Major shift as WWE’s flagship program moves away from linear TV

  • TKO Group Holdings Inc. stock soars after deal with Netflix to exclusively show WWE’s ‘Raw’ program
  • This marks the first time ‘Raw’ will leave linear TV in its 31-year history
  • The deal provides significant and predictable economics for TKO
  • Financial terms and length of the deal were not disclosed
  • Netflix’s stock also climbs after the announcement
  • Starting in 2025, ‘Raw’ will stream exclusively on Netflix in select countries
  • Netflix will also exclusively show other WWE shows and specials outside of the U.S.
  • WWE’s ‘Raw’ is currently the top show on the USA Network

Shares of TKO Group Holdings Inc. surged after the parent company of WWE and UFC announced a groundbreaking deal with Netflix. The agreement will see WWE’s popular program ‘Raw’ exclusively streaming on Netflix, marking the first time in its 31-year history that the show will leave linear TV. TKO’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Shapiro, described the deal as transformative, combining the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s global reach. The financial terms and length of the deal were not disclosed. TKO’s stock skyrocketed, and Netflix’s stock also saw a boost. Starting in 2025, ‘Raw’ will stream exclusively on Netflix in select countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Latin America. Netflix will also have exclusive rights to other WWE shows and specials outside of the U.S. This move comes as ‘Raw’ currently holds the top spot on the USA Network, and it signifies a major shift in the way viewers consume WWE content.

Public Companies: TKO Group Holdings Inc. (TKO), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Netflix Inc. (NFLX), Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. (EDR), Comcast Corp. (CMCSA)
Private Companies:
Key People: Mark Shapiro (TKO Chief Operating Officer), Bela Bajaria (Netflix Chief Content Officer)


Factuality Level: 7
Justification: The article provides information about a deal between TKO Group Holdings Inc. and Netflix Inc. for WWE’s ‘Raw’ program to be shown exclusively on the streaming service. It mentions the stock gains of TKO and Netflix, as well as the plans for streaming ‘Raw’ and other WWE shows on Netflix. The article does not contain any obvious misleading information or sensationalism. However, it lacks details about the financial terms and length of the deal, and there is no response from WWE. Overall, the article provides factual information but could benefit from more comprehensive reporting.

Noise Level: 3
Justification: The article provides relevant information about a major deal between TKO Group Holdings Inc. and Netflix Inc. regarding the exclusive streaming of WWE’s ‘Raw’ program. It includes quotes from TKO’s Chief Operating Officer and Netflix’s Chief Content Officer. However, the article lacks specific financial terms and the length of the deal, and there is some unnecessary information about the stock performance of TKO, Netflix, and Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.

Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Shares of TKO Group Holdings Inc., Netflix Inc., and Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article pertains to financial topics as it discusses the stock performance of TKO Group Holdings Inc., Netflix Inc., and Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. due to a major deal between WWE and Netflix. However, there is no mention of an extreme event or its impact.

Reported publicly: www.marketwatch.com