While streaming services have been revolutionary in terms of convenience for television viewers, the idea of “appointment viewing” still has an allure for people. It’s why Amazon spent big money to add Thursday night NFL games to its Prime channel.
Now Netflix has stepped into the “live entertainment” arena looking to lay the smackdown on the competition.
The streaming giant has reportedly worked out a new $5 billion deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to become the new home for the longest-running episodic program in television history.
“WWE Raw,” a Monday night cable ratings powerhouse with over 30 years of history behind it, will leave linear television for the first time to become the exclusive property of Netflix in the U.S., Canada, Latin American and the U.K. beginning in January 2025.
Other countries and regions are expected to be added over time, according to a Netflix press release. The release adds that Netflix will house WWE’s other weekly shows Smackdown and NXT and its premium live events outside of the United States.
“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in the release. “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.”
“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” WWE President Nick Khan added in the release.
“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.”
Since its debut in 1993, WWE Raw has aired 1,600 episodes on cable television. It is currently the #1 show on the USA Network and is seen by 17.5 million unique viewers each year.