What’s the story?
WWE’s current TV rights deal with NBC Universal, the parent company of USA Network, will last until 2019. However, according to PWInsider things could change when the deal has to be renewed two years from now.
In case you didn’t know...
WWE and USA Network have had a longstanding relationship dating back to the mid-1980s. The first WWE program that broadcasted on USA Network was WWF Prime Time Wrestling which lasted from 1985 to 1993 until it was replaced by Monday Night Raw.
WWE would leave the USA Network and started airing content on Spike TV in 2000, but would return to the USA Network in 2005; Raw has remained on the station ever since.
In 2010, SmackDown moved from MyNetworkTV to the Syfy Network; another company owned by NBC Universal. The show would remain on the Syfy channel for 5 years until it was moved to the USA Network in 2015.
The heart of the matter
PWInsider claimed that the WWE were asked about their negotiations with NBC Universal for a new TV rights deal in 2019 at their most recent investors conference call and the company declined to speak on the issue.
According to the report, this could indicate a cause for concern for WWE due to previous predictions from the company and the decline in ratings that has occurred since 2014.
The impact
WWE stating that more than 90% of their TV viewers watched Raw live each week in 2014 and their high ratings at the time contributed to their new TV deal that year. Since then, technological progress, cord cutting and the fans increasingly negative view of the product may have taken their toll on WWE in these areas.
Over the past three years, their ratings and viewership have consistently declined and this month’s ratings have represented some of the lowest in WWE history.
The likelihood of WWE programming being cancelled is slim to none because their numbers still get them to the top of the ratings without competition from the NBA or the NFL. However, they may be forced to take a deal for a smaller amount when 2019 comes.
Author’s take
While it’s easy for fans to criticise the WWE product for minor issues, their silence on the 2019 TV deal negotiations says a lot more than a statement could have. Even taking the time gap between 2017 and 2019 into consideration, the fact that the company said nothing about their TV rights deal could mean NBC Universal doesn’t like the WWE’s current situation.
Ratings and fan approval is down and with cable television changing, the WWE may have to make some big changes to stay in good standing with NBC Universal.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
