The United Football League (UFL) just wrapped up their seventh week of action, but news has started to surface on how things could look for season 2.
FOX just unveiled their fall lineup, in which they’re making some big moves to their usual schedule. Where it gets interesting for UFL fans, is that the league was called out for it’s Friday slot that used to be occupied by WWE Smackdown.
Also, for the first time in five years, there is no WWE SmackDown on Fridays as the network is replacing the departing wrestling franchise with sports coverage of college football and basketball as well as UFL https://t.co/Y19HrZAeou pic.twitter.com/5iv8zPtnxa
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) May 13, 2024
Deadline Hollywood reports that FOX plans on replacing Smackdown with sports coverage split between college football and the UFL.
Also, for the first time in five years, there is no WWE SmackDown on Fridays as the network is replacing the departing wrestling franchise with sports coverage of college football and basketball as well as UFL.
This won’t be the first time Friday nights have been tested for spring football. We’ve seen it in The Spring League, XFL and USFL in the past; and it looks like we’ll see it again next season.
This season we’ve seen the UFL experiment with regional broadcasting with two games airing simultaneously. Although some online push back on the idea of Friday night games, it could be a solution to allow all games to be aired independently.
In the last few years FOX has been shifting more and more towards sports coverage. At the moment, they’re working on a new streaming service in conjunction with ESPN/Disney and Paramount to offer a new sports-centric service. Not many details are available on the new offering, but it should be in place by the time the UFL kicks off next year.
The league has done well in the ratings so far this season. The UFL seems to have avoided a big mid-season slump in viewership which we saw in the past.
Needless to say, it looks like we’ll have more options than ever to watch spring football. as for when the games will air, we probably won’t get official word until we’re much closer to season 2.
What are your thoughts on the UFL potentially hosting games on Friday night? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below or join the conversation on Discord.
