Entertainment
Netflix signs $5 billion streaming deal for WWE Raw
WWE Raw will move to Netflix in January 2025.
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In a major programming shift, WWE’s flagship weekly program Raw is making its way to the world’s leading entertainment service, Netflix, starting January 2025.
The multi-year deal also includes WWE’s other highly-rated shows, SmackDown and NXT, as well as its Premium Live Events. The streaming service is gearing up to face the competition in live sports, with competitors like Apple TV Plus already in the arena.
This long-term partnership further expands the reach of WWE’s shows and events, bringing weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix’s global audience. The WWE library is currently available on Peacock.
Netflix enters live sports streaming with a 10-year deal
Variety reports that the streaming service will pay $500 million per year for rights to Monday Night Raw, bringing the total up to $5 billion for the next 10 years. We’re hopeful this won’t mean another price hike for Netflix subscribers, but that seems unlikely.
“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” said Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer of the streaming service, in a press release. “By combining our reach and fandom with WWE, we’ll be able to deliver more joy and value for their audiences and our members.”
The show, which is currently the number one show on the USA Network, brings in 17.5 million unique viewers annually across its 52-week run. Raw has launched many iconic careers in sports entertainment, including John Cena and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO, said in a statement:
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.
Raw has been on linear television for over 31 years, making it a significant shift for the company that has been a staple for sports entertainment.
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