2024 WWE Media Rights Dealings: Smackdown moving to USA in October 2024, Raw to Netflix in January 2025

[Unholy Diver]

If you're subscribing to the base account (Standard with ads) it's $7/mo. That'd take just under 6M subscribers brought in by the WWE to make up $500M in a year. Even if you were to suggest that half purchased standard with ads, and half purchased standard, no ads, that's an average price of $11.25 per subscription, which would require 3.7M new subscribers to make up $500M/year.

Less than 2M have watched RAW regularly in the US for years now. For reference (Because I dunno that Peacock can gauge how many subscribe exclusively for WWE content) the WWE Network had 1.5M subscribers in October of 2020.

Then you have to factor in that:

1. Some are going to say "f*** that, I guess I won't be watching RAW anymore."
2. Others are already subscribed to NETFLIX.

You are also just counting the actual money they spent for the shows rights, would not adding a big chunk of programming like this also cost money to be spent on digital infrastructures and bandwith and stuff like that? I have to think there is going to be some work involved in it

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

You are also just counting the actual money they spent for the shows rights, would not adding a big chunk of programming like this also cost money to be spent on digital infrastructures and bandwith and stuff like that? I have to think there is going to be some work involved in it

It's a cost, yeah. But I'd imagine with a service like Netflix, it's probably a drop in the bucket to add one company's libraries (Even as expansive as the WWE's are) when you consider the hundreds of millions of hours of content they probably have stored.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

If you're subscribing to the base account (Standard with ads) it's $7/mo. That'd take just under 6M subscribers brought in by the WWE to make up $500M in a year. Even if you were to suggest that half purchased standard with ads, and half purchased standard, no ads, that's an average price of $11.25 per subscription, which would require 3.7M new subscribers to make up $500M/year.

Less than 2M have watched RAW regularly in the US for years now. For reference (Because I dunno that Peacock can gauge how many subscribe exclusively for WWE content) the WWE Network had 1.5M subscribers in October of 2020.

Then you have to factor in that:

1. Some are going to say "f*** that, I guess I won't be watching RAW anymore."
2. Others are already subscribed to NETFLIX.

Regarding the base plan with ads, I'd have to think they did their homework and priced it in such a way that, in terms of revenues (subscription + ads), it's very close to the standard plan.

The numbers you mention do make sense, but it's also very US/NA-centric. This Netflix move will certainly make things much easier for the worldwide audience - and we know WWE is trying to make that international push with more and more PPVs held outside of North America.

Amongst the things you have to factor in, which are valid, are also those on the brink of subscribing but holding off because it's not exactly worth it for them now. No idea about how many people that might be, but I'm possibly one of those.

 

[yahhockey]

As long as I can watch from the beginning if I want to watch at 9:30pm and can fast forward through stuff I don't want to see then I suppose it's okay.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Funny thing is none of us have even gotten to talking about the impact on the show itself, yet.

How does it change production? For better or worse? Do we start getting to see full matches rather than 2 minutes followed by an ad break followed by 6 minutes followed by another ad break?

You actually might start getting some good matches that mean something now on RAW. Hard to get behind a title change where you only get to see half of the match and it's constantly interrupted.

On the other hand, you might get longer women's tag matches that nobody gives a shit about...

 

[Emperoreddy]

I would imagine ad breaks will still be built into the show and higher tiers would either get to just keep watching the match or get video promos like Peacock does for PLEs

 

[sansabri]

so... which wrestlers have contracts coming up again? here comes the moooneeeeeey

 

[hockey20000]

so in canada will the wwe network die and need netflix for ppvs or what?

 

[BruinDust]

McAfee just confirmed Raw in Canada will be on Netflix come January 2025.

Nick Khan to be his guest in about 5 mins.

 

[Jussi]

I would imagine ad breaks will still be built into the show and higher tiers would either get to just keep watching the match or get video promos like Peacock does for PLEs

Assuming the deal means we in Finland get this immediately, we still don't have ad tiers on Netflix here. Neither on Disney+.

 

[Reality Check]

WWE keeps winning.

Also please, for the love of god, let Raw go back to two hours.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

$5 billion should be just enough to land this Okada feller.

