WWE SmackDown

For the WWE brand featured on the program, see SmackDown (WWE brand).
For other uses, see WWE SmackDown (disambiguation).

WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown logo (2024–present)[1]
Also known asSmackDown! (1999–2008)[2]
SmackDown Live (2016–2019)
GenreProfessional wrestling
Created byVince McMahon
Written by
Presented by
StarringSmackDown roster
Opening theme
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons26
No. of episodes1318
Production
Executive producersPaul Levesque
Lee Fitting
Camera setupMulti-camera setup
Running time120 minutes (including commercials)
Production companyWWE
Original release
NetworkUPN
ReleaseApril 29, 1999 (1999-04-29) –
September 15, 2006 (2006-09-15)
NetworkThe CW
ReleaseSeptember 22, 2006 (2006-09-22) –
September 26, 2008 (2008-09-26)
NetworkMyNetworkTV
ReleaseOctober 3, 2008 (2008-10-03) –
September 24, 2010 (2010-09-24)
NetworkSyfy
ReleaseOctober 1, 2010 (2010-10-01) –
December 31, 2015 (2015-12-31)
NetworkUSA Network
ReleaseJanuary 7, 2016 (2016-01-07) –
September 24, 2019 (2019-09-24)
NetworkFox
ReleaseOctober 4, 2019 (2019-10-04) –
September 6, 2024 (2024-09-06)
NetworkUSA Network
ReleaseSeptember 13, 2024 (2024-09-13) –
present (present)
Related
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

WWE SmackDown, also known as Friday Night SmackDown or simply SmackDown, is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE. It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on USA Network. SmackDown is the most viewed television show on Friday nights in the United States of America.[3] Fox Deportes simulcasts the program with Spanish-language commentary. The show features characters from the SmackDown brand, to which WWE employees are assigned to work and perform. It is considered to be one of WWE's two flagship programs, along with Monday Night Raw.[4]

SmackDown! debuted in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri UPN on April 29, 1999, and was formerly broadcast on Thursday nights. The show moved to Friday nights on September 9, 2005, and began airing on The CW in September 2006, after the merger of UPN and the WB. The show later moved to MyNetworkTV in October 2008.[5][6] On October 1, 2010, SmackDown moved to cable network Syfy,[7][8] and eventually returned to Thursdays on January 15, 2015.[9] The show then moved to the sibling USA Network on January 7, 2016,[10][11][12] and later that year, beginning on July 19, SmackDown began broadcasting live on Tuesday nights.[13] SmackDown's move to Fox on October 4, 2019 marked the show's return to Friday nights and over-the-air broadcast television (as well as the second time SmackDown has aired on a Fox-owned network). On September 13, 2024, the show returned to USA Network.[14]

SmackDown has been broadcast from over 100+ arenas, 100+ cities and towns, and nine countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan in 2005, Italy in 2007, Mexico in 2011, and France, Saudi Arabia, and Germany in 2024. Prior to switching to its current live format, taped episodes premiered a few hours earlier in Ireland and the United Kingdom than in the United States (and a day earlier in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the Philippines) due to time differences. For international broadcast listings, see below. The show celebrated its 15th anniversary on October 10, 2014,[15] and the 1000th episode on October 16, 2018.

The WWE Network ceased operations in the United States on April 4, 2021, with all content moved to Peacock which now has all previous episodes of SmackDown. Recent episodes are still available for on-demand viewing 30 days after the original air date.

  1. ^ "SmackDown gets a new logo; theme song from Megan Thee Stallion". MSN. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  2. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (May 17, 2002). "UPN Keeps Its Focus on Youth, So Its Leader Talks the Talk". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  3. ^ "WWE Smackdown, Raw & NXT Score Viewership Gains in Key 19-49 Advertising Demo Ahead of WrestleMania XL". WWE Corporate. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
  4. ^ "NXT moves to USA Network". WWE. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
  5. ^ Wallenstein, Andrew (February 8, 2008). "CW, "SmackDown" Part Ways". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 2, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  6. ^ "MyNetworkTV Crowns WWE Its New Programming Champ". World Wrestling Entertainment. February 28, 2008. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
  7. ^ "SmackDown Goes SyFy". World Wrestling Entertainment. April 13, 2010. Archived from the original on April 16, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  8. ^ Flint, Joe (April 12, 2010). "WWE's "SmackDown" Moving to Syfy". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 15, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
  9. ^ "SmackDown moves to Thursday nights". WWE. November 6, 2014. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  10. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (April 7, 2015). "'WWE SmackDown' Moves to USA Network in 2016". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  11. ^ Bacle, Ariana (April 7, 2015). "WWE SmackDown moves to USA Network". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on April 9, 2015. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference 24Wrestling was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "SmackDown going live on USA Network on a new night with a distinct roster starting July 19". WWE. May 25, 2016. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  14. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (May 9, 2024). "WWE SmackDown Sets Earlier Move From Fox to USA Network — Find Out When". TVLine. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  15. ^ "Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Smackdown - Friday Oct 10". WWE.com. WWE. September 22, 2014. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.