WWE SIGNS WITH NETFLIX

WWE this week revealed a groundbreaking collaboration that will impact wrestling fans around the world. Starting in January 2025, Raw will stream exclusively on Netflix in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and several other territories. The deal covers not only Raw, but also other WWE programs such as SmackDown, NXT and premium live events. The news is especially relevant for Brazilian fans, as transmission via Netflix will also extend to Brazil from January 2025, marking the end of the existing contract with ESPN/Disney, scheduled to expire in mid-2024.

The announcement raised questions about the fate of the WWE library, but recent reports suggest that the WWE Network will be shut down by the end of the year. Renowned journalist Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio has reported that Netflix will take over classic WWE content outside of the United States. It's not yet clear whether the entire library will be transferred, but Netflix will become the primary source for archived content from former WWE territories and historical materials starting in January.

Meltzer shared his vision, stating, "The WWE Network itself will exist outside of the United States. It will shut down at the end of the year. Netflix will take the content… Now, will they take all the content, all the archives? I don't know, but they will be the sole source of that, the archived content from all the old territories and all the old material that was on the old WWE Network, that will move to Netflix outside of the United States in January."

WWE Network opened in 2014, marking a significant transition from the pay-per-view model to the streaming service, available for $9.99 per month. In 2021, the service was integrated into Peacock in the United States. However, Netflix will become the exclusive platform for international streaming of WWE content, while in the United States, the library will remain on Peacock until at least 2026.