Key Takeaways:
– Netflix bags a 10-year deal to broadcast WWE “Raw” starting in 2025.
– The streaming giant secures the rights for all WWE shows and premium live events outside the U.S.
– The agreement marks a significant expansion of WWE’s reach and infusion of weekly live viewing on Netflix.
– A recent “Raw” episode celebrated WWE veteran Hulk Hogan’s career and perhaps teased a WrestleMania appearance.
In a ground-breaking move for wrestling fans, Netflix is primed to broadcast WWE “Raw” for the next decade starting in 2025. This defining deal places the top-rated wrestling series in the Netflix programming chamber.
A New Home for WWE “Raw”
Currently, “Raw” captivates an audience of 17.5 million unique viewers on USA Network annually. Under the new deal, Netflix will power into the wrestling realm, snaring a significant share of the WWE’s large fanbase. With a hefty $5 billion investment, Netflix aligns with WWE, amplifying its weekly content offering.
A Wholesome WWE Package for Netflix
WWE and Netflix’s partnership devotes expansive rights for all WWE shows to Netflix, inclusive of “Raw” and other weekly broadcasts such as “SmackDown” and “NXT”. Furthermore, Netflix scores broadcast rights to paramount live WWE events, namely WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble.
Mark Shapiro, COO of TKO Group Holdings, lauded the Netflix agreement as transformative. Shapiro posed that this alliance fundamentally revises and fortifies the media landscape and dramatically extends the reach of WWE.
Revolutionizing Viewership
The shift to Netflix brings weekly live appointment viewing to the streaming platform, signaling a game-changing era for the global entertainment industry and WWE’s social media following of over a billion.
A Glance at WWE’s Journey
WWE, with a rich lineage dating back to 1993, has been instrumental in catapulting the careers of superstar wrestlers like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and John Cena. The first episode was a live event at the Manhattan Center featuring notable wrestlers Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, with Vince McMahon, WWE founder, in the commentary box.
A Nostalgic Bow to Hulk Hogan
During a recent “Monday Night Raw” episode, fans witnessed a video tribute to wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, hinting at a potential appearance at the forthcoming WrestleMania. Hogan, who is now 70, teased his fans saying, “You never know, I might have one left in me.”
In conclusion, WWE’s transference to Netflix in 2025 is a landmark deal in the wrestling world. Paying well over $5 billion, Netflix has cashed in on the popularity of WWE shows and specials, promising its subscribers a wealth of wrestling content to relish. The streaming giant’s TV reach for WWE would be colossal, opening new frontiers for fans to witness their wrestling heroes in action.