WWE’s signature show, Monday Night RAW, is seen as currently undergoing a transformation as it preps to make the leap from the USA Network over to the streaming platform Netflix.
While the deal with Netflix doesn’t officially kick in until January 2025, WWE managed to broker a deal with the USA Network that lets RAW continue its journey on the network beyond the original contract’s expiry date, which was due this month.
According to informed sources at The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, spectators may still be expected to sit through commercials even after WWE RAW makes its grand debut on Netflix.
As an experimentation, Netflix is giving thought to integrating more advertisements into both live and pre-recorded broadcasts, with RAW being the starting point. The rationale behind this approach is that viewers are generally habituated to commercials during broadcasts.
However, the presence of ads doesn’t necessarily mean there will be disruptions. Thanks to the Netflix platform, WWE will enjoy greater flexibility when it comes to determining the show’s length and the quantity of commercials aired.
Some commercials might be kept short to facilitate a speedy return to the show. Meanwhile, others might follow the model of traditional TV ads.
As regards the show’s duration, although initially proclaimed to return to a three-hour format, the runtime will vary, largely dependent on the distinctive plans for each episode. This adds a touch of unpredictability, especially to the headlining events.