Raw on the Network one day?

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Scott,

I was thinking about Hogan’s claim that the USA Network ordered Vince to sever ties with him after the whole mess. Of all of Hulk’s claims, that one seems to hold the most water. I mean, this is a company that would ostensibly rather be a two hour show on Mondays while the network demands three, so there’s more and more of a sense that Vince is at the mercy of suits that don’t understand the business, and it’s more corporate red tape than ever.

The deals with NBC Universal for Raw and Smackdown don’t lapse until the summer of 2017, and that’s a combined $300M annually in Vince’s pocket, so they’re well-sustained until then, even though they’re playing by the Network’s rules, while ratings are sinking like a stone.

Do you suppose it’s possible we’ll see Raw as WWE Network-exclusive programming down the line? You’d have to figure NBC Universal isn’t going to re-up for anywhere near what they agreed to pay in 2014, as long as ratings line the bottom of the shitter compared to other years. I’d figure there’s also a chance that with Raw on the Network, Vince will have a product without ‘network’ interference, and less corporate machinations than he’s had to deal with for ten years. Sponsors would be a major issue, obviously.

What say you?

​At the moment that would be suicide, because the Network audience is such a small fraction of their TV audience. That being said, who knows what the TV landscape will look like? Netflix does fine launching stuff like Daredevil without traditional TV support, but then they also have 40 million subscribers and are pretty much ubiquitous. And the amount of money that WWE makes from the Network is nothing compared to the TV rights deals they have, which is why they’ll have to be dragged off USA kicking and screaming. ​