In 2024, Netflix raised eyebrows when it secured one of many greatest exhibits in sports activities leisure.
In January of that 12 months, the streaming big introduced in a press launch a $5 billion 10-year cope with WWE (owned by TKO), making Netflix the brand new residence of WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” after the present spent three many years on USA Community.
“This deal is transformative,” stated TKO President Mark Shapiro within the press launch. “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,” he continued.
“Monday Night Raw” debuted on Netflix in January final 12 months, permitting every episode to now have a “flexible” runtime after airing as a two-hour present on USA Community.
The transfer from Netflix and WWE, which is branded as a sports activities leisure firm, comes at a time when many customers nationwide depend on streaming companies to look at reside sports activities occasions, in response to Parks Associates’ S.O.S. State of Streaming report.
What number of U.S. customers use streaming companies for sports activities:
- Roughly 40% of U.S. customers solely watch sports activities through streaming companies, whereas 19% watch sports activities completely by means of conventional cable companies.
- Additionally, 60% have subscribed to a basic streaming service (e.g., Peacock, Apple TV+) to look at a sporting occasion or buy a league move that was solely accessible on that service.
- Common streaming companies are retaining 63% of these subscribers after the sporting occasion or season concludes.
Supply: Parks Associates
“Sports have become the backbone of live streaming adoption,” stated Michael Goodman, senior contributing analyst at Parks Associates, in a press launch.
“The ability to deliver interactive, data-driven, and personalized experiences is changing how audiences connect with their favorite teams and leagues. Our research illustrates the huge potential for new monetization models as engagement deepens across connected screens,” he stated.
Netflix and WWE be part of forces as extra customers flip to streaming for reside occasions.
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WWE followers will now should rely extra on Netflix
Amid this rising client development, Netflix and WWE have not too long ago determined to develop their long-term partnership.
Netflix is now the brand new U.S. residence for WWE’s library of Premium Stay Occasions that aired earlier than September 2025, together with “WrestleMania,” “SummerSlam” and “Royal Rumble,” in addition to its documentaries and unique programming, in response to a brand new press launch.
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Which means that customers will want a Netflix subscription to look at this content material. The transfer comes after the five-year deal NBCUniversal’s Peacock had for the WWE video library expired on the finish of 2025.
The expiration of that deal resulted in WWE’s future Premium Stay Occasions transferring from Peacock to ESPN’s platforms this 12 months.
Extra Telecom Information:
- T-Cell declares free supply for Verizon and AT&T prospects
- Verizon CEO sounds alarm on why prospects are leaving in droves
- Spectrum raises crimson flag on reason behind fleeing buyer drawback
Peacock will nonetheless, nonetheless, air weekly “WWE SmackDown” episodes and WWE’s “Saturday Night’s Main Event” specials beneath a deal that covers each present and archived programming.
Netflix is boosting its content material slate to forestall subscriber losses
Netflix’s addition of WWE’s library comes after the streaming platform pissed off its subscribers by elevating its costs final 12 months, like a lot of its rivals within the streaming world.
The month-to-month value of Netflix’s Commonplace with Advertisements subscription elevated from $6.99 to $7.99. Its Commonplace (ad-free) tier climbed from $15.49 to $17.99, whereas Premium rose from $22.99 to $24.99.
In response to the worth hikes, some Netflix subscribers even threatened to chop ties with the corporate.
As Netflix and different streaming platforms develop into costlier, extra customers are adjusting their streaming habits as they hunt for extra worth, in response to a current survey from Reach3 Insights and Rival Applied sciences.
How Individuals are responding to greater streaming prices:
- Roughly 68% of Individuals stated Netflix is their most important streaming platform, whereas 33% named Hulu and 25% stated Amazon Prime Video.
- Additionally, six in 10 Individuals have modified their streaming habits in current months.
- Particularly, 24% have switched to ad-supported streaming tiers, whereas 32% are counting on ad-supported or free apps, and 21% solely subscribe to a streaming service when particular exhibits can be found.
- Almost half of Individuals have canceled or downgraded a subscription, with affordability and a lack of compelling content material cited as the highest causes.
Supply: Reach3 Insights and Rival Applied sciences
“Consumers are redefining entertainment in the face of broader economic concerns,” stated Varun Jog, analysis director at Reach3 Insights, in a press launch. “The winners will be the brands that adapt quickly, offering deep value in ways that reflect their shifting priorities.”
So it’s no shock that Netflix is making daring additions to its content material library because it weathers altering client conduct. Along with including WWE’s library to its platform, Netflix is rebooting the nostalgic expertise competitors present “Star Search,” which is about to debut on Jan. 20.
Widespread exhibits akin to “Veronica Mars” and “Southland” are additionally set to debut on Netflix later this month, in addition to comedy particular “Mike Epps: Delusional.”
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