View Full Version : Bye Bye, Smackdown!
I-Hate-You
01-26-2005, 07:23 PM
The UPN Network plans to drop WWE Smackdown from its roster of shows when their contract with World Wrestling Entertainment expires next year, according to statements made by Viacom's co-President in an article published by California newspaper The Oakland Tribune earlier this week discussing UPN's future plans.
The statement, made by Leslie Moonves, co-President and co-Chief Operating Officer for Viacom, the parent company of UPN and CBS. Moonves and Tom Freston took over the positions in June 2004, when former President Mel Karmazin resigned the post.
According to the article, which looks at plans to change UPN's image into a more serious network, moving away from sillier fare like "Amish in the City." According to Moonves, Smackdown no longer fits the network's vision.
"It still makes us a decent amount of money," said Moonves, "When you think about the powerhouses of CBS and NBC on Thursday night, it's great counter-programming. (But) it doesn't fit into the overall (programming) strategy."
WWE and Viacom came to terms on a "multiyear deal" to continue broadcasting Smackdown via The UPN Network in March 2003. It is believed the deal expires in the fall of 2006. The arrangement provided for UPN to pay WWE a licensing fee and also allow the company to produce several primetime specials.
Smackdown debuted as a UPN special in April 1999, paving the way for the weekly series, which has been running since August of that year.
http://www.pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=7953&p=1
i'm sure there are other stations willing to host smackdown
RemyRed
01-26-2005, 07:26 PM
That's great, hopefully they can get put on a cable network.
Aussie Skier
01-26-2005, 07:37 PM
That's great, hopefully they can get put on a cable network.
agree.
as long as they can get another station, it'd b great. be awesome to have all wrestling on one station in the US, plus then Cena could come out and quit with the poop jokes
Hired Hitman
01-26-2005, 07:43 PM
"plans to change UPN's image into a more serious network" "Smackdown no longer fits the network's vision."
Oooooh, are you going to take that Smackdown? Kick their ass! ;)
Yes, Cena + Poop = Not very Gangsta. Cena saying Shit, Fuck, Ass, Cunt... he probably wont be THAT aggressive but I can dream :o
"... Like a penis with STD's!" :shifty:
James Steele
01-26-2005, 08:11 PM
LOL, UPN wants to be more serious, but they want to get rid of their only show that actually has a shot of competing with the other networks.
Plus, What The Fuck does UPN stand for anyway?
DaveBrawl
01-26-2005, 08:15 PM
United Paramount Network
46 & 2
01-26-2005, 08:16 PM
UPN is half a network at best. I wish Smackdown was never on there in the first place. More people get obscure cable or satellite channels than UPN. So you get half the coverage with all the FCC regulation if you go with UPN - not a good deal. Put it on Animal Planet or the Hallmark Channel - anything but UPN.
AJHayes
01-26-2005, 08:22 PM
HEY VINCE!!! TRY A LITTLE HARDER WITH SMACKDOWN! UPN IS TELLING YOU IT SUCKS FOR GOD SAKES!
Smackdown made baby Jesus Cry
Shadow
01-26-2005, 08:23 PM
Welp...Spike TV will become the WWE Network. Cause that's where Smackdown's going folks.
Welp...Spike TV will become the WWE Network. Cause that's where Smackdown's going folks.
Unless USA picks up RAW.
Shadow
01-26-2005, 08:36 PM
Unless USA picks up RAW.
That's a point. Anyone know what Spike's deal with the WWE is?
LOL, UPN wants to be more serious, but they want to get rid of their only show that actually has a shot of competing with the other networks.
Plus, What The Fuck does UPN stand for anyway?
Ungrown Penis Nigger
46 & 2
01-26-2005, 09:11 PM
USA has been really trying to get Raw back in the last few months. However, WWE wants to keep Raw on Spike, so Smackdown opening up next year could look very promising to USA. But since WWE programming has basically become Spike's signature series (when it was TNN, the first Raw that aired on there was the highest rated show they had ever had at that point - beating out everything that had been on that channel for the last 17 years), they will definitely be interested in adding another WWE show to their network. Therefore, unless NBCUniversal (USA's parent company) is ready to put together a huge offer for Smackdown, it will be heading to Spike.
Hired Hitman
01-26-2005, 09:12 PM
Put it on Animal Planet.
