During Sunday’s Elimination Chamber broadcast, WWE advertised that next month’s Fastlane pay-per-view will be available on both WWE Network and Peacock, indicating the Network might not be migrated over by the original announced March 18th date.
While the Sunday, March 21st event was set to be the first PPV of the Peacock era, the original go-live date for the Network on Peacock was Thursday, March 18th. A further indication of a change in date is WWE’s other Sunday announcement that WrestleMania will be “exclusively” on Peacock.
In late-January, WWE and NBCU announced that the Network was moving exclusively onto the Peacock streaming service in the U.S. Industry reports have the deal at five years and more than $1 billion. All current U.S.-based Network subscribers are to be migrated over to Peacock at $4.99 per month for the service with ads and $9.99 per month for an ad-free version with Comcast and Cox cable subscribers getting Peacock for free.
The WWE reached a landmark deal announced on 1/25 that the WWE Network as we knew it in the U.S. is no more, and will instead be part of NBC’s Peacock Network.
The Peacock Network purchased the U.S. rights to the WWE Network for what was believed to have been slightly more than $200 million per year over five years.
This was a WWE President Nick Khan deal and it’s a positive for both WWE and its fans. It was also an admission that the WWE Network, as it stood, was never going to reach its intended targets, but the company ended up coming out stronger financially with the deal.
A deal had been talked about for months, although the nature of the entire network being moved over surprised a lot of people. While those working at the WWE Network itself were blindsided, we do know that the top of the top brass at the USA Network were aware of these talks months ago.
While the latest $1 billion deal between WWE and NBCU has been discussed quite a bit on this very website, I wanted to take a different look at this latest mega media pro wrestling deal on Josh Nason’s Punch Out from a different (Kurt?) angle or three.
That’s why I enlisted friend of the show and Wrestlenomics guru Brandon Thurston to return for a free hour of power. If you are into this story and some of the between-the-lines talking points, this is for you. If not, just listen anyway.
Click the red button below to listen, search in your podcast app of choice for ‘F4W free’ or use this RSS feed where you can listen to all our free podcasts.
Just a few of the points Brandon and I hit upon:
Vince McMahon’s fork in the road moment at whether to sell the rights to WWE Network or move to a tiered system
Why NBCU was the right fit
Why WWE likely won’t get sold as long as McMahon is still alive
The issues with friction when it comes to moving services and the risk of losing subscribers
Brandon’s thoughts on Undertaker’s recent comments about wrestling locker rooms today
The Buffalo wrestling scene and the glut of talent that appeared on AEW broadcasts this year and whether he would be a consultant to the Bills Mafia to improve their table busting techniques
Click below to listen or download wherever you listen to your podcasts by searching for ‘F4W free’:
Dave Meltzer joined Wrestling Observer Live today to discuss the WWE Network moving to Peacock. You can watch the full interview below:
Meltzer noted that the move was a surprise, as WWE Network employees held a meeting last week, with no mention of the move being brought up. He also noted that while WWE will stand to benefit with more money, the pressure to put on quality content will lessen.
“For the fans, it’s good and it’s bad,” Meltzer said. “It’s cheaper. It’s bad because the pressure on the company as far as producing good content will be lower than it’s ever been. And it’s already low.”
Meltzer also mentioned that WWE president and chief revenue officer Nick Khan was behind the deal.
It was announced today that WWE Network will be moving from a standalone service to being a part of NBCUniversal’s streaming service starting on March 18. Both the Wall Street Journal and Sports Business Journal are reporting that the move is for five years and worth more than $1 billion.
WWE’s coffers are reportedly getting even more full as both the Wall Street Journal and Sports Business Journal reported Monday that the deal to move WWE Network under the NBCU Peacock Premium streaming service is for five years and more than $1 billion.
WWE president Nick Khan told The Wrap that the deal wasn’t due to cost cutting, but more for exposure:
“Peacock is free in the [24 million] Comcast cable and Cox cable homes, as I’m sure you know, so…for the first time ever, WrestleMania, which is our Super Bowl, is going to be available for free to those homes. In addition to that, it cuts the cost for our consumers from $9.99 a month for WWE Network to $4.99 a month on the ad-supported tier of Peacock, where they’ll get not only WWE but EPL (English Premier League), “The Office,” Dick Wolf and so many other titles.”
Khan also said WWE is happy with their Fox deal with multiple years left, so nothing has changed there. He later told SBJ’s John Ourand they are done doing deals in the U.S. “for a while” and that this is a multi-year deal that extends past their current TV contracts with NBCU and Fox. He said they spoke to several media companies about a deal but WWE’s thirty-year relationship with NBC made a difference.
The news broke Monday morning that in the United States, WWE Network is moving to Peacock’s premium tier starting on March 18th at potentially half the cost as their ad-supported service is $4.99/month while their ad-free option is $9.99/month.
