More information has surfaced regarding WWE’s decision to cancel an upcoming episode of SmackDown, including the reported reasons behind the move and how it could affect the company’s schedule heading into Labor Day weekend.
As previously reported, the September 4 edition of SmackDown that was scheduled to take place at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, has been canceled. The change first became apparent when the event was removed from Ticketmaster, and WWE’s official ticketing page no longer lists the show.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Daily Update, the cancellation stemmed from a combination of logistical and production-related issues.
Despite the cancellation of the live event, fans will still get a new episode of SmackDown on September 4.
Meltzer reported that WWE is expected to tape the episode in advance, either during the company’s stop in Cleveland the previous Friday or following the September 7 episode of Raw. However, he noted that a final decision on the taping location has not yet been made.
An added benefit of the schedule adjustment is that WWE talent will reportedly receive the Friday before Labor Day weekend off, something that is relatively uncommon given the company’s demanding travel schedule.
The cancellation comes during an especially busy stretch of WWE programming.
On September 6, WWE is scheduled to present a Saturday Night’s Main Event special from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Two days later, on Labor Day itself, the company will hold an episode of Raw from Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
The scheduling landscape changed significantly earlier this month when WWE moved Money in the Bank from September 6 to October 10. The premium live event will now take place at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
WWE officially announced the date change on June 8, with reports indicating that the move was related to scheduling matters involving broadcast partners.
Had Money in the Bank remained on September 6, the September 4 episode of SmackDown would have served as the final stop before the premium live event. With the show now taking place more than a month later, the September 4 broadcast is no longer a traditional go-home episode, making a pre-taped format a more practical option.
The change also gives WWE additional flexibility when it comes to building storylines for Money in the Bank, as multiple episodes of Raw and SmackDown will still remain before the October 10 event.
For now, while the Cincinnati event has been scrapped, WWE fans can still expect a new edition of SmackDown to air on September 4, albeit likely from a different location and on a tape-delayed basis.
