Big Changes Are Coming To WWE In 2024
2022 and 2023 were arguably the most momentous years on record for WWE. In a single 12-month period, the company saw its founder forced into retirement after a storm of scandal, then strong-arm his way back in and sell WWE to Endeavor, merging it with UFC under the name TKO Group Holdings. These weren't just big changes — they were massive changes, potentially the biggest changes in modern wrestling history. So it probably says something that, if the first two months of 2024 are any indication, the changes WWE goes through this year could be even bigger.
As 2024 continues, all three of WWE's TV shows are preparing to change broadcast partners, with "WWE Raw's" deal with Netflix potentially changing the game for wrestling media. This goes down as the company has again been rocked by scandal, this time even harder than before, and Vince McMahon has again resigned, and has evidently been replaced by ... The Rock? And the changes coming to WWE aren't just behind the scenes — on camera, we're dealing with new voices emerging on commentary, the potential end of a years-long championship reign, and the possibility that one of the biggest stars in WWE history will never be seen again.
WWE is consistently doing the best business it has ever done — and yet, the company's future feels entirely up in the air. Only one thing is for certain: After 2024, WWE will never be the same.
WWE Raw is leaving USA in October
From 1993 until 2000, and again from 2005 through later this year, "WWE Raw" has called USA Network home. That is soon set to change, as WWE has signed a significant new broadcast rights deal for the flagship wrestling series, announced by the company last month. For the first time in nearly 20 years, "Raw" will leave the NBC Universal-owned network in favor of a new platform, leaving longtime viewers forced to figure out how to watch the series.
With the current deal to air "Raw" expiring at the beginning of October, and the company's next agreement not taking effect until 2025, WWE will have to find the show a new home for three months later this year. The company has yet to announce where "Raw" will air during that time. No matter where it goes, the show will be leaving traditional television at some point this year.
Historically, TV ratings have been a significant part of measuring success in wrestling. While ratings are still important, their significance over the years has declined as traditional TV viewership has steadily dropped. As the future home of "Raw" does not release viewership metrics to the public, the old days of analyzing and speculating over "Raw" ratings will soon come to an end.
Raw is leaving broadcast TV at the end of the year to stream on Netflix
Speaking of future homes, starting in January 2025, "WWE Raw" will air live every week on Netflix. With the announcement, "Raw" has become the first live show scheduled to air weekly on the streaming giant. In the past, Netflix has dipped its toes in the live-streaming waters with a Chris Rock comedy special. More and more streaming companies bringing live sports to their platforms, and "Raw" moving to Netflix is just the next step in a progression that is likely going to continue playing out over the next few years.
When the deal goes into effect next year, "Raw" will air on Netflix internationally as well as in the United States. The landmark agreement will also see the dissolution of WWE Network, with premium live events, "WWE SmackDown," and "WWE NXT" making the move to Netflix internationally as existing broadcast rights deals reach an end.
Netflix picked up "Raw" for 10 years, with both opt-out and extension clauses in place to give the streaming platform some options. WWE, on the other hand, has no say in whether Netflix decides to keep the show for five years, 10 years, or 20 years. While $5 billion for "Raw" is a significant payday, it's worth noting the number covers broadcast rights around the globe, meaning WWE will no longer be able to negotiate separate fees for different territories. WWE is therefore set to receive $500 million per year for "Raw" broadcast rights worldwide.
NXT is moving to the CW at the same time Raw is leaving USA
Like "WWE Raw," "WWE NXT" currently airs on USA Network, but that is also set to change this year. Starting this October, "NXT" will move to The CW, a broadcast TV network with majority ownership by media conglomerate Nexstar, with both Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery holding minority stakes. This won't actually be the first time The CW has hosted WWE programming. From 2006 to 2008, "WWE SmackDown" aired on the network before eventually switching homes once again. The deal to bring "NXT" to the CW is set to last for five years, ensuring the show has a longer stay than "SmackDown" did the first time around.
The move to broadcast TV can be seen as a major step up for the WWE developmental brand. As most fans likely remember, "NXT" began as a WWE Network exclusive before moving to USA in 2019. After a period of competition with "AEW Dynamite" on Wednesday nights, "NXT" switched to Tuesdays, where it remains. It's not yet clear as to whether the show will stay on Tuesdays or switch to a different night, but WWE CEO Nick Khan has stated several times that the company is confident its audience will follow its shows no matter which night they air.
Whenever it's on, "NXT" should get an increase in profile with the move. Nexstar has claimed that The CW is available to watch in 100% of all households in the United States with a television, making it one of the largest networks by default.
SmackDown is moving to USA
As "WWE NXT" leaves USA Network for broadcast TV, "WWE SmackDown" will do the opposite. Once again, the shift will take place in October 2024, when the current deal to air "SmackDown" on Fox comes to an end. The show will then return to USA, where it previously aired from 2016 to 2019.
