*By Conor White*
World Wrestling Entertainment and Fox Sports have agreed to a [reported $1 billion deal](https://www.thewrap.com/wwe-smackdown-fox-broadcast-fridays-fall-2019/) that will bring the wrestling show "Smackdown" to broadcast television in 2019.
The move gives WWE access to a wider audience, according to Tony Maglio, the TV editor at The Wrap, and it gives Fox Sports live content that draws young male viewers coveted by advertisers.
"These combat sports target young males, and young males are always going to be a very desirable demographic," Maglio said in an interview Wednesday with Cheddar.
WWE already has its own robust streaming platform, and a deal with NBC for its wrestling show "Raw" on the USA Network. The Fox deal takes it to the next level.
"Vince McMahon wants the exposure," said Maglio. "The exposure on broadcast, which he's been on before, it's greater than cable, it's greater than streaming."
For Fox, which may lose part of its pipeline for scripted series when Disney or Comcast complete a deal for 21st Century Fox studios, the addition of "Smackdown" gives programming executives a new source of live entertainment, said Maglio.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/fox-sports-pins-smackdown).
Hear from Gabino & Stephen Roche on Saphyre’s institutional AI platform that centralizes pre‑ and post‑trade data, redefining settlement speed and accuracy.
Elon Musk’s X has reached a tentative settlement with former employees of the company then known as Twitter who’d sued for $500 million in severance pay.
Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook late Wednesday said she wouldn’t leave her post after Trump on social media called on her to resign over an accusation from one his officials that she committed mortgage fraud.
Explore how Guident’s cutting-edge software is shaping the future of autonomous vehicles with CEO Harald Braun. Safety, control & AI at the wheel of innovation.
Wondercraft co-founder Oskar Serrander discusses the booming AI audio industry, deepfake risks, and the growing market for synthetic, AI-generated content.
