Backstage Update On WWE's SmackDown Anniversary Show
WWE looking to assemble an all-star show for the blue brand's 20th anniversary.
Hot on the heels of next week’s Raw Reunion being announced, WWE has reportedly got major plans for its blue brand as SmackDown gets set to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The early word – as per Dave Meltzer – is that the anniversary celebrations will see plentiful WWE legends appearing on this special episode of SmackDown Live. When this 20th anniversary offering will air, however, has yet to be confirmed.
Previously, SmackDown’s big anniversary shows have aired between September 23rd and October 10th, although the very first SmackDown episode actually aired on April 29th back in 1999. What’s interesting here, is that SmackDown is of course set to move to the FOX network.
The first FOX episode will air on Friday, October 4th, which opens up several possibilities. If WWE runs its 20-year SmackDown anniversary before October 4th, the show would be broadcast on the USA Network. Then there’s the possibility that WWE’s first ever SmackDown as part of this new FOX deal would be the monumental all-star anniversary special.
Looking at it from the outside, one would have to think that SmackDown premiering on FOX will be enough to draw a strong rating for that debut episode. As such, WWE may be better served using the 20-year SmackDown anniversary on another episode of SDLive rather than blowing both the FOX premiere and the anniversary on the same show.