History of SmackDown
On April 29, 1999, SmackDown appeared on the UPN network as a one time special. After that, the show was picked up for
the next season. SmackDown became a weekly show starting on August 26, 1999. The show started out on Thursday nights and went up against the WCW program, Thunder on TBS. In January of 2000, Thunder moved to Wednesday nights due to being destroyed by SmackDown. SmackDown moved to Friday nights on September 9, 2005. The first episode is notable for having the first half streamed on WWE.com instead of televised, due to the benefit event for the victims of Hurricane
Katrina.
the next season. SmackDown became a weekly show starting on August 26, 1999. The show started out on Thursday nights and went up against the WCW program, Thunder on TBS. In January of 2000, Thunder moved to Wednesday nights due to being destroyed by SmackDown. SmackDown moved to Friday nights on September 9, 2005. The first episode is notable for having the first half streamed on WWE.com instead of televised, due to the benefit event for the victims of Hurricane
Katrina.
SmackDown Switches Networks
The CW network was created when the UPN network went out of business in 2006. SmackDown was picked by the CW network and continued to broadcast on Friday nights. There was a problem with some affiliates when the changeover was made. Some of the UPN affiliates decided not to broadcast the final episodes of the show, while some of the new CW affiliates
were tied into broadcasting other programming during that time. In the fall of 2008, the show was moved to My Network TV, a network made up of many former UPN affilliates that did not become a CW station. That following year, the network
became a network syndication service. In the fall of 2010, the program moved to Syfy. Syfy originally aired previous WWE programming, ECW and NXT.
were tied into broadcasting other programming during that time. In the fall of 2008, the show was moved to My Network TV, a network made up of many former UPN affilliates that did not become a CW station. That following year, the network
became a network syndication service. In the fall of 2010, the program moved to Syfy. Syfy originally aired previous WWE programming, ECW and NXT.
Brand Split and a New Name
At the time of Vince McMahon's WCW purchase, Vince was involved with the XFL, and was not very involved with wrestling. The invasion angle of the WCW superstars was a creative failure, but after that angle, the big stars started to appear, Kurt Angle was gored gored through the set of the show by Rhyno. The use of the gore resulted in the end of the ovaltron and the start of the set featuring a giant fist on SmackDown. As a way to get the feeling of the Monday Night War back, Vince split the company into two brands of RAW and SmackDown. In addition, this necessitated the current live format of RAW. RAW was broadcast live every Monday night while SmackDown was recorded and broadcast a few days later. In 2002, the company lost the right to the title "WWF" to the World Wildlife Fund. The company was renamed WWE, (World Wrestling Entertainment). Despite the failures, the WWE continues to make new stars. Vince McMahon also hopes that one of the superstars can become the next Hulk Hogan to start another great cycle for the company. On the March 25, 2002 edition of Monday Night RAW, the first draft lottery was held.