How “Smackdown” Moving to Thursdays Will Affect International and WWE Network Programming

While nothing has been made official yet by WWE, “Smackdown” is all but confirmed to be moving to Thursday nights. According to SyFy, the home of “Smackdown,” the program will make the switch on Oct. 2. The show will run from 8 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST, going on the air prior to Adam “Edge” Copeland’s “Haven” series.

Wrestling Observer Newsletter has published a report about the presumed move of “Smackdown,” and what effect it will have on international and WWE Network programming.

In regards to episodes of “Smackdown” that air abroad, for Canada, it is expected that the program will also make the move to Thursday evenings. There was some concern about Sportsnet airing National Hockey League games on Thursday nights, rather than “Smackdown.” Also, due to the switch, areas like the United Kingdom and Austrailia, which have been able to catch “Smackdown” almost 24 hours before those in the United States do, will likely no longer have that luxury.

The newsletter also noted that some of WWE Network’s first-run Thursday programming may find a new night. Programs that could potentially make the move to Wednesday, or some other day, include “NXT,” “WWE Superstars,” and season 2 of “Legends’ House.” As previously reported, the first airings of “NXT” and “WWE Superstars” were moved up five hours, possibly to accommodate “Smackdown.”

Editor’s Note

I could definitely see shows like “NXT” moving to a different day. Airing those programs at night works a lot better than the late afternoon.