Netflix Didn't Want WWE Raw Initially - They Wanted THIS!
TKO head Mark Shapiro reveals that WWE's flagship wasn't part of Netflix negotiations at first.
TKO chief Mark Shapiro has revealed that WWE originally spoke with Netflix about NXT. Flagship show Raw wasn't actually part of the conversation until later. Fightful has reported on these comments (made during Shapiro's appearance at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference).
Netflix were interested in taking the third brand on, but negotiations quickly blossomed into more once Raw entered the chat. Shapiro went on to describe how the deal between TKO/WWE and Netflix "over-delivered on [everyone's] expectations".
It blew up fast, and became a hot topic all over the world. Mainstream news wanted in on the act too, so this wasn't something exclusively discussed on pro wrestling websites or amongst fans. TKO were proud of that, and they're very excited about the future.
However, Raw wasn't on the table at first: NXT was. That's a fascinating thought, because it suggests that Netflix fancied dipping a toe into the wrestling market rather than diving in headfirst. Then, Raw was brought up and everyone agreed that was the best way to go.
Shapiro also revealed that TKO were fully-prepared to stay put on Peacock if things didn't work out.