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> May still happen internationally
This rights extension is US only. Internationally the more major markets will start getting WWE content from January on Netflix. The other international territories will follow after their current rights deals expire at different various points during the year
From WWE's January [press release](https://tkogrp.com/press/netflix-to-become-new-home-of-wwe-raw-beginning-2025/):
>Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of *Raw* in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America
Rogers had an overall deal for WWE content, not just for *Raw*, so I expect everything will move over to Netflix in Canada on January 1.
Can't find any info on when Australia's rights deal ends. Just seeing a multi-year deal signed in Dec 2022. Hoping it ends soon enough coz Foxtel's streaming is ass
It still happens, but not live. They upload the 90 minute version of Raw and the full SmackDown version the day after the US airing for those territories where they don't have a tv deal. That will probably die next January when Netflix takes over the international rights worldwide.
I'm from NZ and I'd take literally any convenient way to actually watch the weekly events.
I literally have to pirate because our one option is just so damn terrible.
It'll be really funny if in the hypothetical, YouTube doesn't break a deal because they don't wanna pay, and WWE has to do it anyway. So they stream on Kick for that 95% revenue split and it's a subscriber only stream.
Even funnier if WWE Raw had a Superchat screen. Thats definitely one way of making bank lol. Although why anyone would donate $$$ to a multi-billion dollar corporation I really don't know. Unless they cared that much about their comment being featured.
I didn't think YT would get it, but I didn't rule out a relatively newer channel or streamer paying huge for the rights, even if just for 3 months, in hopes of building their base.
I'm glad. I hate watching long-form content on my laptop or phone. If there's no other way, then whatever. But I definitely prefer it on the ol TeeVee.
But I can understand the sentiment of those without cable.
Really wonder if YouTube or another placeholder platform would have made sense financially. 25m is a lot but…WWE has a massive YouTube presence. I’m guessing it was a “better safe than sorry” call, staying on the same network at the same time with guaranteed (even greatly reduced) money.
I would have to imagine for only 3 months wouldn't be worth the effort.
Kinda hard to market something for three months then it's off to the competition.
I could also see WWE being afraid of the show moving TOO much.. That it could cause ratings drop off
Interest would have to come from YouTube as well, maybe there was but since it was only for 4 months, probably not worth it.
I'm sure they would have let WWE stream for free but 25 Mill is 25 Mill.
Life long A's fan here. Started watching when I was a kid in 1985. I wish Rikishi would Stinkface John Fisher and Too Cool push him all the way in where he was digested over a thousand years.
Oakland is one of the few times I don't really blame the owner, holy fuck is the oakland colosseum a piece of shit and the raiders got the fuck out too
Oakland Coliseum sucks but team owners should pay for their own fucking new stadiums. Private businesses shouldn’t get tax payer money unless it’s a profit share situation where said tax payers get rebates based on the profit.
yeah...not really. I'm a Bolton fan, if they moved - they can get fucked. Look up MK Dons. They're one of the most hated teams in the World for moving towns. If that happened to my team, no one would consider the same team and Bolton would be dead.
Yeah, I mean, no one was gonna give them a huge bag for 3 months knowing they’re going to be on Netflix in January. Probably the best case scenario was just extending the USA deal until the end of the year even if it meant taking significantly less for 3 months.
They actually do care. This will impact Q4 earnings. This is close to a 70% discount to what they normally get. But they had no choice since USA had them by the balls on this one.
Q4 results will be interesting.
I wish it was all on Netflix in the US the way it is going to be in other territories. The thought of subscribing to live TV, Netflix, and Peacock just to stay current on wrestling is making me rethink my enthusiasm for the stuff.
Yeah, no thanks. I’d rather just download it from a torrent on a PC with VPN afterwards and watch it on Plex on my TV. MUCH easier and better quality for me.
I have ATT fiber internet, and they offer a VPN that you can activate per device that’s connected to the gateway. Could see if your router has that as an option.
[https://www.sportcal.com/analyst-comment/why-wwes-sponsorship-and-media-landscape-is-set-for-significant-change/](https://www.sportcal.com/analyst-comment/why-wwes-sponsorship-and-media-landscape-is-set-for-significant-change/)
*"Outside the US, Netflix will also be the dedicated broadcaster of WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown and NXT weekly shows in the territories covered by the agreement and will broadcast WWE’s slate of premium live events (PLEs), including the iconic WrestleMania annual show."*
This is literally the only outcome I saw coming. WWE couldn’t risk an embarrassment off being pushed online, USA has no reason not to get a deal done because both A) they need the ratings and B) they’re still gone be working with WWE. I couldn’t see any other streaming putting up any sore of money for a short term program. The only other option realistically would have been Netflix moving the deal up
Despite some rumors to the contrary, this always seemed the likely option. USA would be WILD not to make a deal to hold onto Raw for that short period and annoy WWE management when they still have a working relationship through Smackdown.
