WWE shares soar after report on ‘Smackdown’ and ‘Raw’ TV deal talks

• The Hollywood Reporter says World Wrestling Entertainment is talking to other networks about its television franchise "Smackdown."
• Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment surge.

WWE SmackDown World Tour

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World Wrestling Entertainment is talking to other networks about its "Smackdown" television franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The show "is being shopped" to various networks after NBCUniversal "declined to re-up its deal," the trade journal said. NBCU's USA Network has been airing the popular pro wrestling matches.

The journal said NBCU is believed to be focusing on renewing WWE's "Raw" in a deal that's "expected to close at as much as three times its current value."

Shares of World Wrestling Entertainment closed up 15 percent Thursday.

WWE declined to comment. NBCUniversal did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

See here for the full The Hollywood Reporter report.

— Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent of CNBC.