This is an ongoing new feature where our own “Hot Sauce Willie” starts to unveil the secrets in the shadows that he receives from his WWE sources. A lot of his internal reports have come true. A few don’t. But like they say, “Card subject to change.” This week we look at FOX and WWE’s relationship
It’s quite clear that we have seen a major dip in ratings with WWE over the years with an average of about a 25% drop each year. We have heard the major concern over how it could affect WWE on FOX as well. FOX is known for canceling some several shows over the years due to viewership numbers falling.
“Sleepy Hollow”, “Terminator – The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, and “Fringe” to name a few. While it’s been reported from just about every media outlet that WWE could be in trouble with Fox due to the company’s struggles to raise the viewership while on the USA Network with Smackdown Live, it appears that Fox was not worried about this happening.
Why?
Because of the executive team who put the deal with WWE together. A group of lifelong WWE fans who want to have a strong creative influence over WWE creative on FOX and want a big say in strengthening WWE’s fanbase on the West Coast (more on that). We have seen the recent stories such as Fox wanting Bray Wyatt on Smackdown Live, the recent broadcast team change with what was the Raw announce team now on Smackdown Live, we’ve even heard that FOX is building a studio for WWE for it’s “Backstage” show hosted by Renee Young and Booker T, as recently reported by WWE this past week.
How?
FOX believes that WWE would be willing to put a couple of Wrestlemanias on the West Coast which could have the potential to significantly expand their west coast fan base which consists of a Latino and Hispanic population who on average produce 2+ children per family versus caucasian families who produce 1+ children per family.
The stats would indicate that WWE could make the populous into fans of their product and create that fan base through the use of having a couple of Wrestlemania and having the marketing power of FOX to help advertise the show similar to how FOX helps promote the National Football Leagues (NFL) Super Bowl.
What’s in it for FOX?
A potential buyout of WWE through the process of building equity stake in the company in all ventures set up through FOX with WWE so that there is enough power and influence to make the buy out happen. This, of course, would only happen if the plan is successful, however.
Now if this plan is successful, there would be a demand from those in charge of FOX for an equity stake in all ventures that are set up through Fox with WWE, and they intend to build the equity stake in the company so that there are enough power and influence to plan a future buy out of WWE.
Expect some major changes from show #1 on Fox beginning this Friday on October 4th, 2019 not just in the production value but with creative and what will be presented on television. With All Elite Wrestling making its debut this week and all the talk of what WWE has done to put themselves in one of the most suffering creative situations they have been in some time it will interesting to see how the next several months develop for both WWE on FOX as well as AEW on TNT.
