WWE’s previous media rights deal for each “WWE Raw,” with NBCUniversal, and “WWE SmackDown,” with Fox, were made public through the ongoing shareholder lawsuit against the corporate, set to go to trial in June. On Wednesday, Wrestlenomics reported more in regards to the deals, including screenshots of the contracts, each of that are dated between 2019 and 2024, providing a rare look into considered one of WWE’s biggest revenue-drivers.
In accordance with the outlet, each contracts confirm previous reports as to what WWE was paid for each shows. Over five years, WWE received $1.325 billion for “Raw” and $1.025 billion for “SmackDown.” WWE retained final say on creative for each shows, though the corporate couldn’t change the fundamental format of the red or blue brand. The instance Wrestlenomics gave was like changing a show right into a highlight reel.
The contracts also confirm that the corporate had exclusive rights with its broadcast partners, stopping them from airing other wrestling shows through the duration of the deal. Nonetheless, for Fox, things like amateur wrestling or other combat sports like UFC or Glory Kickboxing didn’t apply. For NBCU, the flexibility for the network to broadcast lucha libre, produced from outside the US, on its Spanish language channel was also possible.
Within the Fox agreement, WWE was not allowed to disparage any of the network’s other partners, just like the NFL or NASCAR, during “SmackDown.” Fox agreed to advertise “SmackDown” during its other sports broadcasts, most notably, during its NFL games. The promotion agreement allotted for $125 million over the course of the five years, outside of the media rights payment.
Other Key Provisions in Media Rights Deals
Other elements of the deals the media rights contracts revealed included extra content outside of “SmackDown” on Fox, including the seven-month run of “WWE Backstage,” and other shows that never materialized. The agreements also included guidance on how clips from each shows might be shared online, including on YouTube, with NBCU allowing for “Raw” clips to be posted starting at midnight following the show’s conclusion, with parameters on how much of the complete episode might be shown, in addition to closing dates on the clips. The Fox deal was similar in its parameters, and clips posted online before the tip of the show at 10 p.m. EST couldn’t exceed a minute.
As for renewal of the deals, each Fox and NBCU were required to inform WWE by March 15, 2023, during an exclusive negotiating window, whether or not the businesses were fascinated by renewing the deal. In accordance with Wrestlenomics, there isn’t any information as to why Fox didn’t renew its deal for “SmackDown.” In accordance with testimony given during deposition ahead of the shareholder suit, NBCU received an extension of that exclusive negotiation period, because it was through the time the sale of WWE was being negotiated.
The NBCU deal for the red brand also allowed to WWE to supply the corporate either a two or three-hour version of “Raw” as a part of the renewal. It was revealed in January 2024 that “Raw” can be headed to Netflix after the expiration of the NBCU deal. “Raw” officially made off cable television for the primary time in its history in January 2025, with a versatile run time.