Olympics scheduling shift puts WWE against major broadcast competition
Summary
– WWE SmackDown will air on SyFy for two weeks in February
– The move coincides with NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage
– Analysts expect viewership to drop sharply during the switch
WWE SmackDown is preparing for a short-term network change widely expected to impact its ratings negatively. Due to NBCUniversal’s Winter Olympics coverage, the show will air on SyFy for two weeks in February.
SmackDown will air on SyFy on February 13 and February 20, 2026. The program will keep its usual 8:00 PM ET start time and three-hour format, but the network shift alone is expected to affect audience numbers.
The timing of the move adds another challenge. During those same weeks, the Winter Olympics will air on NBC, putting SmackDown in direct competition with one of the largest televised sporting events.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer shared a bleak outlook for the situation. He stated that the combination of moving to SyFy and facing the Olympics on broadcast television is likely to result in record-low viewership for the show.
Meltzer pointed out that the issue is not limited to cable competition. With the Olympics airing on NBC, SmackDown will be competing against a major broadcast network rather than just another cable option.
History also works against WWE in this scenario. SmackDown has consistently seen ratings decline whenever it is bumped from its regular home to SyFy, regardless of the time slot.
While Meltzer noted that the Winter Olympics tend to have a smaller impact than the Summer Games, he still believes the disruption will be significant. Being removed from its usual network remains a major obstacle to retaining casual viewers.
WWE is scheduled to return SmackDown to USA Network on February 27. That episode will serve as the final SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, making the temporary detour to SyFy an unfortunate but brief setback on the road to WrestleMania.
