NETFLIX and TKO Group Holdings announced on Tuesday (EST) that the mammoth streaming platform will begin airing WWE’s flagship program “Raw” next year, marking Netflix’s first big entrance into live sports.
According to a statement made on Netflix’s website, WWE Raw will begin streaming in January 2025.
It will be exclusively streamed in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, among other places, with more nations and regions to follow over time.
As part of the agreement, Netflix will host all WWE programs and specials that are available outside of the United States, including Raw and WWE’s other weekly shows.
This covers SmackDown and NXT, as well as the company’s Premium Live Events like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and the Royal Rumble.
WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original shows, and upcoming projects are also expected to be available on Netflix globally starting in 2025.
“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,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO.
“Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix,” he went on to say.
Meanwhile, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria expressed excitement about having WWE Raw on their streaming platform, citing its “multigenerational” fan base all around the world.
“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” Bajaria said in a statement.
“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,” said Netflix’s Chief Content Officer.
The Netflix arrangement marks the end of Raw’s long-standing association with NBCUniversal, since Raw aired on USA Network from 1993 to 2000 and again from 2005 to the present.
Meanwhile, SmackDown will move to USA Network beginning in October.
The show (WWE Raw) is currently the most popular on USA Network, attracting 17.5 million unique viewers per year.
Raw is one of television’s best-performing shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic, with new episodes running 52 weeks a year.
WWE has over one billion fans on social media, making their partnership with Netflix appear to be a natural fit for both parties.
