As noted, WWE SmackDown is headed to Friday nights on Fox in October 2019 after NBCUniversal declined to renew the show for the USA Network. SmackDown will remain on USA until October 2019. NBCU is expected to renew the TV deal for RAW, at a reported three times the current value, keeping it on the USA Network.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the new deal with Fox is a five-year deal worth $1 Billion. This works out to $205 million per year for WWE, a three-fold increase over what NBCU is currently paying for the blue brand.

WWE reportedly had an even higher bid from a third party and major interest overall. WWE officials are said to have embraced Fox’s commitment to heavily promote SmackDown across their sports programming, which includes the NFL and MLB.