The Netflix-The WWE Stream: Dealing With Avatars on Live Sports and the TV Lottery in the 21st Century
Aside from both companies confirming it’s a “long-term” deal, the terms were not disclosed officially. But according to Deadline, the agreement between Netflix and the WWE runs for 10 years and will cost the streamer more than $5 billion. The news was announced just hours ahead of Netflix’s next earnings call and comes amid increased competition, price hikes, and a focus on the company’s ad-supported streaming offerings.
The tide turned back last year. Warner Bros. Discovery licensed HBO shows like Insecure and Six Feet Under to Netflix. Disney licensed some shows to the streamer too. Netflix was in need of them. Netflix spends roughly $17 billion on content, both original and licensed, per year, but a great deal of the hours spent watching are still spent on licensed properties. Netflix originals have gained ground in recent years, comprising 53 percent of total series viewing time on the platform in 2022, up from 22 percent in 2017. But original content is more of a gamble than a known quantity like Suits, and Netflix-produced movies in particular have had a mixed record of success.
But prices are rising. The service currently costs $6.99 for two screens, with ads, and a whopping $15.49 for two screens and no ads. If there’s a choice between spending that on Netflix’s giant grab bag of stuff and Apple TV’s pretty pristine library of well-made science fiction shows… a science fiction nerd might go with Apple TV as it’s just $9.99. Or they may choose Amazon because they get Thursday night Football and Prime TV with it, and it’s included with Prime, or Disney because their children like Disney, and it starts at $7.99 with no ads, but it costs just $13.94 for no ads.
Netflix’s play here is very on trend. For months now streaming services have been vying to stock up on live sports offerings. Amazon bet big—like $1 billion per year for 11 years big—on the NFL’s Thursday Night Football games. Major League Soccer is covered by Apple TV+. Sports have been available via Live TV at the urging of the parent company. Last fall, Max announced a partnership with Bleacher Report to offer a sports add-on that allows users to watch the games Warner Bros. Discovery offers through its TBS and TNT network (read: NBA and NHL games). This year’s Super Bowl will be streamed on Paramount+. The list is long.
In a market where every streaming service is fighting for your limited dollars, it feels like a bad idea to include a list that could be mistaken for something else. It feels like that might be the plan of the company. It was this day that it was announced that it was going to be the official home of the Monday Night Raw show. And yesterday, the company announced the departure of Scott Stuber, who oversaw Netflix film’s three consecutive years as the most nominated film studio at the Academy Awards.
This last weekend I was sitting in a hotel room in Memphis, staring out at the parking lot turned ice skating rink, wanting to just have a couple of hours with my brain turned off. I opened Netflix hoping to find a movie that would give me an evening’s respite. I was met with people from the 2010s and 2020s at the top 10. Cowboy & Aliens was a flop in 2011. Queenpins, the 2021 flop with a great cast, was also there. At the top of the list was The Legend of Tarzan, a 2016 flop with a great cast. I had heard nothing about the top 10 until I saw a flick by Sly in the top 10.
