WWE Shopping Monday Night RAW To Other Cable Networks?

Next month, WWE will begin to shop it’s massive pro wrestling television lineup around in hopes of securing a deal to increase overall revenue and visibility for themselves. The ultimate goal in getting a new deal signed is to further align WWE with it’s other sports competition, at least financially. NASCAR, the NBA, NHL, and even the NFL can’t consistently compete with WWE on a weekly basis, as their audience is a ton more diverse, and much of it’s programming is “DVR-proof” . This means that, people tune in and watch WWE programming when it first airs, rather than recording it and watching it at a later date. WWE is in a prime position to score a tremendous deal, if they play their cards right, solely due to the unimaginable popularity of their programming.

Monday Night RAW, which is WWE’s staple program airs live every Monday night at 8pm. The show has been so popular and so much of a cash cow, that USA and WWE negotiated to move RAW to a three-hour time slot last year. RAW also continues to be the number one show on the USA network, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In addition to USA, WWE regularly airs programming on SyFy, Ion Television, The CW, and most recently E! Network, thanks to a “reality” show that gives viewers an inside look at the “Divas” division of women wrestlers. Usually, the WWE would have to deal with the headache of having different shows licensing deals expiring at different times, but now, after masterfully negotiating contracts will have the advantage of all their shows available to be shopped at the same time.

Add this to the fact that at next month’s CES in Vegas, WWE is rumored to finally unveil its own network, which will provide around the clock content centered around the WWE Universe. This would include original programming like Total Divas, and the company’s newly acquired infinity stash of retro wrestling footage, along with exclusive rights to most of, if not all the company’s Pay-Per-Views. Once this network becomes a reality, WWE will broker a deal that would bring their Network to cable providers for between $10 – $14 a month, which is a price that would be extremely attractive to some 800,000 WWE viewers. With a richer content deal in place perhaps with another cable network, or pair of networks, along with the adoption of the WWE Network, the Connecticut based promotion would be in prime position to become one of, if not the most profitable companies to date.

Most people with an inside track on the industry seem to think that USA and NBCUniversal would be foolish to let WWE slip through their fingers, but could see it happening if an offer is made and subsequently rejected. Things wouldn’t start to move until at least February, and if the company does choose a new content partner, shows wouldn’t start airing on a new network until at least October.

{via Variety}