Smackdown goes to MyTV in the Fall...

[IvanTheImpaler]

...which'll mean Ch. 49 (cable 8) in Buffalo and WBGT-TV (Cable 18) in Rochester........


The press release, for those who care......



MyNetworkTV CROWNS WWE ITS NEW PROGRAMMING CHAMP



Network Is the Exclusive Prime-Time Broadcast Home of “WWE® SmackDown®” Beginning Fall 2008



NEW YORK – MyNetworkTV and World Wrestling Entertainment® (WWE) have announced a new broadcast television home for “WWE SmackDown,” scheduled to debut in Fall 2008. The announcement was jointly made by MyNetworkTV President, Greg Meidel and WWE Chairman of the Board, Vincent K. McMahon.



In making the announcement, Meidel stated, “The momentum at MyNetworkTV continues with this major acquisition. We have demonstrated tremendous growth and this partnership with WWE, the premier sports entertainment franchise in the world, is a perfect fit for our viewers, advertisers and affiliates.”



The two-hour television program will be presented weekly on MyNetworkTV. “WWE SmackDown” will feature a star-studded cast of WWE Superstars, including Edge®, Rey Mysterio®, Batista®, MVP™, Kane® and Undertaker®, as well as present all the action, excitement, drama and great athleticism that have made it for nine years one of the most popular programs among males on broadcast television, and one of the top ten English language prime time programs among Hispanic households.



WWE Chairman Vince McMahon added, “We are excited to add MyNetworkTV and its television affiliates to our family of global network partners. We have an unmatched record of delivering ratings success to each and every network partner we’ve worked with in our long and storied history. We fully intend to bring that same level of success to MyNetworkTV.”




About MyNetworkTV

MyNetworkTV is a primetime general entertainment broadcast television network. Reaching over 97% of the country and targeted to Adults 18-49, MyNetworkTV provides its affiliates 12 hours of diverse programming Monday through Saturday, including “Celebrity Exposé,” Langley Productions’ “Jail” and “Street Patrol” and debuting in Spring 2008, “Under One Roof” starring Flavor Flav. For more information, please visit www.mynetworktv.com.

[B2]

So yourself and Bender will now have some real competition on that network for ratings, eh?

[Vitoscarfone]

We don't have MyNetwork here in Canada,but My understanding is that it's a secondary network,with poor ratings.Perhaps Smackdown can put it on the map as it did with UPN back in the day,or more recently CW.Any idea how much MyNetwork is paying for the rights?I've got to think it's substantially less than the WWE was getting previously.

[B2]

Wrestlezone.com has a great read on this, I can't seem to find the post about it, but its in their archives from the last week or so. It is substantially less, they were getting 3/4 of a million per ep on CW, this is going to be a great deal less and possibly only a temp home while they shop around and get another network to sign on that has respectability and doesn't suck like MyNetworkTV does

[Mike O'Shea]

Might be hard to do and get decent money if they are taking less to be on MyNetworkTV.

[wvproducer]

Reports are the money is the same as CW was paying ($700,000 per episode). Also, MY NETWORK TV is part of FOX and Rupert Murdoch rarely starts an enterprise without attempting to make it the best, so I feel the network will continue to grow and get bigger, with Smackdown being the 1st step.

And, yes, I do work at a my network affiliate, so I may be biased...

btw, FOX also owns MYSPACE and look for a larger WWE presence their in the future.

[jlu63]

Believe the Big Guy! Excerpt from March 5 Buffalo News:

The impact the writers’ strike had on prime-time network TV viewing in Western New York couldn’t be clearer than during the February sweeps period documented by Nielsen.
WNYO-TV, the MyNetwork TV affiliate, tripled its audience from a year ago from .5 to 1.5 after the switch from novellas to male-oriented reality shows.

[IvanTheImpaler]

And for those who, without looking at facts, say that MyNetwork "sucks" or has no "respectability", here's more information, courtesy of www.wrestlingobserver.com and our friends at MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM....

Paul Franklin of MyNetwork TV talks getting WWE Smackdown




The Big Mosh, Blade, & DFL welcomed Paul to the program, and extended the congratulations to MyNetworkTV for the new deal that was negotiated to bring WWE SmackDown to their fold. According to Paul, the negotiations moved rapidly between the two parties after they learned that the CW Network had decided to move on. "We jumped right on it," described Paul in his own words. He & the rest of the network sees MyNetworkTV as a "perfect fit" for WWE programming, and SmackDown will be "the center focus" of their network into the new fall '08 TV season, & are very pleased they came out on top as the victor.

MyNetworkTV was formed as the end result of the UPN & the WB network merger back in 2006. Currently, they are in well over 95% of markets around the United States. Paul says the fans should not worry, as their network will be readily accessible to the WWE fan nation, and encourages everyone to head over to www.MyNetworkTV.com to check for the local station in their area.

Paul said that MyNetworkTV has one of the largest concentrations of fans from the 18-49 age male demographic, and that the WWE/SmackDown audience consistently falls right into that bracket.

One of the questions that many fans want to know: Will SmackDown stay on Friday nights? Paul said that "it is too early to decide one way or another." The program does have a solid track record when it did air on Thursday nights. MyNetworkTV does respect what SmackDown has done on Friday nights though as well. They will be working directly with the WWE to determine what night will be the best, as the network wants to do what is best for World Wrestling Entertainment & its fanbase. He can say though for certain that it will either be Thursday or Friday nights for sure.

With regards to any future WWE network specials, Paul said "anything's possible." He strongly believes that the WWE knows their brand, their fans, & produce an amazing product. MyNetworkTV does agree in the mentality that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." He did go on record to say that they have not had the chance to discuss or negotiate further specials just yet (as the SD deal was completed approximately one week ago), but does not rule out the chance of any additional World Wrestling Entertainment specials on MyNetworkTV. Plain & simple, they are there to support the WWE in any way they can.

There is some skepticism amongst the wrestling fans as to whether or not this deal will succeed, and possibly have SmackDown lose some of its audience. Paul looks forward to proving any of the doubters or critics wrong, as MyNetworkTV continues to grow on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Since day one, he believes they have surpassed a lot of people's expectations. With being able to strike a deal with the WWE as quickly as they have, Paul also feels that with MyNetworkTV only being 17 months old & the partnership unfolding before the fans' eyes with the WWE, the sky is truly the limit into the end of 2008.

[IvanTheImpaler]

Ratings so far- good by My NetworkTV standards, not quite as good as they were on CW......