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I really hope to see that Fox robot on WWE Smackdown at some point.
A lot of us WWE fans were still shocked by the idea of Fox paying one billion dollars to show the blue brand for five years starting in October 2019. Despite it generally being the better main show on a constant basis, Smackdown is usually the forgotten child in the WWE family.
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That will have a real chance now that it is the first WWE weekly show on a major television network ever. It is a big deal and the WWE must treat this opportunity as a rare chance to grow its brand on the biggest stage possible.
As we look ahead to those great Fox cross promotions on Smackdown, I present the five major changes that will happen when Smackdown moves to Fox in 2019:
#5 Return of Past Stars on a Permanent Basis
I always find WrestleMania to be a very strange time of year. I certainly enjoy the grand nature of Mania itself and seeing those massive crowds react to all the shows of WrestleMania weekend. It is also my chance to see the stars of the past. WrestleMania is that one time of year when Triple H will be guaranteed to wrestle a match.
The Undertaker will always rise. We might even see a rare Shawn Michaels, The Rock or Stone Cold sighting. Then they vanish for another year returning yet again for that sweet WrestleMania pay day next year. The Fox deal will likely change that pattern.
Some of the biggest stars in the WWE’s past are still in the 40s. They could go on an extended run for a few months.
The exposure of a broadcast network and a billion dollars could likely twist some arms for longer returns.
I am sure Batista, Goldberg or Undertaker might be willing to put in a few months for some of that Fox money.
We could get Lesnar to throw in a few more dates if you paid him more money as well. When you have a few extra hundred million of dollars lying around, money can do wonders.
The older stars that could bring in a rating spike. The stars could be used to attract attention and put over the next generation of stars in the process. It is a smart business and certainly more possible with the Fox deal.
#4 The Return of Specials
I remember watching Saturday Night Main Event growing up. It was a big deal to see WWE stars on NBC and provide some real memorable moments for sure. It is time to bring it back.
The WWE uses the WWE Network for all of its major pay-per-views. Being on the major network, however, could still provide possibly more eyes on the product.
You need major events to sell to more possible viewers on Fox itself. I think the return of Saturday Night Main Event would do this.
You could do some quarterly specials and will only one pay-per-view a month it wouldn’t overexpose the product. I am pretty confident it will be coming in 2019.
#3 Special Entrances Again
Let us face it. The biggest change we all hope with the debut of Smackdown to network television is pyro.
Vince McMahon tells us all the time that this is sports entertainment. That is why having pyro and unique entrances have been sorely lacking in recent years.
It helps paint the picture of larger than life characters. I can’t even imagine what Goldberg entrances would be like without all the great elements of the past.
The major reason it was supposedly cut was for budget reasons. Well, that excuse is off the table.
The return of the larger than life elements will be a major change that will help it stand out from other live sporting events. I can think of a billion reasons why it will be coming back soon.
#2 Return of Talking Smack
This is coming. All reports of the five-year deal have discussed that Rupert Murdoch pitched the idea of a post-game show to the McMahons.
It makes Smackdown stand out as a bigger deal and you already have Fox Sports 1 available with the potential network time to sell the WWE product.
I was pretty upset when the WWE cut Talking Smack from the WWE Network. It never seem polished and allowed the superstars of Smackdown to have opportunities to truly sell their characters and storylines.
It helped it had the perfect hosts in Daniel Bryan and Renee Young who could keep up with the unpredictable nature of the show. It would be the perfect post-show that would be easy to duplicate on the Fox family of networks.
#1 Smackdown Will Be the No.1 Show
This one is a no-brainer. It has been pretty clear over the years that Vince McMahon prefers Raw. Even now he has some of his most marketable stars in Ronda Rousey, Braun Strowman, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns on Raw.
Raw gets more time and has more of the biggest surprises on a constant basis. However, even in this fragmented television age, the major networks provide a lot more viewer opportunities than the USA network.
What will the impact be? You will see major Smackdown stars on Fox shows. You will be able to watch NFL on Sundays and see Smackdown promoted on the highest rated sport on a weekly basis. You will have chances to see WWE superstars on major events on a more consistent basis.
All of these will force the WWE to play more attention on the blue brand. With its two hours and better storytelling, it will be a major change to see for the first time in WWE history. Will the extra attention be good for Smackdown? We will find out soon enough.
Do you think these changes will happen when SmackDown Live shifts to FOX? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!
