WWE RAW Then vs. Now: How Netflix Evolved the Watching Experience

The Comcast USA Network has been iconic in sowing wrestling fever worldwide, which has been responsible for spreading the WWE’s flagship show for the past many years. However, beginning January 6th, there has been an obvious shift in the way people view these shows given that WWE has switched gears and is now streaming on Netflix. But has this shift resulted in a difference in the watching experience?

Here’s everything you need to know about the stark difference between RAW then and now

Why did RAW Shift to Netflix?

To understand whether there has been a shift in the way people watch wrestling, it is essential to understand why this shift took place. An obvious understanding would be to bring in more viewership from around the world. “When you look at Netflix and its global reach and the power of its brand, it was time that our brand met up with theirs," WWE President Nick Khan was found saying recently. There is also an economic side to this shift because Netflix agreed to pay more than $5 billion for rights to show Raw and other WWE programming.

However, WWE has always had a large fanbase including people of all ages and nationalities, with people like The Rock and The Hulkster garnering immense popularity through the platforms.

How does the experience differ?

The major difference in the watching experience has been convenience. With a streaming platform like Netflix, looking up shows has become extremely easy and people can watch it whenever they want instead of looking through TV catalogues. WWE has become a simple click away. Also, the shows are presented in high quality on Netflix and those who watch shows with subtitles will see a massive improvement as commentary keeps up with the action which was not the case with Network viewing. For the audience that prefers a bit of cheek, profanities are also allowed on Netflix while they were bleeped out on television.

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TOP 4 Moments of the RAW Netflix Premiere: The Undertaker Support to Royal Rumble Announcement

However, one drawback is that at the time of writing there are no chapter selections for matches and segments on shows, meaning that fans who want to see the main event will have to manually scroll to the final portion of the show rather than just being able to view it based on time in a live telecast. This has led to some frustration among fans, but the pros outweigh the cons. In another welcome addition that was not present during the Network era, shows can also be downloaded and viewed offline on Netflix.


It is evident that RAW on Netflix has resulted in some major differences in the viewing experience. While the initial response has been overwhelming, only time will tell whether this move was a fruitful one for the game.