Peacock chief revenue officer Rick Cordella told The Wrap that they wanted to expanded the accessibility of WWE content and experience a “halo effect” for WWE viewers for other content:
“So our overall goal, and why I think NBCU decided to move forward with this deal, is that we believe we can expand the accessibility of this content, right? That we can — through NBCU marketing, through the outlets that we have, all the various media outlets, through the price point reduction, through the addition of content — that we can grow this audience significantly that currently watched it. And that will have downstream impact to the rest of WWE and those TV ratings, hopefully, that you see on linear television, as well as to Peacock. There is a halo effect to those users coming in for WrestleMania, but then sticking around and watching “The Office,” watching “Yellowstone,” watching some of the great content we have in the 30,000 hours that are now bundled in with their subscription price.”
Cordella also spoke to SBJ about the deal and mentioned a live WrestleMania as a cornerstone of the service, which would indicate a big promotional push following the changeover.
WWE has officially confirmed an addition to its pay-per-view calendar.
As part of the announcement of Peacock becoming the exclusive home of the WWE Network in the United States starting in March, it was confirmed that Fastlane will take place on Sunday, March 21. The WWE Network is launching on Peacock on Thursday, March 18, with Fastlane being the first PPV of the Peacock era.
The WWE Network-Peacock deal includes all WWE PPVs being available on Peacock live and on demand. “WWE Network, including all PPVs, will be available on Peacock Premium for $4.99 [per month] – a $5.00/month savings-where members will enjoy access to the entire WWE and Peacock catalog, more than 47,000 hours of premium programming. For an ad-free experience, Peacock Premium Plus will be available for $9.99,” Peacock and WWE announced.
Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service.
Fastlane is taking place just three weeks before WrestleMania 37. It was revealed earlier this month that WrestleMania 37 will be a two-night event, with it being held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11.
The Royal Rumble is taking place this coming Sunday (January 31). After that, Elimination Chamber will be held on Sunday, February 21.
Starting in March, the WWE Network in the United States will move from being a standalone service to part of NBCUniversal’s Peacock.
It was announced on Monday that Peacock and WWE have reached a multi-year deal that gives Peacock exclusive streaming rights to the WWE Network in the United States. Peacock launched in 2020 and is NBCUniversal’s streaming service. NBCUniversal is also one of WWE’s television partners, with Raw and NXT airing on the USA Network.
The WWE Network will launch on Peacock on Thursday, March 18. The deal includes all WWE pay-per-views being available on Peacock live and on-demand. The first PPV of the Peacock era will be Fastlane on Sunday, March 21. WrestleMania 37 will take place over two nights on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11.
“WWE Network, including all PPVs, will be available on Peacock Premium for $4.99 [per month] – a $5.00/month savings-where members will enjoy access to the entire WWE and Peacock catalog, more than 47,000 hours of premium programming. For an ad-free experience, Peacock Premium Plus will be available for $9.99,” the press release announcing the deal stated. It was noted that Peacock and WWE will share details on managing customer accounts closer to the WWE Network’s Peacock launch in March.
WWE Network programming will be available on Peacock on-demand and on a 24/7 channel. Peacock and WWE hyped that the roll-out of more than 17,000 hours of new, original, and library WWE Network content will begin on March 18, with that including:
All live pay-per-view events including WrestleMania and SummerSlam.
Original series like Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions, Undertaker: The Last Ride, and the all-new WWE Icons.
In-ring shows like NXT, NXT UK, and WWE 205 Live, as well as replays of Raw and SmackDown.
WWE Network archives, including every WWE, WCW, and ECW pay-per-view event in history.
Groundbreaking documentaries, including WWE 24, WWE Untold, and WWE 365.
And, starting in 2022, one signature documentary annually.
“NBCUniversal has a long-standing relationship with WWE that began nearly 30 years ago with Monday Night Raw on USA. WWE has always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country,” said Rick Cordella, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Peacock. “WWE Network is a transformative addition to the platform and complements Peacock’s massive catalog of iconic movies and shows, as well as the best live news and sports, from NBCUniversal and beyond.”
“We are thrilled to further the long-standing and trusted partnership WWE has with NBCUniversal,” said Nick Khan, WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer. “Peacock is an innovative platform that will enable us to showcase our most significant events, including WrestleMania, and provide the extraordinary entertainment our fans have come to expect with the combination of premium WWE content, live sports, news, films, and television programs.”
A look at the life of James “Kamala” Harris, one of pro wrestling’s biggest stars of the 80s, and Daniel Cormier, one of the biggest MMA stars of all-time, are the lead stories in the current issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The Kamala story goes through how he got the Kamala gimmick, who came up with the idea, the story around the video that instantly made him a star, how Kamala worked in that time but wouldn’t now, how he was as a draw against Hulk Hogan, his late life health issues, his original meeting with Bobo Brazil, how he started watching wrestling, his pre-Kamala career, going to Europe, how J.J. Dillon was a key in getting him over and a look weekly at the first Memphis run that made him a big star.
