"Is NXT going there or is SmackDown going there?" - Dutch Mantell discusses how WWE bagged recent profitable TV deal (Exclusive)
Wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell recently spoke about WWE coming to terms with CW to air NXT on their network.
The announcement came soon after NWA aired a rather controversial cocaine segment during their pay-per-view, NWA Samhain. The much-criticized segment put the promotion's reported TV deal in jeopardy, and the network reportedly decided to sign with the Stamford-based promotion instead.
During this week's Smack Talk, Mantell told guest host Mac Davis that Vince & co. handled the negotiations expertly. He was amazed by the number of deals the company was working on to get their program on various outlets. He was initially confused about which brand was moving to CW, and later clarified it was indeed NXT that was moving to the network in 2024.
"Well, as soon as they showed that cocaine spot, I heard, and read that they wrapped things up with WWE to put WWE on. Now is NXT going there, or is SmackDown going there? What are they doing? They're talking about going so many places, it's got me confused. I don't even know where they're going." [4:48 - 5:13]
You can watch the full video here:
You can catch the full results of SmackDown here.
WWE President Nick Khan is excited about the move to CW
CW will be the home of NXT for the next five years after their current deal with the USA Network expires in October 2024.
WWE President Nick Khan released a statement about the deal, and mentioned that he was excited about the move to the network.
"The CW has made impressive moves over the past year with its live sports programming schedule. It’s a truly exciting opportunity to expand NXT’s audience by bringing the show to broadcast television for the first time in NXT’s history," Khan said.
The move will possibly help NXT reach out to a newer audience, and also expand its reach as the third brand of the company.
What are your thoughts on the company's TV deals? Sound off in the comments section below.
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