WWE’s landmark deal to bring Monday Night Raw to Netflix in January 2025 has ignited widespread speculation regarding the show’s format and presentation. While initial reports suggested a return to the familiar three-hour broadcast, new insights indicate that the runtime remains a subject of ongoing deliberation.
Per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE is carefully considering the implications of its existing international television agreements, many of which stipulate a consistent runtime for Raw. This presents a unique challenge as Netflix, unlike traditional broadcasters, offers greater flexibility in programming length.
Further complicating the matter is the integration of advertising. A longer runtime could potentially translate to increased ad revenue, but the specific implementation within the Netflix ecosystem remains unclear. It is unknown whether Netflix will adopt novel ad formats or potentially introduce an ad-free subscription tier to cater to viewer preferences.
WrestleVotes on Sportskeeda’s Backstage Patreon reported a few weeks ago that SmackDown will expand to a three-hour format starting in January.
The transition to Netflix represents a watershed moment for the company. Due to Netflix being available in over 80 percent of the world, this move is expected to broaden WWE’s worldwide reach.
