Backstage News on SD Becoming The “A” Show, Why WWE Chose FOX

According to Dave Meltzer in a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Live Program, there remains uncertainty if WWE will be taping SmackDown if and when it moves to Friday nights on FOX. While logistics make it much more difficult to pull off a live show on a Friday, it may be that FOX will want the show to be live and the money would certainly warrant that.
Dave Meltzer also said that he asked around in WWE about whether the show would be taped or live and some people in the company felt it would be taped but it sounded like they were just guessing. Meltzer then said that he himself feels as if the show has to be live rather than air on a three-day tape delay and if the show does end up being live and air on FOX, which is a broadcast network, then it would pretty much become the new “A” show for WWE whether they want to admit it or not.
The biggest reason why the WWE went with FOX for SmackDown rather than Facebook or Amazon, both of which reportedly made higher bids for the show, is because of the promotion that FOX has promised Vince McMahon. With FOX airing Thursday Night Football games and with SmackDown most probably airing the next night on Friday, there is sure to be promotion on the NFL broadcasts, giving WWE a chance to win over a ton of new viewers, way more than they currently do for RAW on the USA Network.