The news of "SmackDown" leaving Fox was predicted in the months leading up to the announcement, with industry analysts skeptical the company would offer the kind of financial increase that WWE was looking for. Despite the transition from broadcast back to cable, the deal likely made financial sense for WWE, as it sees them earning an average of $287 million every year for the show. Under the contract with Fox, WWE was getting paid $205 million per year. WWE's main roster will still maintain a presence on broadcast TV, too. Another aspect of this contract is that WWE will present four specials each year airing on NBC. The details of these specials have yet to be announced, but they will seemingly air once a quarter throughout the five-year term.
Historically, "SmackDown" has often played second-fiddle to "Raw" in terms of importance within WWE. While "SmackDown" aired on Fox, that dynamic saw a shift due to the increase in audience. With "Raw" now moving to streaming while "SmackDown" heads back to cable, it remains to be seen how the two brands will be seen in relation to one another as the dust settles.
Dwayne Johnson is on the TKO Board
To go with all the big news of WWE partnering with Netflix, it was announced on the same day that former WWE Champion Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would join the TKO Group Holdings Board of Directors, which also resulted in him trademarking "The Rock" as the name was originally owned by WWE. "The Great One" now has a significant amount of power within WWE, something that can work to the company's benefit, as having someone who has been a performer also be an executive can offer different viewpoints on certain things.
What this also means is that Rock is now officially back in WWE on a full-time basis, to a certain extent. While he might not be on TV every week, he will have a direct influence when it comes to big business decisions and other major directions WWE might choose to pursue. Johnson has stated that being on the TKO Board means a lot to him, as WWE was a company that his father, "Rocky" Johnson, and grandfather, "High Chief" Peter Maivia, helped build.
As fans have seen in recent weeks, Rock being on the TKO Board also means that he can appear on WWE TV virtually whenever he sees fit. He has already inserted himself into the title picture ahead of WrestleMania 40, expressing his desire to be the "Head of the Table," but has since backtracked and now sided with current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in their family's fight against Cody Rhodes. With Rock having direct influence on WWE, it's likely that "The People's Champion" will pop up more and more in the coming years.
Janel Grant lawsuit could have far-reaching implications
It's a story that rocked the wrestling world to its core. Former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE itself on January 25, 2024, and since that day there has been no shortage of discussions. The lawsuit contained allegations of sex trafficking, rape, and physical abuse just to name a few of the atrocities, leading to widespread outrage from people in and out of the business.
However, this seems to be the beginning of something rather than the end. This lawsuit has already shaken the wrestling business up massively, and the shake-ups will only get bigger from here. To put it in perspective, Grant's story, regardless of the outcome in court, has opened people's eyes to how dark the backstage and behind the scenes elements of wrestling can be ... now imagine if two people told that story, or four, or eight. The proverbial "can of worms" that would be opened would be so massive it would be impossible to close.
If punishments are dished out as a result of Grant's lawsuit, it will give other victims who have remained silent the comfort level to step forward, as they will have more confidence in their stories being heard, acknowledged, and taken seriously because, no matter the stature of the offenders, action will be taken. If that does happen, wrestling could get an industry-wide clean up of offenders that, in the short-term at least, would see reputations ruined, legacies tarnished, and many fans finding it difficult to justify why they even watch wrestling in the first place. But from a long-term viewpoint, it would greatly improve the business and make it a safer place for generations that have yet to step between the ropes.
Vince McMahon has resigned his chair position on TKO board
Due to the accusations of the Janel Grant lawsuit, Vince McMahon resigned from his positions in both WWE and the TKO board. It was a decision that was reportedly suggested to McMahon, as TKO could not forcibly remove him from his roles, but McMahon caved and for the first time in the company's history, no one who goes by the name McMahon was working for WWE.
Having no McMahons in WWE seems strange on the surface since that family name will be forever linked to the company, but the idea of having no McMahons onboard also offers up a world of opportunities for WWE to go in new directions. If there was one thing about Vince that everyone could agree on in his more recent years as a creative mind in WWE, it's that he was very stuck in his ways. It was his way or the highway so to speak, which ended up becoming a detriment to the product, as there were more and more people growing tired of what they were watching.
With no McMahons in power, WWE can, in a way, properly enter the modern era for the first time; have younger minds backstage, people with experience outside WWE making big decisions thanks to their time in other companies and industries, give WWE the facelift it has needed for a long time. The wrestling business is an industry that has a chronic fear of change, people are always looking to make things like the way they were, but with no McMahons in sight, WWE can finally flourish.
