Fox Uses NFL Game to Announce Wrestling Draft

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Using the formidable promotional power of the National Football LeagueFox on Sunday announced that there would be a draft to select the performers for Friday Night SmackDown, which moves to Fox this season, and USA Network's long-running Raw.

The first phase of the draft will take place Oct . 11 on Fox. The second part will be on NBCUniversal's USA Oct. 14.

Last June, Fox signed a five-year deal worth a reported $1 billion to move Smackdown from NBCU’s Syfy network to the Fox broadcast network. The move was part of the “new Fox” broadcast strategy to focus on sports and other live events.

Related: USA to Run WWE Series Opposite TNT’s Upstart

The WWE wrestling draft telecasts on both networks will feature personalities from Fox and NBCU programming who will announce selections for the two wrestling shows.

After the draft, each of the programs will feature distinct casts, unique storylines and dedicated writing teams.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.