IWE SmackDown
From Iwe
- For the IWE brand, see SmackDown (IWE brand).
- For other uses, see IWE SmackDown (disambiguation).
| IWE Smackdown | ||
| The SmackDown logo as of October 4, 2019 | ||
| Genre | Sports entertainment Professional wrestling | |
| Created by | Vince Matteson | |
| Written by | Ryan Ward (Lead Writer) See list of SmackDown creative writers | |
| Presented by | Michael Cole (play-by-play commentator) Wade Barrett (color commentator) | |
| Starring | Smackdown brand | |
| Opening theme | "Are You Ready" by AC/DC | |
| Country of origin | United States | |
| No. of seasons | 23 | |
| No. of episodes | 1206 | |
| Production | ||
| Producer(s) | Bruce Prichard (Executive Director) Kevin Dunn (Executive Producer) Triple K (Head Of Creative) | |
| Camera setup | Multicamera setup | |
| Running time | 159 minutes (including commercials) | |
| Broadcast | ||
| Original channel | UPN (1999–2006) The CW (2006–2008) MyNetworkTV (2008–2010) Syfy (2010–2015) Mun2/Universo (2010–2019) USA Network (2016–2019) Fox (2019–present) FS1 (2019–present; reruns and preempted shows only) | |
| Picture format | 480i 1080i (HDTV) 720p (HDTV) | |
| Original release | April 29, 1999 – present | |
| Chronology | ||
| Related shows | IWE Raw IWE NXT IWE 205 Live IWE Main Event IWE NXT Level Up NXT UK | |
| External links | ||
IWE SmackDown, also referred to as Friday Night SmackDown or simply SmackDown, is a professional wrestling television program that debuted on April 29, 1999. The show's name also refers to the SmackDown brand, to which IWE employees are assigned to work and perform. SmackDown is considered to be one of IWE's two flagship shows, along with Raw
SmackDown is broadcast live on Tuesday nights on the USA Network. It will return to over-the-air broadcast television on October 4, 2019, filling the entirety of the FOX Friday night schedule. The show was formerly broadcast on Thursday nights, but moved to Friday on September 9, 2005, before returning to Thursdays on January 15, 2015. On July 19, 2016, it was moved to a live broadcast on Tuesday night. SmackDown! debuted in the United States on the UPN television network on April 29, 1999, but after the merger of UPN and the WB, SmackDown! began airing on The CW in September 2006. The show was moved to MyNetworkTV in October 2008, to Syfy on October 1, 2010 and USA Network on January 7, 2016. As of March 3, 2017, all archived episodes of the show are available for on demand viewing via the IWE Network.
SmackDown has been broadcast from 163 arenas, in 148 cities and towns, in seven countries (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iraq in 2003 and 2004 for Tribute to the Troops, Japan in 2005, Italy in 2007, and Mexico in 2011). Prior to switching to the current live format, taped episodes premiered a few hours earlier in Ireland and the United Kingdom and a day earlier in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Philippines than the United States, due to time differences. For international broadcast listings, see below. The show celebrated its 15th anniversary on October 10, 2014, and will celebrate its 1000th episode on October 16, 2018.
Contents |
[edit] History
- Main article: History of IWE SmackDown
[edit] Move to Syfy, USA Network
[edit] Move to Fox
[edit] Production
[edit] Theme music
| Song Title | Written and/or Sung by | Dates used | Ref |
|---|
[edit] Cultural references
[edit] Special episodes
- Main article: List of IWE SmackDown special episodes
Throughout its broadcast history, the show has aired editions that have different themes. These include tributes to various professional wrestlers who have recently died or retired from actively performing, as well as episodes commemorating various show milestones or anniversaries.
[edit] On-air personalities
- Main article: List of IWE Smackdown on-air personalities
