WWE Rumors: Fox Told Stephanie McMahon NBCU Was 'Embarrassed' by the Product

Prior to agreeing to a landmark television deal worth over $1 billion this month, a Fox executive reportedly questioned NBCUniversal's commitment to WWE programming during a meeting.

According to Marisa Guthrie of the Hollywood Reporter, 21st Century Fox Executive Co-Chairman Rupert Murdoch told WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, "[NBCU is] embarrassed by your product."

Per Guthrie, Fox and WWE agreed to a five-year, $1.025 billion deal to air SmackDown Live beginning in 2019.

Meanwhile, WWE and NBCUniversal came to terms on a $265 million-per-year deal to keep Raw on USA Network.

Both deals are expected to be finalized soon.

SmackDown has been under the NBCUniversal umbrella since 2010 when it moved from MyNetworkTV to Syfy, and it has aired on USA Network since 2016.

Raw has aired on USA Network for largely its entire existence since 1993, with the exception of a five-year run on TNN and Spike TV from 2000 until 2005. 

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