For the first time in history, TV executives will be drafting superstars to both Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown.
According to the press release by WWE, USA Network and FOX Broadcast executives will have direct say on who is drafted to each show. USA Network is the home for RAW and FOX is the home of Smackdown.
Details:
WWE DRAFT ON FOX + USA
STAMFORD, Conn. – October 10, 2019 – A star-studded celebrity lineup of FOX and NBCUniversal personalities including Alex Rodriguez, Michael Che, Colin Jost, Christian Slater, Troy Aikman, Joe Buck and Jim Cramer will be part of the two-night WWE Draft airing live tomorrow on Friday Night SmackDown® at 8 pm ET/PT on FOX and continuing this Monday, October 14 on Raw® at 8/7c on USA Network.
For the first time, executives from FOX and USA Network have direct influence over the WWE Draft as it will determine the Superstars competing for either Raw or SmackDown.
Additional celebrities include: FOX MLB Analysts Kevin Burkhardt and Frank Thomas; Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson and Tony Gonzalez from FOX NFL Sunday; FOX NFL Analysts Ronde Barber, Charles Davis, Chris Spielman and Daryl Johnston; Big Noon Kickoff Analysts Rob Stone, Brady Quinn, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Urban Meyer; FOX NFL Kickoff cast including Charissa Thompson, Michael Vick and Peter Schrager; FOX College Football Analyst Joel Klatt; as well as stars from NBCUniversal including Dulé Hill (Psych, Suits); James Roday (Psych); Marcus Lemonis (The Profit); Margaret Josephs and Melissa Gorga (Real Housewives of New Jersey); Football Night In America Analysts Rodney Harrison and Chris Simms; and Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Mustoe and Kyle Martino from Premier League Live.
WWE Draft Rules
- More than 70 Superstars, including Tag Teams, have been placed into this year’s WWE Draft pool.
- 30 Superstars will be eligible to be drafted tomorrow night while 41 Superstars will be eligible on Monday Night.
- Since Friday Night SmackDown is a two-hour show and Monday Night Raw is a three-hour show, for every two SmackDown picks, Raw will get three.
- Tag Teams will count as one pick unless FOX or USA Network specifically wants to pick one Superstar from the team.
- Any undrafted Superstars will immediately be declared free agents and able to sign with the brand of their choosing.
About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing Fox Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports arm of the FOX Network as well as FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform, Caffeine, jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