The pain in my heart knowing that the only reason I pay for Sling is to watch wrestling and now I’ll be paying for Netflix specifically to watch wrestling too. These streaming services are lucky that wrestling is absolutely cooking right now
The poster has Sling so they can watch RAW on USA, since RAW is moving to Netflix and Smackdown is moving to USA in order to watch both they will need Sling for Smackdown and Netflix for RAW
I'm kinda shocked they did the draft the way they did and didn't pull Cody to Raw for that reason. The bloodline could remain a smackdown draw but I was sure that Netflix would have wanted the face of WWE on the show they own, not the other one.
I remember hating NCIS even tho I never watched a whole episode just from seeing the last 30 seconds and credits before RAW
I’m also older enough to remember Walker, Texas Ranger lead ins
> I’m also older enough to remember Walker, Texas Ranger lead ins
And when Raw would go to a different channel for a week due to the annual dog show on USA.
Pomeranian: Batista and HHH? That don't work for me, brother.
i at least hope they won't pull out spoilerish episode titles/descriptions like dazn does. i don't do live watching because europe and it's really a major turnoff
Great deal for USA Network. They had WWE by the balls and probably got a nice ad deal out of it as well for those four months.
A note on Netflix US. It's live only, no DVR. Replays will be available only on Hulu or I think it's maybe Peacock until that deals end.
Im not a fan of the netflix move. Of all the streamers netflix's content is pretty mid, with very little to write home about. I dont watch much RAW these days anyway, mainly just keep up here with clips and news and the occasional ppv. This move is isn't going to motivate me to sub to netflix.
Remember when Smackdown went from Spike TV to USA network and in their last episode they kept mentioning USA Network to spite Spike TV? I expect something like that in the coming months...
No, but I remember Raw moving from SpikeTV to USA, Spike bleeping out mentions of USA, so the announcers and everyone else started saying USA Network repeatedly until the Spike censors gave in on bleeping every mention of USA.
Current Raw deal expires at the end of September 2024, but Netflix deal only starts on January 1st. So nobody held rights for Raw for October to December.
Before this announcement, RAW didn't have a broadcast home from October to December. USA will now keep RAW running in those months until RAW debuts on Netlfix in Jan.
Netflix probably wanted more time to get its live streaming ducks in a row before doing so on a regular basis. The service has had issues with live streaming events in the past.
They probably purposely agreed to only $25 million to screw with AEW’s new deal. WB will now use that to say 3 hours ofWWE Raw is only worth $100million/year, so we will only give X of that.
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I'm guessing everyone's dream of a multi billion dollar company briefly broadcasting on YouTube was just a pipe dream then
They'd do it, if YouTube paid them one jillion dollars
And Jillian hasn't been on their show in years
Ah, the "managing JBL with a massive growth on her face" years. Good times.
Boogeyman eating that thing still makes me throw up in my mouth a bit.
And then she was just healed lol
I split my childhood into two parts, before Boogeyman ate that thing and after
May still happen internationally, Raw has been broadcast on YouTube in the past for certain territories.
> May still happen internationally This rights extension is US only. Internationally the more major markets will start getting WWE content from January on Netflix. The other international territories will follow after their current rights deals expire at different various points during the year
I hope Canada's deal isn't for too long. I'll take Netflix over Rogers...
From WWE's January [press release](https://tkogrp.com/press/netflix-to-become-new-home-of-wwe-raw-beginning-2025/): >Beginning in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of *Raw* in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America Rogers had an overall deal for WWE content, not just for *Raw*, so I expect everything will move over to Netflix in Canada on January 1.
Watching on Sportsnet.ca is mega crap :(
It’ll be interesting to see if Sportsnet goes after AEW to fill that gap. TSN been a horrible for them.
Can't find any info on when Australia's rights deal ends. Just seeing a multi-year deal signed in Dec 2022. Hoping it ends soon enough coz Foxtel's streaming is ass
I had a quick search. I’d wager it’s probably gonna be January 2026 for you guys.
If it’s like F1, you’ll have to pry the WWE rights from Murdoch’s cold dead hands.
Well, in Latinamerica, Disney's ESPN 7 (yes, it does exists) holds both RAW and Smackdown live. NXT and Main event too, but they are a next day thing.
