Spike TV sent out a press release earlier today announcing that contract renewal negotiations have been closed:
“After several months of negotiations, we have decided to end our discussions about extending our relationship with WWE beyond September 2005,” wrote Spike TV in a press release. “Moving forward, Spike TV will expand its investments in original programming and new acquisitions for its core audience.”
Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer is reporting that it is “a formality that WWE Raw and the rest of the weekend cable shows, Heat, Velocity and Experience, will be moving to the USA Network in September.”
TNT, TBS and FX have all confirmed no negotiations with WWE to pick up RAW, which was Spike TV’s most popular program.
Spike TV will, however, be showing Hulk Hogan’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame as a special to air at 11 p.m. on April 2, with a 5 p.m. Sunday replay before Mania. This will only include Hogan’s induction, not the others.
In other Spike TV news, the network announced that they will be showing an Ultimate Fighter marathon from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on April 9. This will begin with Episode One, with the final episode airing from 9-11:30 p.m. that night. The finals will also repeat at 10 p.m. on April 10 and then after RAW on April 11.
Credit: WrestlingObserver.com
