The only thing that parallels the addiction to binge-watching on Netflix is rooting for a sports team during a live series. So, after the OTT giant had conquered the arena of cinema and television content, it decided to foray into live sports coverage to make its platform a one-stop-entertainment shop. It debuted this concept with The Netflix Cup tournament that aired in November. It combined a golf match with Formula 1 aficionados to make for a live sports mashup.  

Its latest venture into live streaming comes in collaboration with the wrestling conglomerate, WWE. 

Netflix x WWE set to create history

In a game-changing move, Netflix has sealed a long-term deal to bring WWE’s flagship show, Raw, to its platform. This marks Raw‘s departure from traditional TV after over three decades. So, from January 2025 onwards, the streaming giant shall become the exclusive home for WWE Raw in England, North, and South America, as well as a few other nations. Lately, Netflix has leaned towards sports-related content through athlete docuseries like McGregor Forever and Drive to Survive. 

It appears that it has no plans to slow down in this arena. To the delight of internationally based wrestling enthusiasts, the new partnership will extend to all WWE shows and specials outside the USA. This will also cover SmackDown, NXT, and major events like WrestleMania. Additionally, the OTT mogul will feature WWE’s documentaries, original series, and upcoming projects globally from the promised date.

In 2023, the media conglomerate also highlighted its sports-heavy content through mega-celebrities featuring in its Untold series and others. 

The OTT giant’s recent forays into sports content 

For the third installment of Untold, which arrived in August last year, Netflix roped in big names like YouTube star and boxing aficionado, Jake Paul. Besides the deep dive into Paul’s controversy-filled life, it also told the story of NFL legend, Johnny Manziel, through the aptly named series. Another NFL tale that the show delved into was that of the Florida Gators of American college football fame. 

These attempts to appease sports fanatics are as much business-driven as a strategy to widen its horizons. After cracking down on password sharing and upsetting Hollywood unions with AI-generated content, the conglomerate needs to fix its reputation. As it is doing with sports, it is also doing the same in the realm of anime by not only bringing pre-existing shows to its viewers but also helming some of its own. 

Do you think bringing WWE’s Raw to Netflix is a good idea? Share your thoughts in the comments.