WWE Confirm NXT Coming To USA Network This Fall
Gold and black brand will go head to head with AEW.
WWE have confirmed that NXT will begin airing on the USA Network starting 18 September.
In a statement on the company's official website, WWE announced that owing to the growth of the nominal developmental brand's popularity, NXT will migrate from their proprietary Network to cable this autumn, whilst retaining its regular Wednesday night slot.
The switch will see the gold and black brand go head-to-head with AEW's as-yet unnamed show on TNT, scheduled to launch 4 October. WWE will be hoping that by pre-empting their de facto rivals' new programme, they'll be able to build up a head-start in the budding ratings war.
Speaking about the move, WWE's chairman Vince McMahon said:
“The move to USA Network provides an opportunity to deepen our relationship with NBCUniversal and further build the NXT brand. Over the long term, our goal is to develop a following that can be monetized to the same level as our flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown."
Despite airing before a much larger audience, NXT will continue airing from Full Sail University in the near term.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, about the deal last night, Dave Meltzer speculated that Triple H will miss episodes of SmackDown for the re-focused show, which is expected to receive a $50m budget from the network. The precise machinations - whether Vince McMahon will be more hands-on with a product he's been specifically hands-off with thus far or not - are not yet known.