WWE Raw To Become More Profitable Than PPVs By 2019?

So says the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer.

WWE Raw Logo
WWE.com

WWE's weekly TV shows have existed primarily to build towards big pay-per-view blow-offs for decades now, but a paradigm shift may be on the horizon.

As was reported yesterday, NBCUniversal are keen to retain Raw's TV rights in a deal worth up to three times the current contract's value. If this happens, the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reckons that the average episode of Raw will generate significantly more revenue than a pay-per-view, prompting WWE to switch focus.

Theoretically, the company will prioritise whatever makes the most money. If this is Raw, then they may start using pay-per-views to build-up television, rather than the other way around. This could mean less big matches on PPV's, and more on Raw, but as Meltzer notes, the company would still need to save some content for PPVs.

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Big events like WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble would still hold more value than the average Raw. On the flipside, the likes of Backlash, No Mercy, and Extreme Rules may turn into filler-packed transitional shows.

The WWE Network's growth has prompted a major shift in the old model, with PPVs now accounting for a smaller revenue share than ever before. Should Meltzer's hypothesis prove true, their importance may plummet further in 2019, when the TV rights renewals are due.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.