The WWE Network is making a big change. The streaming service will have a new home as it will be absorbed into NBCUniversal’s Peacock later this year as part of a multi-year agreement between the two companies, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This means Peacock will be the exclusive streaming service for the WWE Network in the U.S.
The addition of the WWE Network will be available at no additional cost for Peacock Premium subscribers who pay $5 a month. The same goes for Peacock Premium Plus members who pay $10 a month for ad-free viewing. This move strengthens the relationship WWE has with NBCU, which started 30 years again with Monday Night Raw on USA, Peacock executive vice president and chief revenue officer Rick Cordella said.
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“WWE has always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country,” he added in a statement. “WWE Network is a transformative addition to the platform and complements Peacock’s massive catalog of iconic movies and shows, as well as the best live news and sports, from NBCUniversal and beyond.”
WWE Network will officially launch on Peacock on Mar. 18 and will offer both a live-streaming channel and on-demand programming. This move will be made right before the next pay-per-view event, which will be Fastlane on Mar. 21. WWE Network’s move to Peacock will come less than a month from WrestleMania 37, which will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Apr. 10-11.
WWE Network launched in 2014 as a standalone streaming service. Along with streaming live pay-per-view events, the network also airs original shows such as Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions, and in-ring shows like NXT, NXT UK and WWE 205 Live. Peacock will show replays of Raw and SmackDown and will release one documentary from the WWE Network each year starting in 2022.
“We are thrilled to further the long-standing and trusted partnership WWE has with NBCUniversal,” said WWE president and chief revenue officer Nick Khan in a statement. “Peacock is an innovative platform that will enable us to showcase our most significant events, including WrestleMania, and provide the extraordinary entertainment our fans have come to expect with the combination of premium WWE content, live sports, news, films, and television programs.”
