Netflix In the past two years, it has been working on a dual path when it comes to content: incorporating sports content into its catalog and including live content into its content catalog. The platform is making sure to combine both goals with a big leap with its latest multi-million dollar agreement. Although under the circumstances, We should talk directly about it Somersault.
a company flow He concluded a historic agreement with the world wrestling giant WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment)to broadcast the program rawone of three brands in the promotion, reportedly starting in 2025 Delivery time.
It's about A 10-year agreement worth $5 billionwhich will allow Netflix to stream Raw, initially, in… United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Latin America. Of course, the door is left open to the gradual annexation of new areas in this agreement.
But not only that: Netflix will also become WWE's flagship franchise outside the United States. That is, it will also present the other two weekly programmes, smack down And NXTas well as all annual live events, including Royal Rumble (January), Judicial Department (February), Wrestlemania (March-April) and SummerSlam (July – August), in addition to the rest of the content created by the company. This is again the responsibility of the remaining countries included in the agreement.
A game changer for Netflix and wrestling
The agreement changes Netflix's approach to streaming, as it decisively steers it towards the consumption model typical of linear TV: rawthe current brand to which wrestling stars such as Rhea Ripley, Cody Rhodes Or who have recently returned C m Bank, broadcast every Monday throughout the year. Likewise, they do NXT (Development Tag, where we find the first Spaniard in WWE, Axiom) on Tuesday nights, and smack down (Where we have the hero Roman Reigns, Randy Orton also Los Angeles Knight).
Likewise, it integrates the process by including sports or sports entertainment in this specific case wrestlingafter experiences such as Netflix Cupa competition in which Formula 1 drivers and PGA Tour golfers participated, and for advertising hello netflix, The tennis test in which Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will compete, which is scheduled to be broadcast on March 3.
For WWE specifically, this signing also represents a crucial change since then raw You will give up linear television For the first time since its premiere in 1993. In this way, the company that heads up Nick Khan He would leave behind USA Network, the cable network that had been his home for much of his television career: he hosted the show from 1993 to 2000, and after five years on TNN/Spike TV (Paramount Network), he returned to USA Network. The canal in 2005, where it was preserved. At the moment, there are no specific details about what lies ahead for the national broadcast of Smackdown, which airs on Fox, and NXT, on USA Network.
However, these movements show a particularly noticeable trend change After a merger with Endeavor Group, the parent company of the UFC, it was formalized in 2023which led to the creation of TKO Holding GroupWhich leads it to look forward to its largest global audience in a particularly positive period for the company. Above all, it represents a decisive action by Netflix in its new future strategy. For now, on a commercial level, the first consequences have been positive: Netflix shares rose by 3%, while TKO shares rose to 16%.
Specialized portal Wrestling economy Explain what Netflix has the option to terminate the agreement with WWE after five years, but also to extend it for another 10 years. However, it is a long-term relationship that changes the image of wrestling around the world. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how this will affect WWE's association with peacock To broadcast in flow In the United States, which ends in 2026.
And in Spain?
Although the specific details of the operation and its global impact remain to be explained, they allow us to speculate. Possibility of WWE returning to Spain. At the moment, our country is not included in the initial list of countries where it will be seen rawBut as emphasized, the scope of work is expected to expand.
WWE has not been broadcast on Spanish operators since 2020. After airing on Cuatro between 2005 and 2010, Atresmedia acquired the rights to WWE to broadcast on Neox and Mega. After the agreement expired in March 2020, Juul acquired the rights to the show Wrestlemania 33The most important annual events, at the end of that same month. Since then, wrestling has remained off Spanish television, and with it live show options for promoters in Spain.
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