 

[yahhockey]

so in canada will the wwe network die and need netflix for ppvs or what?

Seems it's just Raw and the Network will continue as is through various tv/satellite providers. At least nothing mentioned would indicate a change in that regard for Canadians.

...edit...i don't know, maybe?

Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America, among other territories, with additional countries and regions to be added over time. Likewise, as part of the agreement, Netflix will also become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. as available, inclusive of Raw and WWE’s other weekly shows – SmackDown and NXT – as well as the company’s Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble. WWE’s award-winning documentaries, original series and forthcoming projects will also be available on Netflix internationally beginning in 2025.

 

[Jussi]

WWE keeps winning.

Also please, for the love of god, let Raw go back to two hours.

Already mentioned, will stay 3 hours.

 

[yahhockey]

.....Meaning the WWE-Netflix term could end up being 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years -- whichever Netflix chooses.
The company discloses the value of the deal over 10 years would be "in excess of $5 billion", as reported. (this is the cut off part of the tweet)

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

so... which wrestlers have contracts coming up again? here comes the moooneeeeeey

Hence:

Seth, Becky, and Drew, salivating over these TV deals:

View attachment 808657

Wouldn't surprise me if Becky and Seth have already extended though. Often with the WWE contracts you hear so and so is coming up, nothing is said for months, and then it's "Oh they signed back in the summer."

I believe that was the case with Charlotte. Didn't come out until November or December that she had signed months earlier.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

.....Meaning the WWE-Netflix term could end up being 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years -- whichever Netflix chooses.
The company discloses the value of the deal over 10 years would be "in excess of $5 billion", as reported. (this is the cut off part of the tweet)

This has to have a condition on money for the 10 year extension...

Look at the TV contracts from 20 years ago compared to now... Imagine WWE in 2044 only being paid $500M for RAW. That would be a rancid deal for them.

Shit, the NHL alone was making $70M/year from Comcast coming out of the lockout. They're now making $625M/year between ESPN and Turner.

 

[Emperoreddy]

so in canada will the wwe network die and need netflix for ppvs or what?

From what I read, in Canada everything is going on Netflix

 

[TD Charlie]

As it is now, I record everything and almost never watch it live. It could be the next day I watch, or it could just be an hour into the show that I will start from the beginning. The key to be able to survive 3 hours of WWE programming is the ability to fast forward through the junk and the ad breaks. As long as I can still choose to start from the beginning while the show is still being shown live, and can skip the junk and the ads, I'm totally fine with this.

I just have a hard time believing Netflix will allow us to skip commercials, which they will 100 percent be adding into the stream

 

[hockey20000]

From what I read, in Canada everything is going on Netflix

meaning wwe network gonna shut down or just wont have ppv on it anymore?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

.....Meaning the WWE-Netflix term could end up being 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years -- whichever Netflix chooses.
The company discloses the value of the deal over 10 years would be "in excess of $5 billion", as reported. (this is the cut off part of the tweet)

FWIW, Dave is telling a different story.

It's a 10 year deal with NETFLIX options to cut it at 5 years or extend it by 5 years to 15 years. He said nothing about 20 years.

 

[GKJ]

 

[Emperoreddy]

meaning wwe network gonna shut down or just wont have ppv on it anymore?

Not sure if it's shutting down, or where the archive is going.

Just that RAW, Smackdown, NXT, and future PPVs will all be on Netflix in Canada. I assume the plan is to eventually put the old stuff on Netflix too.

 

[Emperoreddy]

As it is now, I record everything and almost never watch it live. It could be the next day I watch, or it could just be an hour into the show that I will start from the beginning. The key to be able to survive 3 hours of WWE programming is the ability to fast forward through the junk and the ad breaks. As long as I can still choose to start from the beginning while the show is still being shown live, and can skip the junk and the ads, I'm totally fine with this.

I just have a hard time believing Netflix will allow us to skip commercials, which they will 100 percent be adding into the stream

No way they allow ad skipping, but they did say that there won't be breaks in the action for people paying for the ad-free tier, though they killed the business and said key things would not happen during the designated ad breaks on CNBC

 

[Voight]

Anyone know if this deal includes some of the video library?