World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), a professional wrestling organisation and a division of TKO Group Holdings, Inc., has signed a long-term agreement with Netflix, an American OTT video provider.

With this partnership, the largest entertainment network in the world will carry WWE’s flagship weekly show, Raw. Additionally, as Raw is departing from linear television for the first time since its founding 31 years ago, this marks a huge programming shift.

The ten-year rights contract is expected to come at a cost of over $5 billion. Starting in January 2025, Netflix will be the exclusive new home of Raw in the US, UK, Canada, and Latin America. We’ll eventually include more nations and areas.

Along with the WWE’s Premium Live Events, which include WrestleMania, Summer Slam, and Royal Rumble, Netflix will also host all WWE programming that is made available outside of the United States, including Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Netflix will also provide WWE documentaries, original series, and new projects to audiences globally starting in 2025.

Netflix Will Get Weekly Live Sports Entertainment Through a Long-Term Deal

January 23, 2024, STAMFORD, Conn. WWE, a division of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) today announced a long-term collaboration that will see WWE’s premier weekly show, Raw, available on the top entertainment platform globally. For the first time since its founding 31 years ago, Raw is departing from linear television, which signifies a significant programming change.

With other nations and regions to be added over time, Netflix will serve as Raw’s exclusive new home in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America starting in January 2025. Netflix will also serve as the home for all WWE programming, including Raw and the company’s other weekly shows SmackDown and NXT, as well as the company’s Premium Live Events, such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble, outside of the United States until further notice. Beginning in 2025, Netflix will provide WWE’s acclaimed documentaries, original shows, and upcoming projects to viewers worldwide. According to TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro, “this arrangement is revolutionary.” It combines the incredible worldwide reach of Netflix with the must-watch WWE content, securing substantial and steady commercial returns over an extended period of time. Our collaboration significantly broadens WWE’s audience, improves the media environment, and adds weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.

Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria expressed her excitement, saying, we are pleased to offer WWE Raw on Netflix, with its large and passionate intergenerational fan base.” Through the integration of our fanbase, recommendations, and reach with WWE, we will be able to provide more happiness and value for both our members and their viewers.

We’re excited to have this long-term collaboration with WWE because Raw is the pinnacle of sports entertainment, fusing fantastic characters and storyline with live action 52 weeks a year. The president of WWE, Nick Khan, stated, “Netflix has established a tremendous track record for narrative in its very short existence.” “We think Netflix, one of the top entertainment companies in the world, is the perfect long-term home for Raw’s active, devoted, and expanding fan base.

Raw is the most recognisable programme in sports entertainment, having produced 1600 episodes to date. 52 weeks a year since its 1993 premiere, Raw has featured action, gripping drama, and unparalleled athleticism. The three-hour programme, which combines the finest of live entertainment with written content, has been instrumental in launching the careers of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Steve Austin, Triple H, John Cena, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair, and Charlotte Flair.

At USA Network, the show is presently the most popular programme, drawing approximately 17.5 million unique viewers annually. Raw is one of the top-performing television programmes in the 18–49 age group, and it airs on X 52 weeks a year when new episodes are being released. 

Concerning WWE

The world leader in sports entertainment, WWE is an integrated media company owned by TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). The organisation is made up of a group of companies that produce and distribute unique content to a worldwide audience 52 weeks out of the year. WWE is dedicated to providing family-friendly entertainment on its digital media, publishing platforms, premium live events, and television programmes.

 WWE’s TV-PG content is available in 25 languages and more than 1 billion households globally thanks to top-notch distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, TNT Sport, Sony India, and Rogers. Currently accessible in almost 165 countries, the award-winning WWE Network features all premium live events, planned content, and a vast video-on-demand library.

Concerning Netflix

With over 247 million paying customers in over 190 countries, Netflix is one of the most popular entertainment providers in the world. Users may enjoy TV shows, movies, and games in a range of genres and languages. Members are free to play, pause, and restart viewing whenever and wherever they like. They may also modify their plans at any moment.

Concerning TKO

The world’s top mixed martial arts organisation, UFC, and the acknowledged global leader in sports entertainment, WWE, are part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment conglomerate. Our organisations work together to reach over 1 billion TV homes in around 170 countries. We also host over 350 live events annually that draw in over a million people. The worldwide sports and entertainment corporation Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) is the principal owner of TKO.

Statements Regarding the Future

This press release includes statements that are intended to be covered by the safe harbour provisions found in Sections 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as well as forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Every statement in this press release, including, without limitation, anticipated programming and audience advantages under the multi-year domestic media rights collaboration with and NBCUniversal, that does not pertain to issues of historical fact should be regarded as forward-looking statement.

These statements contain risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could lead to actual performance, results, or accomplishments differing materially from those stated or implied by the forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors covered in the “Risk Factors” section of TKO’s final prospectus on Form 424, which was filed with the SEC on September 19, 2023. It is possible that any of these factors will change in the future. Except as may be required by applicable law, TKO and WWE make no commitment to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.