WWE made major moves in 2024 by securing new media rights deals, including Monday Night Raw heading to Netflix. But before that, NXT locked in a prime-time spot on The CW, marking a major shift for WWEs developmental brand. Now, TKO executive Ari Emanuel is revealing how NXTs deal came together and how it almost led to an even bigger move.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Emanuel shared how initial talks with Netflix were focused on NXT before things took an unexpected turn.
While Raw ultimately landed on Netflix, WWE secured a separate deal for NXT to air on The CW Network, giving the brand its biggest TV exposure yet. NXT has already seen success on international Netflix markets, but this new U.S. deal puts the brand in front of a much larger audience.
The move signals WWEs growing investment in NXT as a must-watch product, with stars like Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, and Tiffany Stratton leading the charge. With WWEs developmental system now reaching more viewers than ever, the question remainswill NXT continue to be a proving ground for future superstars, or is it evolving into a third major brand alongside Raw and SmackDown?
What do you think about NXT moving to The CW? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
