Netflix has signed a 10-year deal with TKO Group Holdings to secure the streaming rights to WWE Raw in Canada, the U.S. and other markets.
Starting in January 2025, every weekly Raw show will air exclusively on Netflix. Additionally, Netflix will become the home for all WWE shows and specials, including SmackDown, NXT, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble.
According to CNBC, the deal is valued at $5 billion USD (about $6.7 billion CAD), making it particularly lucrative for both parties. That said, CNBC notes that Netflix will have the option to exit the deal after five years, as well as to extend it for another decade.
For now, though, Raw is a big get for Netflix. It’s the top show on the USA Network, bringing in 17.5 million viewers per year, as well as one of TV’s top performers in the 18-49 advertising demographic.
The wrestling show also greatly expands Netflix’s live programming offering. Although the streamer has dabbled with live content, it hasn’t always gone so well. Last year, the livestreamed Love is Blind reunion special was outright cancelled due to technical errors. While the company defended its infrastructure and attributed the issue to a “bug,” it remains to be seen how well Netflix will hold up streaming multiple hours of Raw every week.
Image credit: Netflix
Source: Netflix
Update: 23/01/2024 at 1:42pm ET — Added context for additional WWE programming coming to Netflix.
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