SmackDown Heads to Syfy

STAMFORD: World Wrestling Entertainment has clinched a deal to bring Friday Night SmackDown—currently airing on MyNetworkTV—to Syfy in the U.S. beginning this October.

With the move, Syfy is shifting its Friday night original dramas, such as Caprica and Stargate Universe, to Tuesday nights. Syfy is also dropping WWE’s NXT from its schedule.

“WWE is the ultimate in imagination-based sports entertainment," said Syfy’s president, Dave Howe. "The fantastical thrills of Friday Night SmackDown provide an ideal addition to the Syfy slate, as it targets the younger male and female demographics, which are the fastest-growing categories for WWE. With Tuesday night, a proven winner for our original drama series including Warehouse 13, there is bigger opportunity for series such as Stargate Universe, Sanctuary and Caprica to thrive on a night with a significantly larger number of viewers available to watch live.”

“Syfy is a terrific partner and we look forward to bringing our proven ratings winner and ten-year television institution, Friday Night SmackDown, to the network,” added WWE’s chairman and CEO, Vince McMahon. “With this move, WWE is thrilled to be expanding its long-standing relationship with the NBC Universal family.”