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With WWE’s new TV deals set to kick in, fans can expect a major reshuffling of where their favorite shows will air. Starting in January, Monday Night Raw will make its highly anticipated move to Netflix, while Friday Night SmackDown is set to return to USA Network after its stint on FOX. Meanwhile, NXT will be leaving USA and heading to the CW Network in a move that takes effect next month.
But that’s not all—there are significant changes coming to WWE’s streaming options as well. NBCUniversal (NBCU) will continue to stream WWE content via the WWE Network on Peacock, but with a few notable differences. Starting with the new deals, Peacock will have the full past-season library of SmackDown, with new episodes being available 30 days after they air on USA Network.
Raw and NXT Leave Peacock Soon
For Raw fans, there’s a similar arrangement—new episodes will hit Peacock 30 days after they air on Netflix. However, both Raw and NXT libraries will no longer be available on Peacock after September 19 (for NXT) and October 1 (for Raw). A Peacock spokesperson confirmed that viewers will start seeing countdown clocks on the platform, notifying them when the episodes will expire. This countdown applies to all episodes after the respective dates.
Goodbye, NXT Level Up
The changes also mean the end of NXT Level Up, WWE’s secondary show that has aired on Peacock every Friday since February 2022. According to WrestleVotes Radio, the show will soon be discontinued. It was a platform that showcased younger talent from the NXT roster, but with all the recent changes, it appears the company is focusing its efforts elsewhere.
“While we’re talking about NXT, with the WWE Hulu contract coming up next week, the NXT secondary show Level Up will be discontinued. That’s what we’re hearing. They will no longer continue filming the Level Up show that airs on Peacock, that features a lot of the younger NXT talent. And you know, it is what it is. It’s just a lot of moving parts right now, but we will say goodbye to Level Up.”
The fate of the NXT library on Peacock remains unclear. Sources have indicated to WrestleVotes Radio that the entire NXT 2.0 library, up until the current day, will likely be moved to the CW app once that deal takes effect. This includes events like NXT Deadline and No Mercy. However, it’s still unknown whether NXT Takeover events will be part of that transition, leaving fans wondering which key moments will remain available on Peacock.
“I think it just comes down to the rights of that now that CW is in charge of having the NXT rights. I think that because they were formally in the hands of Peacock and USA Network. How those agreements all are written is definitely playing into why those past episodes will no longer be available moving forward.”
What’s Next for WWE on Peacock?
While Raw and NXT are on the move, Peacock will still host WWE’s SmackDown content and will remain the go-to destination for past episodes of SmackDown and major WWE events. However, with WWE’s evolving broadcasting rights and agreements, fans may have to adjust to the constant shifts in where they can find their favorite programs.
What Do You Think?
How do you feel about WWE’s shifting TV deals? Will you be tuning into Raw on Netflix, or are you more excited about SmackDown’s return to USA Network? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
September 20, 2024 8:05 am
