With WWE’s long-standing media rights deal with NBCUniversal for Monday Night Raw set to expire in October 2024, there is growing speculation about the company’s future broadcasting partner. Sports Business Journalism reporter John Ourand has predicted that Amazon will secure the rights to WWE’s flagship show.

Ourand’s prediction suggests that Amazon will keep Raw on Monday nights, targeting a young male audience and providing Prime Video with another marquee night of live programming alongside Thursday Night Football. This shift from cable television to a streaming service would mark a significant change in the wrestling television rights industry.

The move to a streaming service like Amazon Prime Video would reflect the changing landscape of television consumption. Cable TV is seeing a decline in viewership, while streaming services are on the rise. This shift has reshaped how television content is valued monetarily. Streaming services provide precise data insights, allowing companies like WWE to accurately assess their viewership and the value of their product.

Streaming data, combined with advertising revenue and sponsorships, can help companies determine their brand’s worth when negotiating media rights deals. This means that WWE could potentially secure a more lucrative deal than their previous agreement with NBCUniversal.

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If WWE fails to secure a significant deal from other media rights suitors, Ourand suggests that Disney could enter the picture. Disney might consider a deal that includes both renewing its current UFC deal and airing Monday Night Raw on its FX cable channel. This alternative option would provide WWE with a broadcasting partner, albeit on cable television.

In any case, the future of WWE’s broadcasting rights is expected to bring about significant changes, and the company will likely aim for a deal that maximizes its reach and revenue potential. The wrestling industry is adapting to the evolving media landscape, and WWE is poised to navigate these changes strategically.

How do you feel about WWE RAW possibly landing on Amazon Prime? Let us know in the comments.

Tags: WWE Featured
Steve Carrier

Steve is the Founder of RingsideNews. He has been writing about professional wrestling since 1996. He first got into website development at the time and has been focusing on bringing his readers the best professional wrestling news at it's highest quality.

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