They can't, The WWF is already on that channel http://www.tpww.net/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
46 & 2
01-26-2005, 09:15 PM
They can't, The WWF is already on that channel http://www.tpww.net/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
:rofl: Okay, that was a good one! Maybe Animal Planet could convince them to give the F back in their deal to have Raw.
http://www.iuploads.com/uploads/688a64ba3b.jpg (http://www.iuploads.com)
Savio
01-26-2005, 09:19 PM
Maybe they'll go on FSN......
Kane Knight
01-26-2005, 09:20 PM
"plans to change UPN's image into a more serious network" "Smackdown no longer fits the network's vision."
That would definitely fall into the "LOL" category.
They'd have to drop like 3/4s of their programming for that to happen.
You know, when Farscape was dropped, they said it was because they wanted to go a more "realistic" and "terrestrial" path, like The Sixth Sense.
A pity they did it by choosing Tremors and Stargate: Atlantis. Because when I think realism, I think of Zero Point Energy and giant worms, and when I thinkterrestrial, I think of an underwater space station somewhere in the Pegasus galaxy.
Though I would like to see a less "pussified" Smackdown, so this'll probably work out. Hey, is USA still looking?
They can't, The WWF is already on that channel http://www.tpww.net/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif
They should put smackdown on at the exact same time as the Fund is on.
Start a "whicever day it is" night war, and get the rights to the WWF name back :(
Hired Hitman
01-26-2005, 09:27 PM
think about some of the good match ups that could happen...
Rey Mysterio Vs Chimpanzee
Carlito Vs Lion
A-Train Vs Gorilla
Triple H vs A Toucan (not on Smackdown but I had to make a nose joke)
:shifty:
Savio
01-26-2005, 09:37 PM
A-Train is gone.
Kane Knight
01-26-2005, 09:39 PM
A-Train Vs Gorilla
Shit, hwo would we tell the diff?
Mr. Nerfect
01-27-2005, 01:19 AM
This is a blessing in disguise, I think. Screw that, it's a blessing.
I don't know how television deals work, but could the WWE potentially get out of UPN now? Head on over to some cable company before 2006? That would be great, because I'm sick of all the censored stuff that comes through UPN. I don't even live in the country and I can smell the difference between RAW and SmackDown!'s censorship.
Maybe the WWE could find a network that allows the WWE to be completely uncut?
Corkscrewed
01-27-2005, 01:35 AM
This is a bummer if SD goes to a channel I don't get... like Spike TV. Of course, if the WWE gave a crap about the show, they might still keep it as a ratings grabber.
Anyway, in the case they can't get a new deal, maybe this will see the end of the brand extension, to those of you who so crave such a thing.
Or maybe this is the start of the end of the WWE...
Crippler 666
01-27-2005, 01:53 AM
wwe is meant to be starting their own channel so they'll probably leave it until the contract runs out and just put it on their own.
Normal Is Me
01-27-2005, 02:28 AM
They should have a Smack Down! Invasion angle . . . doesn't really matter what happens in between (though there are a few good dream matches there) but the WWE could just go back to one TV show a week and combine the rosters.
Triple H, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, John Cena, Kane, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Big Show, Edge, Shelton Benjamin, Rhyno, Maven, Mohammed Hassan, Rene Dupree, William Regal, Paul London, Akio, Shannon Moore, Rey Mysterio
all on one show would kick some major ass. Just quality wrestlers and no horribly green rookies who suck left nuts. Knowing the WWE the one roster, one show would wind up looking like this...
Triple H, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, John Bradshaw Layfield, Heidenreich, Gene Snitsky, Batista, Viscera, Big Show, Tyson Tomko, Luther Reigns, Mark Jindrak, Kenzo Suzuki, Shannon Moore (for jobbing purposes)
Crippler 666
01-27-2005, 02:39 AM
They should have a Smack Down! Invasion angle . . . doesn't really matter what happens in between (though there are a few good dream matches there) but the WWE could just go back to one TV show a week and combine the rosters.
Triple H, Kurt Angle, Undertaker, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, John Cena, Kane, Rob Van Dam, Booker T, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, Big Show, Edge, Shelton Benjamin, Rhyno, Maven, Mohammed Hassan, Rene Dupree, William Regal, Paul London, Akio, Shannon Moore, Rey Mysterio
all on one show would kick some major ass. Just quality wrestlers and no horribly green rookies who suck left nuts. Knowing the WWE the one roster, one show would wind up looking like this...
