WWE announced on Tuesday that Raw is moving off of linear television for the first time since its inception 31 years ago and will have a new home on Netflix starting in January 2025.
According to the Variety, the deal is valued at $500 million per year, over 10 years, with an option to opt out after the initial five years and an option to extend an additional 10 years. Variety also reports WWE’s current deal with NBCUniversal has Raw airing on USA Network until October 2024, meaning there’s a gap between deals and it is still being determined where the show will air between the end of the current deal and the beginning of the Netflix era.
“This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO, as part of the announcement. “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.”
As part of the agreement Netflix will not only become the exclusive new home of Raw, it will also become the international home for all WWE shows and specials, including Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and the company’s Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWE’s documentaries, original series, and projects will also be available on Netflix internationally beginning in 2025.
In the past year, Netflix has dabbled in live events ranging from a Chris Rock special, the infamous “Love is Blind” reunion, and their F1/golf crossover, the “Netflix Cup.”
