USA Network Extends NXT Deal, Shifting WWE Show To Tuesday

Dade Hayes
·2 min read
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Extending a long-term relationship with the WWE, NBCUniversal’s USA Network has set a multi-year extension of NXT. The live, weekly two-hour show will shift from Wednesday night to Tuesday starting April 13.

“We are incredibly proud of our three-decade partnership with WWE and in extending USA’s NXT deal, we are further establishing our portfolio as an unrivaled home for quality WWE content,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCU. “By transitioning NXT to a Tuesday time slot where WWE has performed well in the past, we are giving our passionate fanbase more of what they love with back-to-back nights of exhilarating, live programming.”

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Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s EVP Global Talent Strategy and Development, said the move to Tuesdays “provides a new opportunity for us to grow the NXT brand and enables our partner, USA Network, to continue to build its strong portfolio of sports and entertainment programming.”

Since launching on USA in September 2019, NXT has delivered consistent ratings for the network. In 2020, the weekly block averaged 847,000 total viewers and its special Tuesday episodes posted gains of nearly 30% among the 18-49 and 25-54 demos.

NXT talent includes Finn Bálor, Adam Cole, Io Shirai, Karrion Kross, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Its roster consists of elite athletes from the NFL, college and amateur sports, MMA and international sports like rugby and kushti. More than 80% of the current Raw and SmackDown rosters came through NXT including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair and others.

All new episodes of NXT, which will continue to be produced in Orlando, FL, will have exclusive on-demand windows on NBCU streaming service Peacock the day after airing on USA.

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