WWE's 'Raw' set to leave cable TV for Netflix
STAMFORD, Conn. (WTAJ) – "Monday Night Raw," WWE's flagship weekly show, is set to leave cable television for the first time in 31 years as it joins forces with Netflix.
WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), part of the TKO Group, and Netflix announced a long-term partnership Tuesday morning that will see the longest-running weekly episodic show in history come to the streaming platform in January 2025. The deal is worth $5 billion, according to multiple reports.
The move also marks the first time in history that "Raw" will shift away from cable TV.
Beginning January 2025, Netflix will air WWE's "Raw" live on Monday nights for the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, among other territories. The companies said additional countries and regions will be added over time.
Another part of the WWE/Netflix deal will see Netflix house the WWE Network outside of the United States — including all Premium Live Events (PLE). Currently, the WWE Network, which debuted nearly a decade ago, still streams WWE content outside of the U.S., while in the country, Peacock, owned by NBC Universal, holds those streaming rights.
“This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO, in a press release. “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.”
WWE's "Raw" debuted on the USA Network in 1993 and has a longstanding relationship with the network. In 2000, the show shifted to the up-and-coming Spike TV channel (now Paramount) but went back to the USA Network in 2005 and has stayed put since.
The program also aired its 1,600th episode this past Monday.
It appears that 2024, too, is set to be a huge year for the WWE as they continue to negotiate TV rights. Currently, WWE NXT is set to leave the USA Network and join Nexstar-owned CW, while Fox declined to renew SmackDown after their current contract expires.
WWE's "Raw" is currently the No. 1 show on USA Network. One of television’s highest-rated shows in the 18-49 advertising demographic, "Raw" trends on X (formerly Twitter) every week while each new episode is airing. WWE also touts more than one billion followers across its social media platforms.
Aside from WWE’s move to streaming, other sporting and entertainment events have also shifted to the platforms in recent years. Nexstar's WKBN reported that the UFC began streaming pay-per-view fight cards on ESPN+ in 2019. The NFL also began streaming games on Paramount, Peacock and Amazon Prime Video in recent years.