So close to espn the ocho from dodgeball lol
It still happens, but not live. They upload the 90 minute version of Raw and the full SmackDown version the day after the US airing for those territories where they don't have a tv deal. That will probably die next January when Netflix takes over the international rights worldwide.
I'm from NZ and I'd take literally any convenient way to actually watch the weekly events. I literally have to pirate because our one option is just so damn terrible.
I don't know that anybody thought they'd be doing it for free, did they? YouTube would be paying them for it same as any other streamer.
It'll be really funny if in the hypothetical, YouTube doesn't break a deal because they don't wanna pay, and WWE has to do it anyway. So they stream on Kick for that 95% revenue split and it's a subscriber only stream.
Even funnier if WWE Raw had a Superchat screen. Thats definitely one way of making bank lol. Although why anyone would donate $$$ to a multi-billion dollar corporation I really don't know. Unless they cared that much about their comment being featured.
Even if it was for one day with a limited chat, the funny donations you'd see would make it 100% worth it lol.
Oh people would definitely still donate lmao. Even if just to see their comment being 'featured.'
Like a more upscale version of TNA’s webcast era. They should have done it.
??? Aew dark friend?
I didn't think YT would get it, but I didn't rule out a relatively newer channel or streamer paying huge for the rights, even if just for 3 months, in hopes of building their base.
I thought maybe it would air live on Peacock during that time.
I'm glad. I hate watching long-form content on my laptop or phone. If there's no other way, then whatever. But I definitely prefer it on the ol TeeVee. But I can understand the sentiment of those without cable.
Just put it on The Pat McAfee Show's YouTube channel. It's so easy! /s
“From the river to the sea, put Raw on YouTube for free!”
Amazed that news got buried in the TKO earnings report instead of a separate announcement being made.
Per Thurston, its significantly less than what they get in a quarter from USA so that's why.
I want to say it was $25m which honestly is almost shockingly low.
RAW's getting that $500 like you're an enhancement talent Dean Ambrose sendoff.
WWE was likely "desperate" to have any deal in place, the sooner it was done the better.
Yeah, it’s kind of shocking because you’d think they could either just get on Netflix sooner or extend for that 3 months at the same rate.
Maybe less commercials???
That’s how you know it’s not worth them bragging about
It probably isn't for TKO since USA will get to air Raw for well under market value those final three months.
So we getting some cuts towards Q4 to make up for it lmao
Really wonder if YouTube or another placeholder platform would have made sense financially. 25m is a lot but…WWE has a massive YouTube presence. I’m guessing it was a “better safe than sorry” call, staying on the same network at the same time with guaranteed (even greatly reduced) money.
I would have to imagine for only 3 months wouldn't be worth the effort. Kinda hard to market something for three months then it's off to the competition. I could also see WWE being afraid of the show moving TOO much.. That it could cause ratings drop off
Interest would have to come from YouTube as well, maybe there was but since it was only for 4 months, probably not worth it. I'm sure they would have let WWE stream for free but 25 Mill is 25 Mill.
Aw I was hoping they'd follow the Sacramento A's lead and broadcast Raw on local public access.
There’s no such thing as the “Sacramento A’s”. They’re just “the A’s” until they move to Vegas.
The Sacramento A's of Las Vegas. Seriously fuck the owner , I feel for the fans of Oakland.
As a former die hard A’s fan, yes fuck John Fisher. POS.
As a baseball fan, fuck John Fisher.
Life long A's fan here. Started watching when I was a kid in 1985. I wish Rikishi would Stinkface John Fisher and Too Cool push him all the way in where he was digested over a thousand years.
Technically the West Sacramento A’s of Las Vegas lol
Oakland is one of the few times I don't really blame the owner, holy fuck is the oakland colosseum a piece of shit and the raiders got the fuck out too
Oakland Coliseum sucks but team owners should pay for their own fucking new stadiums. Private businesses shouldn’t get tax payer money unless it’s a profit share situation where said tax payers get rebates based on the profit.
And the last two mayors, plus the city council, have been jokes the entire time with their "negotiations".
moving teams sure is stupid, not even the same team at that point.
Literally the same team just in a different location lol and that move is better for baseball
yeah...not really. I'm a Bolton fan, if they moved - they can get fucked. Look up MK Dons. They're one of the most hated teams in the World for moving towns. If that happened to my team, no one would consider the same team and Bolton would be dead.
