Major names in attendance for WWE RAW ahead of Netflix switch; rumored plans - Reports
Tonight's WWE RAW will be the final episode before next week's Bad Blood go-home show. This will be a significant show for multiple reasons, but with less than one hour to go, sources have just revealed a major reason why the company must put on a first-rate program tonight.
World Wrestling Entertainment's flagship TV show will kick off its Netflix era in January. The streaming giant and the pro wrestling juggernaut are signed to a 10-year deal, said to be worth $500 million per year for WWE. Netflix will become the exclusive home of RAW in the United States, the UK, Canada, Latin America, and other markets to be confirmed later, plus the international WWE Network replacement as the home to all company content for viewers outside of the U.S.
RAW is set to have many higher-up officials in attendance for what could turn out to be a massive night for the companies if additional rumors are true. A new report from Bodyslam's Cassidy Haynes notes that there will be a significant number of high-profile executives from Netflix and TKO in attendance tonight at Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
Backstage sources report that "dozens" of Netflix executives are expected to be at RAW, with most flown into the city just for the taping. Furthermore, WWE could be planning a Netflix announcement or a segment of sorts during the show.
The late report noted how sources hinted that Netflix may have more than just a backstage presence at RAW, as there's talk of an on-air announcement or segment in some capacity. It was speculated that whatever is in the works could be done to generate additional buzz for the big move in January, but it could also be a sign that there's an update or newsworthy announcement to reveal. TKO first announced the Netflix deal on January 23 of this year.