WWE’s current media rights agreements went into effect in the fall of 2019, with RAW remaining on the USA Network and SmackDown switching to FOX. RAW and SmackDown’s next set of media rights deals expire next year.
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, WWE has reached the end of its exclusive negotiations window with NBCUniversal (parent company of the USA Network) and FOX about renewing its media rights deals with the companies, allowing them to continue discussions and speak with other networks.
Disney has expressed interest in WWE programming for FX rather than ESPN because ESPN cannot “guarantee a specific night of the week due to their rotating slate of games” due to contracts with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and other sports leagues.
Amazon Prime Video is also expected to hold talks with WWE after finalizing their NFL deal for Thursday night games. They had previously made bids for the Big Ten Conference in college football.
Marchand sees Apple and Warner Bros. Discovery as candidates, albeit dark horses, because of their interest in the NBA. The sports league currently has an agreement with WBD.
“One nugget I was told that may interest wrestling fans is that Warner Bros. Discovery does not have to stay exclusive to AEW. It would be something if it got in on WWE. But I don’t see it yet,” he added.
WWE CEO Nick Khan has previously praised Amazon and stated that the company would be willing to move SmackDown to a different night.
WWE signed big money deals in 2019, with RAW receiving $265 million per year and SmackDown receiving $205 million from FOX.