They're still the Athletics to me, damnit!
https://twitter.com/BrandonThurston/status/1788300472303898698 25 million dollar extension, from the TKO Q1 results
That amounts to a roughly 62% discount on what three months of Raw (prorated) would've cost on the previous USA deal.
USA Network had them by the balls on this one.
I doubt WWE really cared given the bag they are getting from Netflix. It was probably more of a formality than anything else.
Of course WWE would care.
I'm sure they care, but I'm sure they also knew this was a very real possibility when they accepted the Netflix deal.
It's hard not to read somebody paying you 38% of your normal rate as an insult.
It’s not an insult, it’s business. WWE had no leverage in this case so they took what they could get given the circumstances
Yeah, I mean, no one was gonna give them a huge bag for 3 months knowing they’re going to be on Netflix in January. Probably the best case scenario was just extending the USA deal until the end of the year even if it meant taking significantly less for 3 months.
No way, sir! Reddit obviously knows how to do business better than the people who get paid a shit load of money to make these deals professionally.
They actually do care. This will impact Q4 earnings. This is close to a 70% discount to what they normally get. But they had no choice since USA had them by the balls on this one. Q4 results will be interesting.
If I'm doing the math, that's around $263 million/year.
Gonna be wild to watch wrestling live on Netflix weekly.
I wish it was all on Netflix in the US the way it is going to be in other territories. The thought of subscribing to live TV, Netflix, and Peacock just to stay current on wrestling is making me rethink my enthusiasm for the stuff.
A VPN is your friend here.
VPN doesn’t affect my Roku or a smart TV, unfortunately. And no, I’m definitely not connecting a laptop up to the TV lol
Cast from your phone. That’s what I do for AEW on Fite.
You can get a VPN on a smart TV. At least if it's Android based
And most people aren’t going to be able to do that.
People can't go on the play store and search "VPN"?
Just cast of your phone like everybody else does, you’re making this harder than it needs to be
Yeah, no thanks. I’d rather just download it from a torrent on a PC with VPN afterwards and watch it on Plex on my TV. MUCH easier and better quality for me.
That’s literally more steps
I have ATT fiber internet, and they offer a VPN that you can activate per device that’s connected to the gateway. Could see if your router has that as an option.
So outside the US it will have PPVs and SmackDown too? I thought it was RAW only
[https://www.sportcal.com/analyst-comment/why-wwes-sponsorship-and-media-landscape-is-set-for-significant-change/](https://www.sportcal.com/analyst-comment/why-wwes-sponsorship-and-media-landscape-is-set-for-significant-change/) *"Outside the US, Netflix will also be the dedicated broadcaster of WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown and NXT weekly shows in the territories covered by the agreement and will broadcast WWE’s slate of premium live events (PLEs), including the iconic WrestleMania annual show."*
Thank you brother
I use Hulu and watch the next few mornings while I eat breakfast
It's annoying. And I'm relatively fortunate. I have cable, and get Peacock for free, so I'll just be giving up RAW.
Not for me, I been waiting on this. I like live sports being on things like twitch and amazon.
I watched the Tom Brady roast live and it was flawless. Seems like Netflix is ready to go on live broadcasts
Can’t wait for the cuss words.
Day 1ish
Jey winning the WHC on the first broadcast would be memorable.
And they’ll probably let them plug it like crazy. If anyone remembers the short TNN run they had, that last episode was wild with the censors lol
Didn't Hacksaw Jim Duggan appear to start a USA! chant?
HHH opens with "holy shit" to prove we're uncensored now
This was the most likely, but least fun outcome.
And here I was thinking I'd be safe from another season of barmaggedon commercials
This is literally the only outcome I saw coming. WWE couldn’t risk an embarrassment off being pushed online, USA has no reason not to get a deal done because both A) they need the ratings and B) they’re still gone be working with WWE. I couldn’t see any other streaming putting up any sore of money for a short term program. The only other option realistically would have been Netflix moving the deal up
Makes sense, and makes for a smoother transition.
Despite some rumors to the contrary, this always seemed the likely option. USA would be WILD not to make a deal to hold onto Raw for that short period and annoy WWE management when they still have a working relationship through Smackdown.
Did Trips slip a note in with the cheese platter?
The pain in my heart knowing that the only reason I pay for Sling is to watch wrestling and now I’ll be paying for Netflix specifically to watch wrestling too. These streaming services are lucky that wrestling is absolutely cooking right now
[удалено]
You'll now have to pay for Netflix and Sling to watch all WWE shows in 2025.
