Guest FeArHaVoC Report post Posted March 17, 2003 As reported earlier, UPN has renewed WWE Smackdown on Thursday for 2 hours each week. There is a change in the way the deal is structed though. Previouly WWE paid UPN $300,000 for the airtime, and then would sell the ads themselves, for approximately $1,000,000 per episode for a net profit of $700,000. With the new deal, UPN pays WWE $500,000 per episode for the show, and then sells advertising themselves. This looks like about a $200,000 loss for WWE, but taking into consideration WWE saving costs of actually selling the ads, the loss is much less. Interestingly, Fox had shown interest in bringing over Smackdown, but had some demands that might have become major problems for WWE. Not only did Fox offer less money in the form of lower rights fees and budgets, but they would have insisted the show be live every week, which would pose a logistical problem for the TV crew. Under the current plan, the TV crew goes from Raw to Smackdown in one day, but if the crew had to wait between Monday and Thursday, there would be no way they could go home in between, leaving them on the road. Credit: Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter/411mania Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrRant Report post Posted March 17, 2003 FOX would be more exposure. Except baseball/football would be an issue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Satanico Report post Posted March 17, 2003 I have no clue about baseball, but football wouldn't affect Smackdown on Thursdays. There's not that many Thursday games and ESPN shows them when there's one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrRant Report post Posted March 17, 2003 Sorry... I meant playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Satanico Report post Posted March 17, 2003 Well that's only one day a year, baseball would've caused a much larger problem. But with Fox's love of shuffling time slots they would've just changed the time slot when baseball or football interfered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MrRant Report post Posted March 17, 2003 I'm talking about baseball playoffs that mess everything up. And by having a LIVE Smackdown... that would mean the TV crew would be on the road until Friday lets say. The whole TBA as far as series going to 6-7 games could be a problem too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JMA Report post Posted March 17, 2003 I bet Bill O'Reilly is glad WWE didn't accept. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest FeArHaVoC Report post Posted March 17, 2003 I understand WWE's concerns, but Live Smackdown every week would have been great. As sucky as Raw can be, I usually get excited for it because it's live. I just don't get that way for Smackdown. Reading the spoilers doesn't help either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mole Report post Posted March 17, 2003 If Smackdown were to be on Fox, there would of been a much larger market. Maybe Smackdown could of gotten a bigger rating. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Satanico Report post Posted March 17, 2003 Oh ok...yeah the baseball playoffs would majorly screw up the schedule. It probably wouldn't have made a huge increase in ratings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cawthon777 0 Report post Posted March 17, 2003 It probably wouldn't have made a huge increase in ratings Sure it would. Fox is a major network while UPN, though up there, is not in the same league as Fox, NBC, CBS, or ABC. Those channels are available in just about every market known to man while UPN and the WB are not. That's one reason why UPN and WB ratings are nothing compared to those of the Big 4. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Youth N Asia Report post Posted March 17, 2003 I wouldn't have a problem with the playoffs messing with Smackdown...cause regular season baseball, basketball, and hockey screw with it more on UPN then playoffs would on Fox. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 17, 2003 There is a difference...Those stuff are regional based not national... FOX would've been a good place to go for Vince but Then I don't think Viacom would take to kindly to that...Thus opens a can of worms for TNN and Raw/Heat...and it will be USA all over again... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Satanico Report post Posted March 17, 2003 Yes...I know there's a big ratings difference between Fox and UPN, but that's not the point. Fox is a much better Network than UPN, but that doesn't mean much In this case. Wrestling's popularity is in major decline and rather it's Fox or UPN, it's going to be about the same amount of viewers interested in watching. It would've likely increased the ratings to a degree since it would be on for everyone who may be interested and would be on at a set time(until mlb playoffs). But if anyone thinks it would lead to a major jump in ratings at this time you're nuts. The major increase wouldn't have taken affect until wrestling hit a new popularity wave and who knows when that'll be. Besides if Vince felt that Fox would give him a major jump in ratings right off the bat, don't you think he would've jumped on the deal? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Choken One Report post Posted March 17, 2003 No because he could've had to deal with Disgruntled crews, Less Money, More pressure, Viacom would've had something to say... Why be the "eh" rated show for Fox when your the cream of UPN's crop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest El Satanico Report post Posted March 17, 2003 Yeah...exactly my point. Unless Vince believed that moving to Fox would give them an immediate MAJOR ratings jump, moving to Fox just isn't worth the hassle it would cause him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
