Bruce Prichard Says USA Network "Regretted" WWE RAW Moving To Spike TV In 2003

Bruce Prichard recently spoke on his 'Something To Wrestle With" show on YouTube about WWE's main roster shows, RAW and SmackDown. Prichard mentioned the USA Network regretted allowing WWE to move their flagship program to Spike in the early 2000s.

"First of all, I think it's turned out alright," Prichard said. "Second of all, you have to understand the overall scope of things and understand that when you look at things with tunnel vision, you only see one thing. And when you're looking at things through a skewed view like most so-called journalists or gossip writers do, they look for what the juicier story is and they choose to overlook that this was a deal with NBC Universal, and the overall scope of being involved with Universal, and NBC, and all of its partners back home where they understood us – on USA Network.

"USA Network regretted that we left and that we went to Spike," Prichard added. "It was a time of coming home and it was a time of working together again, but also, it was a time of saying, 'Hey, look, we're not just looking at the USA Network, we're looking at NBC Universal as a whole, and the different partnerships that we have, and how we can utilize those and go through and the doors that opened up not just from one little USA Network in Monday Night RAW, across the board with theme parks, which we did partnerships with the Universal Theme Parks and did different things. But it was a good synergy.

"It was a good marriage," Prichard continued. "It was a lot more than – again, when you are able to go back and you're able to have 2020 hindsight and read that, and you read [Vince's] thoughts on it, again, I think that tells you where he comes from with things that he writes, and says, and his grasp of reality, or lack thereof."

Prichard then shared his thoughts and insights on the challenges that came with moving SmackDown to Friday nights, saying it's especially challenging in the summer months.

"I think if you had your choice, I'm not sure that Friday night would be your first or your second choice some nights of the week to put a live television show on. So yeah, it's challenging," Prichard said. "It's definitely challenging when you get into the summer and nicer weather. People are staying out more and going out more, so it's challenging to say the least. However, you got to do what the networks want you to do and you need to make moves that align with your network, and sometimes they are looking at you to be able to fill that void and hopefully bring an audience that wouldn't necessarily normally be watching television on a Friday night to that night of the week to watch TV."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Mehdy Labriny contributed to this article.