The flagship weekly TV show of WWE, WWE Raw, will find a new home on Netflix in January 2025. Raw has been on the USA Network for most of its lifespan, but that will soon come to an end.
It was announced early Tuesday morning by WWE that TKO Group Holdings, which WWE is a part of, has reached a deal to have Raw move to Netflix next year. This deal is rumored to be worth $5 billion over 10 years.
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TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro has this to say about the big new deal for WWE and TKO:
“This deal is transformative. It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”
WWE Raw Made Its Start On USA Network
Raw debuted on USA Network in 1993. It remained on the network until 2000 when it moved to TNN which was later rebranded to Spike TV. It remained on Spike until 2005 when it returned to USA Network. It has remained on the network since.
The news of Raw changing homes is not surprising because it has moved before, but this will be the first time it has left TV altogether. The wrestling world knew it was likely Raw would be moving with rumors suggesting Amazon Prime was a frontrunner for the new deal.
It should also be noted that Friday Night SmackDown is set to move to USA Network later this fall when WWE’s broadcast deal with FOX Network ends for SmackDown. Meanwhile, NXT TV will be moving from USA Network to The CW.
Netflix is the number one streaming service and with WWE programming moving to the service it will only grow. The move will give WWE a new opportunity to showcase its programming to a wider audience and will help Netflix get new subscribers. Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria had this to say about Raw joining the Netflix streaming service:
“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix. By combining our reach, recommendations, and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members. Raw is the best of sports entertainment, blending great characters and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year and we’re thrilled to be in this long-term partnership with WWE.”
As of right now, this is not a global deal for Raw. Netflix will only be the home for Raw in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Latin America, among other territories, but they are looking to expand it to new countries as time passes.
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Currently, Peacock hosts premium live events and WWE specials for U.S. subscribers. However, as part of this deal Netflix will host P.L.E., NXT, SmackDown, and WWE specials for those outside the U.S. A “as available” ended the statement meaning not a blanket policy, but for countries without a deal with WWE in place.
WWE President Nick Khan had this to say about the upcoming move and what Netflix brings as an entertainment brand.
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling. We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base.”
Will Monday Night Raw Stay on Monday Nights?
An interesting part of the announcement is that Raw is not referred to as Monday Night Raw. The program has always been associated with the Monday night time slot. Moving to a streaming platform is a big change, but changing from Monday night may be just as big of a change.
Khan was a guest on The Pat McAfee Show earlier Tuesday morning and gave some further information if WWE is looking to move nights.
“At this moment in time it remains Monday Night Raw, but keep in mind, we have ten and a half months until this deal is up and running,” said Khan. “We’re looking at what you’re looking at and what everyone else is looking at, you have a proliferation of gambling with Monday Night Football. You have an enhanced Disney package, better games … You also have the college national championships, football, and hoops, on Mondays. You have a lot of Mondays where there is stiff competition … If we stay on Mondays, it’ll work, if we move to a different day, we think it’ll work too.”
H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription
This upcoming year should be an exciting year for wrestling and WWE. If it goes well WWE may move all their programming to Netflix. The idea of AEW putting more programming on MAX has long been rumored and hopefully, this will incentivize them to make that happen to compete with WWE.
What do you think about WWE Raw moving off USA Network? What about moving to streaming? Do you think Netflix was the right choice? Would you like to see all WWE programming move over to Netflix? Do you think Raw will or should change from Monday nights? Let us know on social media if you have any other reservations about Raw moving over to Netflix.
SOURCE: WWE, Wrestling Inc., The Pat McAfee Show
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