Triple H, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Ric Flair, John Bradshaw Layfield, Heidenreich, Gene Snitsky, Batista, Viscera, Big Show, Tyson Tomko, Luther Reigns, Mark Jindrak, Kenzo Suzuki, Shannon Moore (for jobbing purposes)
The only problem with that would be only 2 titles... JBL with one, HHH with the other no one else need apply. Removing the rookies would also mean Chris Jericho and Edge would lose every week.
Londoner
01-27-2005, 05:01 AM
This is good news but entirely hypocritical i think, from what i understand UPN say they want to 'become more serious' but then they censor the 'ruck fules' shirt of Cena's? It doesn't make sense, unless they were just looking for a way to get rid of Smackdown, if UPN wanted to become more serious they should'nt of thrown Smackdown in the shithole in the first place.
Londoner
01-27-2005, 05:02 AM
The only problem with that would be only 2 titles... JBL with one, HHH with the other no one else need apply. Removing the rookies would also mean Chris Jericho and Edge would lose every week.
Isn't that how it practically is anyway? :shifty:
The Cerebral Assassin
01-27-2005, 05:10 AM
SMACKDOWN NOT CANCELED!!! (http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com/wo/news/headlines/default.asp?aID=12324)
Read that then jump off the bandwagon.
I-Hate-You
01-27-2005, 09:33 AM
Too bad.
Londoner
01-27-2005, 09:48 AM
Thought it was abit weird.
Joe Kerr
01-27-2005, 11:57 AM
UPN is a domianatly Black station. Ive been bitching for awhile now that WWE needs to switch stations thank god its finally happening. now we can read cenas shirt
Crashnburn
01-27-2005, 12:28 PM
I found this on another website.
Credit WrestlingPlanet.com
"SmackDown! Not Cancelled, But Could Be Gone From UPN
There is nothing to the reports of SmackDown's cancellation. The network has not made any decisions regarding the show's renewal and the future of the program is hardly in jeopardy.
While UPN could indeed be planning to move in a different direction come the expiration of WWE's contract, WWE has not been informed of a cancellation and is not "scrambling" to find a new network, as some reports might suggest.
As for the statement from the Viacom executive, chances are it was taken out of context. No other outlet that ran a story on the TCA Press Tour even mentioned the SmackDown! quote, meaning the reporter behind the story misinterpreted the information."
Normal Is Me
01-27-2005, 01:00 PM
The only problem with that would be only 2 titles... JBL with one, HHH with the other no one else need apply. Removing the rookies would also mean Chris Jericho and Edge would lose every week.
Jericho jobs every week anyways. Fall 2006 JBL will not last as champion that long. So, the WWE could just give a credible wrestler the title and then face HHH in a Unification match. And as far as Edge goes... :-\ :nono:
Kane Knight
01-27-2005, 01:01 PM
UPN is a domianatly Black station. Ive been bitching for awhile now that WWE needs to switch stations thank god its finally happening. now we can read cenas shirt
Yup. Dominantly black.
Which is why Star Trek is on there.
Because there's nothing a brother likes more than Enterprise...Aside from watermelon.
Corkscrewed
01-27-2005, 04:29 PM
Well, you're just using one show versus like... everything else.
Actually, no. There's Veronica Mars, which is a good show. *shrug*
Savio
01-27-2005, 04:39 PM
I think UPN is becoming more white.
Kane Knight
01-27-2005, 06:22 PM
Well, you're just using one show versus like... everything else.
Actually, no. There's Veronica Mars, which is a good show. *shrug*
Most of their "Reality" shows are white oriented.
Wrestling is white oriented.
Their syndicated series, except for a few taken from WB, are white oriented.
Veronica Mars is white oriented.
Paramount has never marketed UPN as a "black" station. The most they did was have some bad ebonics name for Tuiesday nights or something. For Fuck's sake, you've been able to watch Frasier on there since the network went on the air. And while I know Fasier "iz down wit da bitchez n tha hoz," let's get realistic here.
As I already touched upon, the only reason it gets viewed that way is that it takes a lot of WB's leftovers.
I wasn't using a single example to disprove, I was using the most illogical answer to berate and belittle an idiotic little wigger .
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