Why Did WWE Go to Peacock?
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The WWE has had a long and complicated relationship with television. From the early days of syndication to the current era of streaming, the company has always been willing to change things up to stay on top. So why did WWE go to Peacock?
WWE’s Current Situation
WWE is in a bit of a predicament. With their current deal with NBCUniversal coming to an end, WWE has had to look for a new home for their programming. Enter Peacock. Peacock is a streaming service that is owned by NBCUniversal, which is the same company that WWE was with previously. So, why did WWE go with Peacock?
WWE’s current TV deal with Fox
WWE’s current TV deal with Fox expires in September. Here’s a look at what WWE is currently paying Fox and what the company is expected to fetch when it negotiating its next TV rights deal.
WWE currently pays $205 million per year to air its programming on Fox network television, according to John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal. That includes WWE SmackDown, which airs on Friday nights, and WWE Raw, which airs on Monday nights.
When WWE renegotiates its TV rights deals, the company is expected to nearly double its annual revenue from $205 million to $400 million, Ourand reports. That would put WWE on par with the NFL, which generates about $4 billion per year from its TV rights deals.
WWE’s current streaming deal with NBCUniversal
WWE’s current streaming deal with NBCUniversal expires on April 4th, 2021. NBCUniversal has chosen not to renew the deal, and instead will focus on their new streaming service, Peacock.
WWE had been in talks with various networks about a new deal, but no agreement was reached. This led to WWEdeciding to move their programming to Peacock.
The move to Peacock will see WWE’s programming move from NBCUniversal’s cable networks (USA Network and Syfy) to Peacock. All of WWE’s programming will be available on-demand on Peacock, with live events being broadcast on the service’s “Premier” tier.
WWE had been exploring launching their own streaming service, but ultimately decided against it. The move to Peacock gives WWE a chance to grow their audience and reach new viewers.
Why WWE Went to Peacock
WWE went to Peacock because it offers them a lot of money, more than they were making on their own. WWE is also able to get their own channel on Peacock, which gives them more control over their content. Peacock also offers WWE a lot of exposure to new audiences, which is something WWE is always looking for.
More money
In January 2020, rumors began swirling that WWE had been in talks with NBCUniversal about streaming their content on Peacock, the new streaming service from NBCUniversal. On March 18th, it was announced that WWE and NBCUniversal had come to an agreement and that WWE Network would be moving to Peacock on April 4th.
WWE Network is a subscription-based streaming service that gives users access to live pay-per-views, on-demand content, and original programming. It launched in February 2014 and had about 1.4 million subscribers as of October 2019.
While the exact terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is believed that WWE was offered more money by NBCUniversal to move their content to Peacock. In addition, moving to Peacock gives WWE access to a larger potential audience as they will now be able to promote their content on NBCUniversal’s various cable channels and social media platforms.
More control
One of the main reasons why WWE went to Peacock was for more control. WWE wanted more control over their product and how it was distributed. With Peacock, WWE has a lot more control over their content and how it is presented to the public. They can release whatever they want, whenever they want, and they don’t have to answer to anyone. This is a big change from when WWE was on network television, and it’s something that WWE has been wanting for a long time.
Another reason why WWE went to Peacock is because they wanted to be able to reach a wider audience. With Peacock, WWE can reach more people than they ever could before. They can reach people who might not have had interest in WWE before, and they can also reach people who might not have had access to WWE content before. This is a big deal for WWE, and it’s something that they’ve been wanting for a long time.
The bottom line is that WWE went to Peacock because they wanted more control over their product and they wanted to be able to reach a wider audience. These are both very good reasons, and I think it’s going to be good for both WWE and Peacock in the long run.
A better platform
WWE’s recent move to NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, was motivated by a desire for a better platform.
WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon explained that the company was looking for a “world-class” streaming service that could provide WWE with the resources it needed to continue growing.
Peacock seemed like the perfect fit. The platform is available in more than 85 million homes and offers WWE content like never before. Peacock also gave WWE the opportunity to launch its own channel, which will feature original programming and live events.
In addition, Peacock will allow WWE to reach a wider audience by making its content available in Spanish and Portuguese for the first time. With these new language options, WWE will be able to reach even more fans around the world.
The move to Peacock is a big win for WWE and its fans. With a better platform and more ways to watch, WWE will be able to bring its unique brand of entertainment to even more people than ever before.
What WWE Gets With Peacock
WWE and NBCUniversal have had a long relationship, going all the way back to 1985. That relationship has been beneficial for both parties, with WWE getting much-needed exposure on NBCUniversal channels and NBCUniversal getting good ratings from WWE programming. The relationship between WWE and NBCUniversal has been beneficial for both parties, with WWE getting much-needed exposure on NBCUniversal channels and NBCUniversal getting good ratings from WWE programming.
A new TV deal
In early January, it was announced that WWE had reached a deal with NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock, to bring its programming to the platform. The deal is worth a reported $1 billion and runs for three years. It’s a big win for WWE, which was reportedly unhappy with its current TV deal with USA Network. The move to Peacock will give WWE more control over its content and allow it to reach a larger audience.
The new deal includes two of WWE’s biggest shows, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live, as well as its pay-per-view events and a new weekly show called NXT UK. It will also give Peacock exclusive streaming rights to WWE’s huge library of historic footage. This is a huge get for the young streaming service, which launched in April 2020.