Brock Lesnar Is Seemingly Gone From WWE, With No Return In Sight
After being implicated in a harrowing sex trafficking lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon, it seems Brock Lesnar is now firmly on the outs with WWE. While he was initially scheduled to return in the 2024 men's Royal Rumble match, Lesnar's reported involvement in the lawsuit caused WWE to pull the plug on that idea, and grant his Rumble spot to former "WWE NXT" Champion Bron Breakker instead. In addition to removing Lesnar from the match, there is word WWE also nixed their plans for Lesnar to wrestle at the upcoming Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania 40 premium live events — the latter of which would have seen him face Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
Creative aside, Lesnar has also been deleted from several of WWE's digital projects and content, including the cover art for the "40 Years of WrestleMania" edition of WWE's 2k24 video game. Originally placed beside WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker, the space for Lesnar's likeness has since been filled by 16-time world champion John Cena. Similarly, "The Beast"'s presence in the WWE 2K Supercard Digital Collectible Game has been rendered obsolete as well. Most recently, fans noticed Lesnar was taken out of WWE's intro video package that typically airs before all of the company's weekly television programming and premium live events. "WWE SmackDown" star LA Knight was subsequently substituted into his place.
Given this expansive series of erasure efforts (and the likelihood for it to continue), several pundits, including WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff and former WCW booker Kevin Sullivan, believe that Lesnar — the man who famously ended Undertaker's illustrious WrestleMania streak — will very likely never return to WWE.
Wade Barrett On SmackDown Commentary Makes For An Interesting Dynamic
The notion of pitting babyfaces (good guys) against heels (bad guys) is an age-old theme in professional wrestling, both in the ring and behind the commentary desk. While broadcast teams are traditionally occupied by both face and heel presences, the new "WWE SmackDown" commentary duo has a different dynamic. Following Kevin Patrick's departure from WWE, Pat McAfee was brought back as Michael Cole's commentary partner for "WWE Raw." Meanwhile, Wade Barrett, who had previously sat beside Cole, was transferred to the "SmackDown" brand to fill the void left by Patrick. With this move, Barrett is now paired up with Corey Graves, signaling that "SmackDown" now has a dual-heel announce team.
Commentary teams, of course, play a crucial role in enhancing the viewer's experience, but in wrestling, they have the added responsibility of enhancing the stories and characters of the onscreen performers. Heel commentators typically endorse their fellow heels, while babyface commentators support the heroes in the story, and condemn the often underhanded (and sometimes merciless) tactics used by the in-ring villains.
The heel-heel pairing of Barrett and Graves certainly has some compelling benefits, such as colorful banter, a strengthened chemistry, and an added layer of unpredictability. However, it could prove to be a significant disservice to the process of putting over rising babyface talents. Without a physical "voice of reason" there to advocate for the good guys, programming may be heavily skewed in favor of WWE's villains, and thus, hinder the potential to push the babyface characters forward. The presence of excessive negativity could also make some viewers feel alienated. If (emphasis on if) executed well, though, "SmackDown"'s full-heel commentary team could provide a fresh viewing experience and approach to the storytelling surrounding WWE's diverse cast of faces and heels.
All Signs Point To Roman Reigns Being Dethroned
While the WrestleMania 40 main event may be a repeat of WrestleMania 39, the story surrounding it now has some added layers. Much like last year, Cody Rhodes earned himself a title match of his choosing at WrestleMania after winning the men's Royal Rumble match. And much like last year, Rhodes has set his sights on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. The key difference between then and now, though, is that Rhodes will not be fighting this battle alone.
Heading into WrestleMania 40, Reigns will have his regular crew of Solo Sikoa, Jimmy Uso, and Paul Heyman backing him in his corner, in addition to the recently returned Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Meanwhile, Rhodes seemed destined for disadvantage once again. However, on February 12, an unlikely ally entered the chat, offering to be Rhodes' "shield" amid his quest to take the gold off the dominant Reigns. This ally, of course, is World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who previously struck out (due to disqualification) in his own attempt to dethrone Reigns in 2022.
For three-and-a-half years, WWE fans have witnessed the predictable cycle of seeing Bloodline interference lead to a successful Reigns title defense. Motivated by their mutual desire to see "The Tribal Chief" unseated, the Rollins/Rhodes alliance poses a legit threat — arguably the biggest yet — to break that cycle at WrestleMania 40. And given that a second major loss to Reigns would considerably devalue Rhodes' back-to-back Royal Rumble wins, all signs seem to point toward a major shakeup in the WWE's main event scene, beginning with the end of Reigns' historic championship run. In the event WWE opts for a repeat of WrestleMania 39's ending, Reigns will likely be positioned to eclipse the third-longest world title run set by Hulk Hogan in the '80s. This would also be a notable change, providing more believability that the seemingly impossible WWE records can be shattered. It would also put Reigns nearer to the all-time greats sitting ahead of him — Bob Backlund and Bruno Sammartino.