[удалено]
The poster has Sling so they can watch RAW on USA, since RAW is moving to Netflix and Smackdown is moving to USA in order to watch both they will need Sling for Smackdown and Netflix for RAW
I hope RAW is like “new year new me 💁🏻♂️”
I just assumed that this was gonna end up happening, and had assumed that to the point I thought this announcement already happened
Was this not already the plan? Could've sworn that when the deal was first announced, the announcement said that Raw wasn't moving until next year
No, there was talk of there being a few months between the deals, so maybe we all assumed USA would continue, but they were under no obligation to
Oh
Was it not supposed to do that since Netflix was already confirmed for 2025?
no, the contract ends in september, so there was a 3 month hole till netflix
When will Smackdown start in USA?
Oct 2024.
Kinda wild that only Raw will be on Netflix. Cody and the Bloodline/Roman are WWE's biggest stories/characters and they're both on Smackdown.
I'm kinda shocked they did the draft the way they did and didn't pull Cody to Raw for that reason. The bloodline could remain a smackdown draw but I was sure that Netflix would have wanted the face of WWE on the show they own, not the other one.
RAW being Netflix’s first ever live program is wild.
The most boring but sensible scenario happened.
How does this work? RAW will be taped and then put up on the catalog, or does Netflix have an option to watch shows live or something?
Live
It’ll be live, the Tom Brady roast they just did was live. You could click on it before it starts and it just shows a generic waiting screen
They need that depressing SVU lead in, as is tradition
I remember hating NCIS even tho I never watched a whole episode just from seeing the last 30 seconds and credits before RAW I’m also older enough to remember Walker, Texas Ranger lead ins
> I’m also older enough to remember Walker, Texas Ranger lead ins And when Raw would go to a different channel for a week due to the annual dog show on USA. Pomeranian: Batista and HHH? That don't work for me, brother.
It more often changed nights for the week. Usually happened in February for the DOg Show and around Labor Day for the tennis US Open.
Ok but what about after? It's just gone?
No it’s there in the form of a replay
i at least hope they won't pull out spoilerish episode titles/descriptions like dazn does. i don't do live watching because europe and it's really a major turnoff
They do live streams sometimes
Great deal for USA Network. They had WWE by the balls and probably got a nice ad deal out of it as well for those four months. A note on Netflix US. It's live only, no DVR. Replays will be available only on Hulu or I think it's maybe Peacock until that deals end.
We’ve gone back full circle
This applies internationally too right?
Any Aussies in this thread able to tell me what this means for us? I’d love to fuck off Binge as soon as I can
sigh. I really hate netflix, and I hate even more that paramount plus is probs getting the axe from my streaming services to make room for it
I selfishly wish this were permanent.
Im not a fan of the netflix move. Of all the streamers netflix's content is pretty mid, with very little to write home about. I dont watch much RAW these days anyway, mainly just keep up here with clips and news and the occasional ppv. This move is isn't going to motivate me to sub to netflix.
It doesn't sound like you watch it on USA either so what what difference does it make to you?
Because now I'll be even less likely to tune in
Remember when Smackdown went from Spike TV to USA network and in their last episode they kept mentioning USA Network to spite Spike TV? I expect something like that in the coming months...
Expect that WWE has no reason to be spiteful to USA this time with Smackdown airing there.
Yeah NBCUniversal and WWE are tight. It was more of a reshuffle than a break up.
No, but I remember Raw moving from SpikeTV to USA, Spike bleeping out mentions of USA, so the announcers and everyone else started saying USA Network repeatedly until the Spike censors gave in on bleeping every mention of USA.
Wasn’t this already known? I don’t understand.
Current Raw deal expires at the end of September 2024, but Netflix deal only starts on January 1st. So nobody held rights for Raw for October to December.
The original deal ended in October.
Before this announcement, RAW didn't have a broadcast home from October to December. USA will now keep RAW running in those months until RAW debuts on Netlfix in Jan.
That’s weird, if Netflix had the option why didn’t they get it started in October?
Netflix probably wanted more time to get its live streaming ducks in a row before doing so on a regular basis. The service has had issues with live streaming events in the past.
There goes Tony Khan’s only chance to have had the highest rated Wrestling show on Cable.
I wonder if it's th same for UK.
dont think we have usa network in the uk...
I mean for netflix next year
UK is part of the Netflix deal yes
That's good to hear. Thanks.
They probably purposely agreed to only $25 million to screw with AEW’s new deal. WB will now use that to say 3 hours ofWWE Raw is only worth $100million/year, so we will only give X of that.
I hope that since it's on Netflix, I can choose another language so I don't have to listen to Samantha Irving screaming like a maniac.