USA Network Pins Down 'Team Ninja Warrior'

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With Esquire Network moving to a digital only format, the network’s competition series Team Ninja Warrior will move to USA Network beginning in April.

The 11-part second season of Team Ninja Warrior – a spinoff of NBC’s American Ninja Warrior -- will premiere April 18 on USA immediately after WWE SmackDown, the network said Monday. The series, which pits athletic teams against each other through physically demanding obstacle courses, was Esquire’s most watched original series, according to Esquire officials.

The network this past January announced it will shutter its linear feed to focus on digital distribution. 

“Team Ninja Warrior is a perfect pairing to WWE SmackDown,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment in a statement. “With this powerful franchise, we’re giving our passionate audience three full hours of jam-packed, high-stakes action every Tuesday night.”

Team Ninja Warrior is executive-produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions’ founders Arthur Smith and Kent Weed (Hell’s Kitchen), along with Brian Richardson as executive producer.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.