WWE’s Netflix Deal Structure Leans Heavily on Backloading

There was a lot of discussion about where RAW would go after its deal with USA Network ended and fans got their answer, as RAW will move to Netflix beginning 2025. While it’s certainly a lucrative deal, it appears WWE won’t be getting more money from the deal until later.

As previously reported, WWE and Netflix confirmed the earth-shattering deal to shift Monday Night RAW to the streaming service starting in January 2025. The reported deal is valued at over $5 billion for duration of ten years, which is simply mindblowing for many. Therefore, WWE will be getting at least $500 million per year.

In contrast, WWE’s existing five-year agreement with the USA Network is valued at around $250-260 million annually. The current contract for Raw on the USA Network is set to conclude at the end of September 2024.

According to Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, it was reported that the Netflix deal is backloaded, meaning that Netflix will pay more to WWE in the later years of the ten-year term and less in the earlier years.

Thurston estimates that the Netflix deal represents a 1.2x to 1.3x increase in value across all agreements. Analyst Brandon Ross from LightShed reached a similar conclusion, and David Baldini at PWInsider assessed the deal as a 33% increase (or 1.33x).

The USA Network will also not be extending its deal with WWE until 2025. WWE President Nick Khan also disclosed plans when it came to shifting RAW from Monday nights. Only time will tell how beneficial WWE’s deal with Netflix will turn out for the company in the long run.

What do you think of this story concerning Monday Night RAW? Do you think WWE’s Netflix deal is the best deal they ever made? Let us know in the comments section below!