM
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WWE Smackdown will probably end up being on MyNetworkTV or Spike TV or USA Network
Old 02-10-08 | 08:10 AM
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From: behind the eight ball
Originally Posted by GuessWho
If they throw the show back to NBC Universal (home of Raw & ECW), here's the list of stations

Bravo
Chiller
CNBC
MSNBC
NBC Weather Plus
Oxygen
Sci-Fi Channel
ShopNBC
Sleuth
Telemundo
Universal HD
USA Network
I was going to say Sci Fi Channel, but after looking at that list, Oxygen is the most likely place for this show to land.

Sadly, I'm only half joking.
Old 02-10-08 | 10:31 PM
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Originally Posted by MickeyMousePal
WWE Smackdown will probably end up being on MyNetworkTV or Spike TV or USA Network
Nothing would piss TNA off more then having WWE programing on their network.
Old 02-11-08 | 12:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Jimmy James
Why doesn't the WWE create the wrestling network? I'd think they could make it work, particularly if they could get DirecTV (or in the worst case Dish) to carry it on their most popular package.
WWE does have their own channel called WWE 24/7 and it's carried by a few major cable companies


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