ESPN Executive Explains Why They Couldn’t Reach A Deal With WWE For Smackdown

The Executive Vice President of ESPN’s programming and scheduling department, Burke Magnus, was recently interviewed by the Wrap. During the interview, he spoke about why ESPN wasn’t able to reach a deal with WWE for Smackdown Live.

It turns out that ESPN took a hard look at making a deal for Smackdown but things didn’t end up working out. As we know now, WWE signed a massive deal for the show to head to FOX instead.

Here is what Magnus had to say about ESPN not reaching a deal with WWE:

“We did talk to WWE during their process some months ago. Took a hard look at it, we’re obviously big fans of them. We just went into business with them on the XFL indirectly.”

“We couldn’t find a fit for it, primarily based on schedule. As you know, those properties are 52 weeks a year live.”

“I’m proud to say we have a pretty good problem, which is that we can’t clear anything 52 weeks a year live. We have a pretty full portfolio of content as it is.

He was also asked if a possible off-season was discussed as part of this deal:

“Not specifically that, but we looked at all kinds of conversations to try and make it fit. It just didn’t work. We parted ways and they got a good deal with their new partners, continuing at NBC(Universal’s USA Network) and adding Fox. So all’s well that ends well for them — but we gave it a good try.”

Would you have preferred Smackdown to move to ESPN instead of FOX? Let us know in the comment section below.

On a related note, here are 7 small changes that would improve WWE television.

Leave a Comment