WWE RAW Might Not Last on Netflix If Numbers Don’t Improve

WWE’s move to Netflix may not be working out the way they hoped—at least not when it comes to Monday Night Raw.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the streaming giant might already be questioning whether weekly live wrestling fits with the way their platform operates. Viewership has dipped since the switch, and the concerns are growing.

Meltzer pointed out that Netflix’s core audience isn’t used to live, appointment-based programming like Raw. Instead, users tend to check their algorithm recommendations, not follow a set weekly schedule.

“Maybe Netflix is better suited for a giant event once a month, like a WWE PLE, that they can hype for a couple weeks, build up a big buzz, and then deliver it on a Saturday or Sunday. That might be the better fit.”

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“But Raw, every single Monday? It doesn’t seem like the platform fits the audience behavior. That’s the struggle right now.”

Garrett Gonzales echoed the sentiment, explaining the gap between traditional wrestling TV habits and how Netflix users engage with content.

“Yeah, if you’re a Netflix viewer, you’re not patterned to go, ‘Oh, it’s 5:00, I want to watch wrestling.’ You go, ‘What’s new in my algorithm?’ That’s not a good match for a live wrestling show.”

Meltzer also noted that Netflix has a five-year opt-out clause in their deal with WWE. That means if Raw continues to struggle, the company could walk away in 2029.

“Netflix has an out after five years. So the next 4 and a half years will determine whether they’re going to re-up or not.”

“They’re paying a lot. I don’t think it’s worth it right now. But maybe they’re looking at the future—like being on Netflix in 5 years might be better than cable in 5 years.”

In a deeper dive, Meltzer addressed just how cold WWE programming has felt lately—especially RAW—and connected it to both Netflix’s platform flaws and audience mismatch.

“The Friday number was very bad. It’s a message. But it’s only one week, and it’s also an episode with a weird card. So I don’t want to go too crazy on it. But still—it’s a number they’re probably not happy with.”

“Raw’s been cold. That’s not really new. But the move to Netflix has amplified it. And I don’t just mean people missing it—I mean people not even trying to find it.”

“If you had told Nick Khan in December this would be the Netflix number, everyone would’ve had a heart attack.”

He also pointed to the disappearance of WWE’s older demo:

“The over-50s are gone. That demo just doesn’t watch Netflix like that, especially not live. You’ve got a generation of people who just aren’t wired to use streaming for live sports or wrestling on a Monday night.”

Gonzales expanded on that by criticizing the platform itself:

“And Netflix doesn’t make it easy. If you log in five minutes late, you’re behind. If you fast forward to catch up, it restarts or crashes. That’s not what people are used to with live TV.”

Meltzer closed his remarks with a blunt assessment of the broader deal:

“Netflix is probably better suited for a giant event once a month than a weekly TV show of pro wrestling. That’s just reality. The platform isn’t built for appointment-based viewing. It’s built for binge-watching or casual drop-in. That’s not how wrestling fans operate—or at least not how they’ve been trained for 30 years.”

“They thought Raw would be a major play to bring in a consistent weekly audience. But it’s not working like that.”

“If WWE stays cold, and the show doesn’t gain traction, Netflix has a clause to exit after five years. This whole thing could go very differently than WWE imagined.”

With early numbers reportedly far below internal expectations, the streaming experiment is already being viewed in a different light. As the weeks roll on, both WWE and Netflix will be under pressure to show this deal has long-term value—or pivot before it’s too late.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.