Raw Live Raw discussion thread, January 6th 2025: Raw is Netflix. 2 big matches announced

[Dale]

Super cool, got me even more pumped for tonight.

 

[Shane]

That’s a hell of an open. Reminds me why I’m a fan.

 

[Brandon Blaze]

 

[Comrade Khan]

It's a school night

 

[Chris]

WWE aims for global splash in Netflix debut

WWE Raw debuts tonight on Netflix, a platform with more than 282 million worldwide subscribers -- the first time in 30 years the program will not air on a linear broadcast.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

“Monday Night Raw” is set to make a global splash with tonight’s debut on Netflix -- a platform with more than 282 million worldwide subscribers -- and WWE is cranking up its production power for the elevated stage.

“The global side is huge, we know we’re exposed to a way bigger market than we normally would be as a domestic product,” Brian Fadem, VP and line producer at WWE, said Sunday on the eve of the production.

Said Fadem: “We want to make this show the spectacle, the level that we feel like it should be on a new platform like Netflix. The vibe I get around WrestleMania week is very much the vibe I am getting today, and this past week.”

For the first time in 30 years “Raw” will not air on a linear broadcast, moving from NBCUniversal’s USA Network in a 10-year agreement with Netflix, valued at more than $5B.

The show will have a flexible time length on Netflix, aiming for a three-hour debut tonight starting at 8pmET. In its linear past, the broadcast would run up to 15 commercial breaks, which will be reduced in the streaming era to add more content on a weekly basis, according to Fadem. International audiences will not have any commercial breaks.

“While you might go to commercials if you’re in Texas, if you’re in Italy you’re going to see us continue content,” said Fadem. “You're going to see the continuation of a match. You're going to see exclusive interviews with our talent. You might see an exclusive package that will only be viewed on that international level.”

The team started thinking about tonight’s show back in September, which Fadem said is “far earlier” than usual.

“There’s only one chance to make a great first impression,” said Fadem. “To us, this chance to really make that first impression for a new audience potentially, or maybe an audience that is more unfamiliar with our product or hasn’t seen it in years [or] decades.”

Tonight’s show will take place at the Intuit Dome in L.A. After arriving on Thursday and beginning preparation, the team had to vacate the venue Saturday night to accommodate a Clipper’s game.
“The only thing that’s really gotten in our way is the fact the NBA had a game here [Saturday] night,” said Fadem. “I don’t have any doubts in terms of the technology of the building and the amount of cameras that we have. I feel cautiously optimistic at this point. The crew and everyone is way on top of this show because of the enormity of this. Something will always go wrong because it’s live TV, but we always have our backup plans and backups to those backup plans.”

Fadem attended the Clippers game, allowing him to check out the venue’s technology in action.
Rehearsals included looking at audio and video technology, which included new tools like a point-to-point sky cam system, a techno crane for more intimate in-ring shots, and drones inside and outside the venue. The drones will use never-before-seen shots of WWE talent to be integrated within “Raw,” and a dedicated drone team to work exclusively backstage to capture talent arrivals and behind-the-scenes content.

“That’s one thing we’re really going to try to lean into [today],” said Fadem. “Getting these drones to be used in intimate ways and really take the viewer who’s at home, trying to get them to feel here like everyone else.”

Netflix aired a drone show Friday night that used 1,200 drones, including 200 equipped with pyro. The Goodyear Blimp will provide coverage of “Raw” from above the Dome.

“We’re just trying to up our game a little bit,” said Fadem. “I think we did a really good job this last year presenting our product, making it feel different than it had in the past. While we don't want to stray too far from that, we also do want to make it seem like there's a little bit more of a grand stage to it on a weekly basis.”

Brands in the game​

The debut of Raw on Netflix will have the most brands ever on the ring mat for any WWE event.
Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer signed a multiyear partnership that includes ring mat corner branding, the first time that piece of sponsored inventory has been featured on the show.

Two long-time partners, Epic Games and Cricket, will be on the mat for the first time, and Snickers is returning as the presenting partner of Raw.

 

[Butters]

The mat gonna start looking like Brock's shorts

 

[Shane]

This company gonna be shitting money

 

[Dale]

I'll take the exclusive video packages etc over traditional adverts, so W for me.

 

[Dale]

​

 

[Crocker]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Brandon Blaze]

Kinda wish the US could get that deal. Kinda bullshit tbh

 

[Shane]

I guess living outside the US does have its perks

 

[Brandon Blaze]

I guess living outside the US does have its perks

I’m moving to fucking Canada

 

[Butters]

VPN looking real good for wrestling fans.

 

[Brandon Blaze]

VPN looking real good for wrestling fans.

I wonder if that would trigger the whole “watching outside the household.” thing however.