WWE Reportedly Making Changes To SmackDown Announce Team

WWE's broadcasters are an essential piece of the company's programming, but the lineup is constantly changing and it is once again to shake up the sound of WWE's broadcasts, specifically on "WWE SmackDown." According to a recent report by PWInsider, going forward, all commentary booths will consist of two men in 2024.

According to the report, December 2023 was reportedly Cole's last month on "SmackDown," and "SmackDown"'s commentary booth will now consist of Kevin Patrick and Corey Graves. There has been no news about changes to the "Raw" commentary booth, which will feature Cole alongside Wade Barrett. For the past year, Michael Cole has been a commentator on both "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown."

Cole has been a pivotal member of WWE's commentary team for the past three decades. While he is a somewhat controversial character, his experience is undeniable to Endeavor and WWE's broadcasting partners. It has been reported that Cole was placed on the "SmackDown" commentary team in order to offer additional support to their team. 

Experienced figures in WWE shifting positions is nothing new, especially following the recent merger with UFC under Endeavor, which formed TKO Group Holdings. Recently, Kevin Dunn, who operated as WWE's Executive Producer and Chief of Global Television Distribution and has spent over 40 years with the company, was reported to have exited WWE due to changes in leadership post-Endeavor merger.  As WWE enters its first new year under Endeavor, shifts in company positions similar to Cole or Dunn's may begin to become commonplace.