WWE RAW and Friday Night SmackDown might have a new home come October, as Variety.com reports that WWE and NBC Universal were unable to reach a new licensing deal during their exclusive negotiating period, which ended on 2/15.
WWE issued the following statement this week:
“WWE’s exclusive negotiating period with NBCU for our flagship television programs, ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown,’ has now expired. While we were unable to reach an agreement with NBCU during this period, we have certainly appreciated our long and productive partnership.”
“With year-round, live programming that is highly coveted by programmers, distributors and advertisers, we are extremely excited about our future. We look forward to engaging with potential partners who recognize the value of having the #1 show on cable and live content delivered 52 weeks a year.”
WWE will now start negotiating with other companies, with NBC Universal retaining the right to match any offer made to WWE.