Is SmackDown still on streaming service Hulu?

Hulu has been a home for RAW and SmackDown for a number of years in the United States of America. The platform offered next-day viewing of the previous night's episodes of the red and blue brand, respectively.

Since the beginning of the agreement, a lot of things have changed when it comes to WWE's television deals. For example, SmackDown now airs weekly on FOX every Friday night. WWE also has an exclusive deal in place with streaming service Peacock.

So is SmackDown still on Hulu? As it stands, yes, but many fans have reported that there have been delays with the upload of the shows causing a lot of questions for the streaming service on social media.

As reported by 411 Mania, Hulu rights for past episodes of SmackDown have expired but current episodes will be uploaded as normal the day after they air on network television. 411 Mania said:

"Hulu Support noted that the past episodes had to be removed due to the rights expiring but that new episodes will continue to be added"

It has also been reported that WWE's deal with Hulu is up very soon, meaning many fans will lose WWE content through this platform. The deal is set to expire either in late 2021 or early 2022. Whether Hulu will renew their agreement remains to be seen. A 'next-day streaming deal' may be up for grabs in the future.

Hulu is owned by The Walt Disney Company and has provided a streaming service for 13 years. They have built a portfolio over the years and also have a Hulu Live section which requires an extra subscription.

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Will Peacock pick up WWE's 'next day' streaming rights for RAW and SmackDown?

As it stands, Peacock currently has the latest episodes of RAW and SmackDown uploaded 30 days after they've aired. The agreement is similar to that of the WWE Network which also used the same methodology. Securing a deal to have them air the next day would be huge for the platform.

Fans in the USA currently have to subscribe to Peacock to watch WWE pay-per-views and classic content. If fans also had the option to watch WWE's flagship show 24 hours after they aired, it would no doubt drive more subscribers.

In today's world, people want everything now and at their fingertips. It could be a game-changer for Peacock and WWE.