WWE signs huge 'game changing' deal with Netflix

World Wrestling Entertainment, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc, has today announced a huge deal to bring their flagship show, Monday Night Raw, to Netflix, beginning in 2025.

This is a landmark moment for the wrestling world, as Raw, which has been on TV in a episodic format since 1993, will now leave regular television broadcasting and be available exclusively just on Netflix.

Not only that 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.

"This deal is transformative,” said Mark Shapiro, TKO President and COO. “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.”

“We are excited to have WWE Raw, with its huge and passionate multigenerational fan base, on Netflix,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria. “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. Raw is the best of sports entertainment, blending great characters and storytelling with live action 52 weeks a year and we’re thrilled to be in this long-term partnership with WWE.”

“In its relatively short history, Netflix has engineered a phenomenal track record for storytelling,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “We believe Netflix, as one of the world’s leading entertainment brands, is the ideal long-term home for Raw’s live, loyal, and ever-growing fan base."

WWE's chief content officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque added on X/Twitter: "This partnership is one that will break new ground, and take @WWE to new heights. Thrilled to bring #WWERaw to @Netflix, coming January 2025. Now we change the game!!!!

Further reporting suggests that the deal is worth a staggering $5bn and is said to be a 10-year pact between the two companies.

This comes off the back of a huge year for WWE which saw the brand return to a sense of dominance in the wrestling world, both commercially and critically with shows outside of the United States, such as Canada, the UK and Puerto Rico, drawing record numbers for revenue.

WWE also welcomed back major stars like The Rock, CM Punk and Trish Stratus and is currently on the road to Wrestlemania 40 in Philadelphia, with the annual Royal Rumble match taking place this Saturday in St Petersburg, Florida.

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