World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has announced that its flagship program, Raw, will be transitioning from cable television to the streaming giant Netflix, starting January 2025. This shift marks a significant departure from the traditional cable format that has been synonymous with WWE Raw for the past 31 years.
Mark Shapiro, President and COO of TKO Group Holdings, WWE’s parent company, expressed the transformative nature of the deal. “This deal is transformative,” said Shapiro in an official statement. “It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years.”
Netflix, with its unparalleled global presence, will become the exclusive home of Raw in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, with plans to expand to additional countries and regions in the future.
In a groundbreaking rights deal exceeding $5 billion, Netflix will not only host WWE Raw but will also become the primary platform for all WWE shows and specials outside the United States. This includes SmackDown and NXT, as well as the company’s premium live events such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble.
Furthermore, Netflix subscribers can anticipate access to WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series, and upcoming projects from 2025 onward.
Bela Bajaria, Netflix Chief Content Officer, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating, “We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix. 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.”
This strategic move follows WWE’s merger with UFC parent Endeavour Group, forming TKO Group Holdings in a groundbreaking $21 billion deal last year. Currently, Raw stands as the number one show on the USA Network, boasting 17.5 million unique viewers throughout the year.
As the world of entertainment continues to evolve, the WWE’s partnership with Netflix signifies a new era for sports entertainment, bringing the electrifying action of Raw to a global audience through the streaming giant’s expansive platform.
