Why WWE Has Struck Gold With Network Sale
Vince McMahon says goodbye to the WWE Network and hello to $200 million a year.
The wrestling world - well, at least those in North America - was left in shock today with the news that the WWE Network has been purchased by NBCUniversal for exclusive use on their Peacock streaming platform, with the deal purported to be a $1 billion, five-year arrangement.
That means for all wrestling fans in that market, the only way to get your fix of all of the WWE PPVs, documentaries, archive material and all other Network-based content is to sign up for Peacock. That is unless you want to order your PPVs the traditional way, but then that seems a tad silly when given the financials of doing just that.
As of 18 March, the WWE Network will be exclusive to Peacock for the price of $4.99 (including ads) or $9.99 (the ad free version). Given how anyone already subscribing to WWE Network is likely shilling out $9.99, one would imagine that the switch to Peacock won't make that much of a difference to those fans, bar the mild inconvenience of having to sign up for a different streaming service.
Many are wondering what this deal means for WWE, and our very own Simon Miller is here to break down exactly why NBCU's purchase of WWE Network means that Vince McMahon's sports entertainment behemoth has yet again struck gold.