Major WWE announcement could backfire, ex-writer says (Exclusive)
WWE announced in January that Netflix will become the exclusive home of RAW in 2025. Vince Russo, WWE's head writer in the late 1990s, is unsure whether regular viewers of the Monday night show will sign up to the streaming service.
RAW currently airs on the USA Network cable television station in America. If fans in the United States want to watch the show in 2025, they will have to pay a monthly fee to Netflix.
Speaking to host Dr. Chris Featherstone on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo, Russo gave his thoughts on the Netflix deal:
"Since the beginning of time, people have been getting RAW for free. Now you're asking them to pay for it. I think Netflix and WWE just assumes that people are going to fork over the money. I don't agree with that, bro. I think if it is a sub-par product, they're gonna think twice before they pay for it." [3:49 – 4:17]
In the video above, Russo gave his candid assessment of how new champions Cody Rhodes and Damian Priest have been booked since WrestleMania XL.
Vince Russo thinks WWE must make changes
In the late 1990s, WWE dominated WCW in the television ratings on Monday nights. Vince Russo wrote RAW alongside Ed Ferrara and presented ideas to then-Chairman Vince McMahon before every show.
If the company is to maintain its current fanbase when RAW moves to Netflix, Russo believes the product must improve:
"There is gonna be a percentage of people, and, Chris, how many times have we heard it? 'We continue to watch it in hopes of it getting better.' Well, it's gonna be a different story, bro, if you've gotta pay for it. Are you gonna pay for it in hopes of getting better? And who knows, bro, maybe once they move to Netflix they'll one hundred percent up their game. Who knows? But I don't think people are just gonna automatically fork the money over to watch that show." [4:48 – 5:20]
Russo also speculated on why storylines are often underwhelming shortly after WrestleMania.
What do you make of Vince Russo's remarks? Hit the discuss button and let us know.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.