WWE’s move to Peacock is part of a larger trend among sports leagues and media companies. As traditional TV viewership continues to decline, these organizations are looking to streaming services as a way to reach new audiences. For WWE, the move will likely result in more viewers and more revenue.
A new streaming deal
WWE and NBCUniversal have finally unveiled their new streaming partnership, which will see WWE’s flagship programs move to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock.
The deal, which was first rumored back in January, is a multi-year agreement that will see WWE SmackDown move to Peacock on Friday nights beginning on October 1st. Monday Night Raw will remain on USA Network for the time being, but it is expected to move to Peacock in early 2022. Additionally, all of WWE’s pay-per-view events will now be available exclusively on Peacock.
WWE Network will continue to operate as a separate streaming service through the end of 2021. At that point, it will be integrated into Peacock Premium, which will cost $4.99 per month with ads or $9.99 per month without ads. Those who are currently subscribed to WWE Network will be able to transfer their subscription over to Peacock Premium at no additional cost.
What does WWE get out of this deal? Well, for starters, they get a significantly higher carriage fee from NBCUniversal than they do from Comcast/Xfinity (which currently carries WWE Network). They also get greater promotion and visibility for their product on NBCUniversal’s various platforms (including USA Network, which is still the most-watched cable network in the United States). And perhaps most importantly, they get an ownership stake in Peacock – something that was reportedly a key demand from WWE during negotiations.
What does NBCUniversal get out of this deal? They get exclusive rights to some of the most popular programming on television – programming that will help them promote and grow their new streaming service. And unlike with traditional television deals, they don’t have to worry about losing viewers to cord-cutting – as long as people are willing to pay for Peacock, they’ll be able to watch WWE programming without problems.
A new platform
WWE has found a new home.
On Thursday, the company announced a five-year partnership with NBCUniversal that will see its Raw and SmackDown live programming move to Peacock, the entertainment conglomerate’s streaming service.
The deal is a major coup for Peacock, which launched nationally just last month. It adds WWE’s weekly live shows to a platform that includes some 10,000 hours of on-demand content from NBC, Universal Pictures and other properties, as well as original series like “The Office” (coming in January) and live sports like PGA Tour golf and Premier League soccer.
For WWE, the shift is an acknowledgment that its future lies in streaming. The company has been moving in that direction for some time: In 2014, it began offering a $9.99-a-month online service called the WWE Network; in 2018, it signed a deal to make that network available on Amazon’s Prime Video platform; and earlier this year, it renewed its contract with Fox for its two live shows while also striking a deal to air those same programs on USA Network.
What WWE Gives Up With Peacock
WWE Network was doing just fine. It had 11 million subscribers and was available in 180 countries. So why would WWE go to Peacock, which is only available in the United States? The answer is simple: Money. NBCUniversal is paying WWE $1 billion over five years for the rights to WWE Network. That is a lot of money, and it explains why WWE went to Peacock.
Fox
Before WWE moved to Peacock, it was available on Fox. Peacock is a new platform that offers more content than Fox did. However, WWE gave up some key features when it made the switch.
-WWE gave up television rights when it moved to Peacock. This means that Peacock will not be showing WWE events on its main network channels.
-WWE also gave up live streaming rights when it switched to Peacock. This means that fans will no longer be able to watch WWE events live on the platform.
-WWE gave up its on-demand content when it moved to Peacock. This means that fans will no longer have access to WWE’s extensive library of on-demand content, including pay-per-views and classic matches.
NBCUniversal
As part of the agreement, NBCUniversal will produce and air live WrestleMania events on Peacock annually through at least 2024. In addition, Peacock will be the exclusive home of WWE’s flagship shows RAW and SmackDown, as well as NXT and NXT UK. Other popular WWE content set to stream on Peacock includes documentaries, reality shows, classic matches, and replays of recent pay-per-view events.
WWE Network
In order to understand why WWE went to Peacock, we have to understand what the WWE Network is. The WWE Network is a streaming service that has been active since 2014. It originally launched as a traditional pay-per-view service, but it eventually became a streaming service in 2016. The WWE Network is available in various countries around the world, but it is most popular in the United States.
As of November 2019, the WWE Network had approximately 1.4 million subscribers. This number increased to 1.65 million subscribers by April 2020. However, the WWE Network’s popularity began to decline in recent years. In July 2020, it was announced that the WWE Network would be moving to Peacock.
There are several reasons why the WWE decided to move to Peacock. First and foremost, NBCUniversal (the parent company of Peacock) has a much larger reach than the WWE Network. NBCUniversal is available in over 30 countries, while the WWE Network is only available in about 20 countries. This means that there are potentially millions of new viewers that can be reached with Peacock.
In addition, NBCUniversal has a much larger marketing budget than the WWE Network. This means that more people will be aware of Peacock than the WWE Network. NBCUniversal also has a lot more experience in streaming than the WWE Network. This will likely lead to a better experience for viewers on Peacock than on the WWE Network.
The move to Peacock also allows the WWE to focus on its core product: professional wrestling. With the move to Peacock, the WWE will no longer have to worry about maintaining and upgrading its streaming service. This will allow the company to focus its resources on professional wrestling, which is its bread and butter.
The bottom line is that there are many reasons why the WWE decided to move to Peacock. The move allows the company to reach more viewers and focus on professional wrestling.