Tue Jan 07 20:17:40 UTC 2025: ## WWE’s Monday Night Raw Makes History: Netflix Deal Launches Ten-Year Partnership

**Los Angeles, CA** – World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Netflix launched a landmark 10-year partnership on Monday night with the 1650th episode of Monday Night Raw. The deal, worth over $5 billion with an option for renewal, marks a significant expansion for both companies. Netflix becomes the exclusive home for Raw in the US, Canada, UK, and Latin America, with global expansion planned. The streaming giant will also carry all WWE shows, including SmackDown and NXT, and premium live events like WrestleMania.

WWE President Nick Khan predicted this partnership years ago, noting Netflix’s evolving programming and family-friendly appeal. Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria highlighted the show’s strong storytelling, broad multigenerational fanbase, and global reach as key reasons for the agreement. Netflix VP of Nonfiction Series and Sports, Brandon Riegg, pointed to Raw’s consistent social media buzz and stable viewership as a perfect fit for their strategy, citing similar successes with Formula 1.

Despite the move to streaming, WWE assures fans the three-hour weekly show will maintain its quality. While Raw previously aired on USA Network (and previously Spike TV), the shift to Netflix allows for global reach and access to a massive subscriber base (282.3 million). The show’s final episode on USA Network averaged 1.6 million viewers. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque emphasized that the content will remain family-friendly.

Monday’s premiere episode is touted as a premium live event, featuring John Cena’s farewell tour kickoff and potentially Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes credited executives Nick Khan and Paul Levesque for navigating the company’s recent changes, including the sale to Endeavor and merger with UFC. Roman Reigns acknowledged the magnitude of the Netflix debut, anticipating a massive and diverse global audience. The partnership comes after a successful year for WWE, with nearly half of its premium live events held overseas. A European tour is also planned to build momentum for WrestleMania 41.

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