You’ll never believe what’s coming back to The CW

The WWE is returning to The CW for the first time in years as its NXT brand will move there next year. This collaboration could be a good thing. 

The CW Network has been ahead of the game for a long time. It’s produced some of the biggest shows in the world, including Supernatural, Smallville, and DC Comics shows like Arrow – which launched the Arrowverse and helped pave the way for so much genre programming.

Now, with the network’s DC TV era coming to an end, it’s time for something different. Under new owners Nexstar, The CW is continuing to experiment with sport. Coming along for the ride is the WWE. Starting in 2024, The CW will be the latest home of NXT, which will move from USA Network next year. Network president Dennis Miller said:

"“We are thrilled to welcome the WWE brand into the CW Sports portfolio as they play an integral role in our mission to bring live sporting events to the network year-round.”"

While The CW might seem like an unusual home for World Wrestling Entertainment, it’s part of the network’s newest sports initiative. According to Deadline, NXT  joins LIV Golf, ACC football and basketball, and Inside the NFL. Sports have always been popular. Switching gears by adding it was smart. If this experiment works, The CW could end up with the NBA or the NFL.

WWE returns to The CW after nearly two decades

It’s also worth bearing in mind that WWE has history with The CW. The network was the home for WWE’s Friday Night SmackDown from its own launch in 2006 until 2008. Widely regarded as one of the best eras for the program, it featured stars like The Undertaker, Batista, Kane, and Edge on a weekly basis. With that in mind, the return of WWE on The CW feels like a full-circle moment.

Even if this doesn’t work out for the network in the long run, it will for the WWE and NXT superstars. The CW has been kingmakers for over a decade. One of the big five networks on US TV, it has made superstars of Jensen Ackles, Stephen Amell, Grant Gustin and more. The same could very well happen for the performers at NXT. Tiffany Stratton, Carmelo Hayes, and Thea Hail have big personalities and perhaps even Hollywood will notice it. Remember, last time WWE was on The CW, Kane crossed over onto Smallville.

The upcoming months will be big for NXT. It won’t be shocking when the WWE starts calling up their Performance Center recruits soon. This will get them ready for the brighter lights. If they aren’t ready, it could affect more than their future as wrestlers. Thankfully, the WWE isn’t known for bringing in people that aren’t ready.

Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow for more WWE news as it comes out.

What do you think of NXT going to the CW? Will you be watching it when it makes its broadcast TV debut.