Netflix, WWE Execs Preview ‘RAW’ Streaming Move, Address Tyson-Paul Fight Glitches

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As a long-time fan of WWE and someone who has witnessed the evolution of their programming over the years, I am absolutely thrilled about their new partnership with Netflix. Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s sentiment about being content with a couple of million viewers seems like a walk in the park compared to the 65 million concurrent streams they pulled off recently.

“If it blinks a couple of times, and we do 60 million [viewers], I’m good with that.”

In simpler terms, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who is both the chief content officer (and a former wrestling legend) at WWE, is excited about their new partnership with Netflix. He’s particularly referring to the recent Mike Tyson-Jake Paul event, which drew 65 million concurrent streams and 108 million live viewers on Netflix, despite some technical issues for certain users. Despite these glitches, Levesque isn’t too concerned because he’s used to WWE’s Monday Night RAW attracting 1.5 million viewers on the USA network, a channel that has been sold by its parent company. Therefore, it seems that the advantages of moving his weekly live show to Netflix are likely greater than any potential drawbacks.

Bela Bejaria, Netflix’s head of content, stated that during every live event we host, our goal is to ensure everything runs flawlessly for each member. However, it’s only through taking risks that we can truly understand and overcome challenges. We’ve taken those lessons to heart as we prepare for the NFL and Beyoncé at halftime, and now we’re fully prepared and eager for the WWE event.

Netflix has significantly increased its focus on live programming, marking a shift from their previous stance. Recent examples include Chris Rock’s special, the controversial reunion of Love Is Blind, John Mulaney’s innovative take on talk shows, the successful Tyson-Paul fight, and notably, two NFL games on Christmas. However, the 10-year, $5 billion deal between Netflix and WWE to broadcast RAW live every Monday is a significant step up. Previously, Netflix executives had stated no interest in live programming; yet, they will be airing a live show on January 6th, and if all goes well, every subsequent Monday for the next decade. While it won’t start with 65 million simultaneous streams, WWE is optimistic about growth.

The growth, preferably beneficial for all parties involved, is expected to occur within the streaming territories of both parties. However, it’s anticipated that this growth will have a significant impact outside these territories, which is why the WWE seems to have prepared well in advance before the deal. In attendance at the event was WWE president Nick Khan, who hinted that the risk they are taking can be traced back to a conversation with Brandon Riegg from Netflix – during which Riegg, responsible for their non-fiction series and sports division, advised Khan to ensure that his company’s international broadcast rights were in order.

Khan stated that he was told, ‘If we somehow manage to exist, ‘WWE in Indonesia’ won’t align with what Netflix or the WWE desires.’ A year ago, however, we sat down and within a mere month, we had sealed the deal.

During the presentation, several countries were mentioned, and various figures were shared, such as a 41% increase in viewership for the latest Wrestlemania and the WWE ranking as the second most popular sport in India, after cricket. However, what Levesque, Bajaria, Khan, and Riegg highlighted most was the opportunity to expand the WWE brand while leveraging the vast subscriber base of the leading streaming service.

As an enthusiast, I eagerly anticipate delving into documentaries, leveraging the rich history and captivating characters associated with WWE IP. On both the unscripted and scripted fronts, this material promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. With numerous renowned personalities from WWE already within our network, our existing rapport bodes well for this exciting venture.

Khan, who previously worked as an agent at CAA and later joined WWE, commented that his concern, given his 20-year experience in the entertainment industry, is that Hollywood often caters to its own tastes. However, he noted that with Netflix, their content has a wide appeal, offering something for all viewers.

Currently, the WWE is associated with Peacock, The CW, and USA, even though RAW has left USA (it now airs Friday’s SmackDown after departing Fox). Khan made it clear that in future negotiations, the WWE will always respect existing rights. However, Levesque provided a succinct summary of the WWE’s approach to traditional television broadcasting.

He pointed out the timeline of various deals the WWE had made over the years displayed on the PowerPoint slide, noting its evolution from UPN to Nashville Network, then TNN, Spike, and now Paramount. Yet, he emphasized, our presence with Netflix is merely the starting point for us.

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2024-12-04 17:27