Steve Carrier on February 27, 2025
WWE NXT has become a key player in The CW’s major turnaround, with the network now on track to turn a profit in 2026, according to Nexstar Media Group.
The wrestling brand’s addition to the lineup is part of a massive shift toward live sports and unscripted programming, a strategy that Nexstar President and COO Mike Biard says is already paying off.
“During 2025, we will reset affiliation agreements representing more than two-thirds of The CW’s subscriber base,” Biard confirmed during Nexstar’s latest earnings call via Deadline. He added that those changes, combined with the network’s new sports-heavy approach, will “enable The CW to achieve profitability during 2026.”
Since Nexstar took over the network in 2022, The CW has moved away from scripted dramas and embraced live sports, with WWE NXT playing a big role in that transition. The network will now air about 400 hours of sports or sports-adjacent content in 2025—40% of its total programming time. That’s a drastic shift from the old CW, which had no sports programming at all.
Live sports can be expensive, but The CW has focused on cost-effective deals, locking in content like college football, basketball, NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, and WWE NXT, which brings a built-in fanbase and consistent viewership.
NXT’s presence on The CW is already changing the network’s trajectory, proving that a mix of sports and wrestling might just be the formula needed to make The CW a powerhouse in live programming.
Do you think WWE NXT will help make The CW a bigger player in the sports world? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
February 27, 2025 5:33 pm
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