Ari Emanuel discusses WWE Raw media rights, exploring the potential for the show to change nights in 2024 when its existing agreement with the USA Network concludes.
As the current deal expires in October 2024, WWE Fox has already signed a five-year agreement with the USA Network, set to commence in October 2024 after concluding its arrangement with FOX. In a conversation with Bloomberg, Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel shares insights into the evolving dynamics of sports media rights.
“We got a 40% increase for SmackDown. We have Raw, which is the number one package available. There are three big rights coming available to market; WWE Raw, UFC, NBA. We are involved in two of them. There are six buyers. Plus, I would say WWE Network, which is up in 2026. You cannot undervalue WWE and UFC for the following reasons: One, we do not have a season. One of the biggest issues that will happen with s-mods and network is churn. We’re 52 weeks a year, and we’re flexible. If you want us Thursday night, if you want us Tuesday night, I don’t have any of those schedule issues. That churn issue, because we’re the full year, is so much different from any other sport because then people churn out. That’s one of the issues with sports. Not in a bad way. (You sign up for the NFL), and then the package is over, and then you leave. Our fans are loyal, they stick around, and they move,”
H/T Fightful
Photo Credit: WWE