His rivalry with Andre the Giant and how it was ugly early on, the feud with Bruiser Brody and every WWF run. We look at his career peak in 1986-87 and the gates and payoffs he got, his working Mexico, his last big WWF run, and the declines of his health.
Daniel Cormier’s quest for the storybook ending, others who tried to have that ending, the greatest heavyweight of all-time, his tragic upbringing, growing up as a wrestler, competing with Cael Sanderson, his Olympic dream crushed, his MMA beginnings, his word title wins, and more building the fight with Stipe Miocic.
Also in this issue:
Return of ROH to action, what the new TV will be about, the creative involved, testing and more.
How Kevin Reilly is one of the key people who fell into place and without him there would be no AEW. We look at the changes in TNT management including a unique note about Reilly’s successor.
A scary scene at NXT tapings, Dwayne Johnson’s earnings for the year, New contracts signed in WWE, Sports ratings, U.K. ratings and Canadian ratings, Lawler 50th anniversary sow, WWE market value, and most-watched shows on WWE Network.
WWE moving TV into the Amway Center, Takeover and SummerSlam news updates and creative.
COVID updates from Japan, with many shows canceled this past week, why they were, and what this says about Japan in comparison with the U.S.
New Japan’s Jingu Stadium show for the end of the month.
WWE Network featuring independents.
Saturday’s UFC show with a complete rundown and match-by-match coverage.
Kenny Omega and Michael Nakazawa doing a lecture for students at Tokai University on sports entertainment during the COVID era, with notes on AEW profitability, ad spending, how COVID has changed the world, how the AEW audience has changed, A.J. Styles, personal goals and New Japan Pro Wrestling.
New Japan, All Japan and NOAH have their biggest tournaments of the year at the same time.
CMLL’s planned return.
Ratings of all the major shows, the key demos and quarters for AEW and WWE, what happened head-to-head and what can be learned from them.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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MONDAY NEWS UPDATE
Bryan and I will be back tonight talking Raw, Jon Jones, Smackdown, ROH’s return and tons of other news. You can send questions for the show to [email protected]
Raw tonight is Raw’s go-home show for SummerSlam. They’ll also be pushing the new set up at the Amway Center, called the Thunderdome, where they will be taking up residency and airing live every Monday and Friday starting on 8/21. NXT will remain a taped show from Full Sail. No doubt the new “WrestleMania” style set up for the weekly TV shows will be pushed hard tonight.
Phillip A. Thomas II will have a hearing on Thursday regarding his breaking into the home of Daria Berenato (Sonya Deville), who is in jail with no bond set in Hillsborough County in Florida.
Impact’s Emergence specials take place over the next two Tuesdays on AXS TV. Tomorrow’s show has:
Kylie Rae vs. Taya Valkyrie
Moose vs. Trey Miguel for the TNA title
Chris Bey vs. TJP vs. Rohit Raju for the X title
Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows vs. Mad Man Fulton & Ace Austin
Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley vs. Ethan Page & Josh Alexander for the tag titles
Alex Shelley on Twitter noted that Benjamin Carter, Tre Lamar and Lee Moriarity are starting with Impact.
WWE
Content is now on the NBC Peacock streaming service including Best of compilations for Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage, HHH, Brock Lesnar, and Best WrestleMania matches, plus Austin interviews with Undertaker, Bill Godlberg, Kane, Big show, Bret Hart and Ric Flair. They also have the Monday Night Wars series episodes of WWE Untold, WWE Ruthless Aggression series and WrestleMania rewind.
Lacey Evans will be on the first episode of Military Makeover with Montel Williams that airs at 7:30 a.m. on Lifetime on 8/21.
A feature on Vince McMahon’s attempt to put together a bodybuilding promotion with the WBF.
UFC
Edson Barboza returns as a featherweight to face Sodiq Yusuff on a 10/10 show.
Anthony Smith vs. Alexander Rakic will headline the 8/29 show in a three-round fight. That main event was Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Yair Rodriguez, but that fight fell through when Rodriguez suffered an ankle injury.
Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contenders lineup for tomorrow at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+
Louis Cosce vs. Victor Reyna – welterweights
Cheyanne Buys vs. Hilarie Rose – strawweights
Orion Oosce vs. Matt Dixon – welterweights
Josh Parisian vs. Chad Johnson – heavyweights
Kevin Sylver vs. Ken Cross – lightweights
MISCELLANEOUS
The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships will have a press conference tomorrow at the ATT Headquarters in Coconut Creek, FL to announce its next show, headlined by Paige VanZant. Also appearing are Hector Lombard and Thiago Alves, meaning they are likely on the show as well, along with Dave Feldman, the promoter.
