Something happened this week which probably says more about television than it does about the WWE...

The fucking piece of shit got paid.

And I guess, given present reports, that could mean either Vince McMahon OR Dana White...

There's been much discussion, in both professional wrestling and MMA circles, as to the new television deals that UFC and the WWE would get.

They're huge, apparently.

Reports indicate:

• UFC to ESPN:  5 years, $1.5 billion.
• WWE Raw will stay on USA, but NBC Universal (USA's parent) loses Smackdown to FOX, 5 years, $1.025 billion.

There is no word yet on the fate of Raw, but it sounds like that'd be at least another billion.

That number for just Smackdown is more than double, effectively, what NBCU paid for Smackdown in 2014 (all US TV deals totalled $160 million a year.

April of 2014, Smackdown drew an average 1.9 rating and 2.72 million viewers, according to SC Scoops.

April of 2018, Smackdown drew 2.47 million, 2.95 million (Smackdown after Wrestlemania 34), 2.8 million, 2.55 million.

2.69 million average.

And that justifies more than doubling the TV deal...  WHY?

I can really only see two angles on this:

First, it pays to be a friend of the Piece of the Ultimate Shit. 

Second, if stagnant ratings over five years allows that degree of an explosion in the TV contract, that means networks are having trouble finding and retaining relevant product.

That could have it's own ramifications.  Stay tuned.