In a groundbreaking move, household name Netflix has announced a multibillion-dollar deal with the WWE, positioning itself in the competitive arena of live sports streaming.
According to reports from Bloomberg, Netflix’s foray into the world of live sports involves acquiring the rights to WWE Raw. This monumental deal, worth $5 billion, is set to unfold over the next 10 years, coinciding with the expiration of WWE’s contract with Comcast.
With this, the weekly wrestling series is scheduled to debut on Netflix in January, reaching subscribers not only in North America but also across various international markets, making it the exclusive home for RAW.
TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. Mark Shapiro, TKO’s President and Chief Operating Officer, highlighted the significant impact the collaboration will have on WWE’s reach and audience engagement. Shapiro further stated that the partnership dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.
The deal extends beyond WWE Raw, as Netflix secures the rights to stream additional WWE content. Subscribers can now enjoy popular shows like Smackdown and NXT on the streaming platform.
Moreover, Netflix will host pay-per-view live events, including marquee shows like Wrestlemania and Royal Rumble. Remarkably, access to these pay-per-view events will be included in the standard Netflix subscription, offering an added incentive for wrestling enthusiasts.
With Netflix continuing to diversify its content offerings, this groundbreaking deal solidifies its presence in the live sports streaming domain. Wrestling fans can anticipate a new era of accessibility and engagement as WWE Raw and other premium content find a home on the Netflix platform, making weekly live appointment viewing a reality for subscribers worldwide.
