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Currently , WWEis the king of cable and the superhero of streaming , with their 2025 deals withNetflix to airRAWand Smackdown locked in on the USA internet . Both situations are pull together vast dividends - not just financially , but creatively , as the promotion may be producing its finest idiot box product ever .
On the Road to WrestleMania , we have see the bounteous headliner in the forwarding popping up on both programme - even though they are technically supposed to be disjoined ' brands ' . The two have always had an interesting moral force , withRAWbeing the flagship show for over 20 years , before Smackdown got top billing by moving to terrestrial boob tube and the Fox connection in 2019 .
Things overthrow class whenWWE put down a deal with pullulate Robert William Service Netflix , and you could tell right by that the company wanted to take full advantage of the new chopine . other episode ofRAWhave see Hollywood star , musicians , and pro jock all make cameos - either in the crowd or in the ringing itself . In essence , Monday night have become a party - like atm , whileSmackdownseems like any other wrestling show now .
While it ’s not quite noticeable yet , the period followingWrestleManiacould run to a lull onSmackdown , as WWE will no doubt pour most of their resourcefulness and use their great hitters for their new infant . Meanwhile , the publicity will handleRAWwith care , as the companionship is apparently leaning toward a move to full cyclosis in the time to come .
The Rise of RAW on Netflix
The Original Flagship Show Reclaims Its Top Spot
What more can you say about the action onRAWsince its adult move ? The show had been mired in some miserable Mondays on USA , peculiarly when they were being shoehorned into a three - time of day closure of programing . AsSmackdownbecame grownup and heavy on Fox , RAWwent from being the big sidekick to the poor wan first cousin for the retiring five years .
While there have been a couple of flies in the emollient , the successful launching of the show on Netflix has opened up more opportunities for streaming chopine . Perhaps parent company TKO Sports will even start its own streaming serving someday , akin to what the WWE connection set about to be . With their Peacock business deal expiring in mid-2026 , that may be part of WWE President Nick Khan ’s ultimate visual modality .
For now , await the promotion to put as many eggs in its Netflix basket as potential . They want this endeavor to be a raging achiever , as it opens up so many door for the fellowship . It also provides them astonishing purchase when it comes to negotiate with any future right holders . From a business perspective , it makes all the sense in the earthly concern to invest as much clip and vim into altogether as possible . Butwill that causeSmackdownto get in the long campaign ?
The Three-Hour Program Has Hamstrung Smackdown
Lots of Filler on Friday Nights
On theSmackdownside of the ledger , the show has benefited recently from a lot of talent crossovers , leading up to Wrestlemania . Unfortunately , that ’s not going to last always , and the fans could be in for a few recollective months when it come to the low-spirited brand . Many in the WWE Universe do n’t enjoy the three - hour format , as they realise there ’s a lot of filler added to every episode . Even the human in commission of the creative mental process agree : the show is more in effect with a little run clock time .
WWE ’s Raw kick back off its coming Netflix season with a show packed with entertainment , dramatic play , and announcements .
" Sometimes , when we do three - hr shows , there ’s a little scrap of collapsable stuff in there that ’s put in on purpose,“Triple H statedin January during an appearance onThe Pat McAfee Show . " It ’s a little flake of fat in the show that you may trim off if you need to . But a two - time of day show sometimes … there are a bunch of times when we get done with a two - hour show where I think , ' world , I would like to have put more in there , I would like to have give more people the opportunity to tell apart these stories that we did n’t get a opportunity to do . ' So somewhere between that two and that three - hour windowpane to me is the sweet spot . "
Can WWE Maintain a Balance Between the Two Shows?
Right Now, Things Are Tilting a Bit Toward RAW
For now , both programs are getting that oldWrestlemaniarub , but it ’s very gentle to foreseeSmackdownhaving a few boisterous month before they go back to a two - hour format . In the meantime , RAWenjoys the comfort of not having any time constraint on Netflix . They can stop the show right at 10 ET , or do a slim run - over . That ’s the beauty of being on a cyclosis service .
Moreover , the traditional re - start after ' Mania will bea just indicator of which side the promotion will careen toward . If they have their top wizard load up on Monday Nights , thenSmackdownwill become an afterthought for fans . presently , there ’s already a belittled share of rooter who feel that fashion anyway . Many say they ca n’t missRAW.But if they happen to blow past a Friday night without checking out the blue brand , they do n’t palpate like it ’s as expectant a red ink .
That could fester even further over the course of the next year . The company has every understanding to stay in good graces with Netflix and the chance it affords . But it should n’t follow at the disbursal of their other main program . With Triple H booking Monday Nights like it ’s a mini - Super Bowl display , it will be hard for fans to viewSmackdownas anything but that ' other show' . While that may be a positive for Monday Nights , it ’s not likely to be " best for business " when it comes toSmackdown .
