New Delhi: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is set to make a significant shift in its Indian media landscape. The company will transition its media rights from Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) to Netflix, marking a major milestone for both companies.
This move follows a landmark 10-year global agreement valued at $5 billion between WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, and Netflix. The deal will see WWE’s flagship shows, including Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, exclusively stream on Netflix in India starting April 2025.
WWE has enjoyed a long-standing presence on Indian television, beginning with Ten Sports in 2002. Following SPNI’s acquisition of Ten Sports in 2016, WWE programming has been a mainstay on their channels. However, with the current contract between WWE and SPNI expiring in March 2025, Netflix is poised to take over.
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This shift marks Netflix’s first major foray into sports entertainment in India. The streaming giant has been expanding its live sports content globally, with recent partnerships including the NFL. This move aligns with Netflix’s strategy to broaden its content offerings and attract new subscribers.
For SPNI, this signifies the end of a long-standing partnership with WWE. The company has built a strong foundation in sports programming around WWE content.
The impact of this transition on WWE’s viewership in India remains to be seen. With a massive following of over 900 million viewers accustomed to watching on cable TV, the shift to streaming could potentially impact viewership patterns. However, it also presents an opportunity to reach a wider audience through Netflix, which boasts 12 million subscribers in India.
