Ari Emanuel has stated that several television networks are keen on procuring the media rights for WWE Raw.
Ari Emanuel, the CEO of TKO Group and Endeavor, provided insights on the ongoing matter during a recent interview on Bloomberg Live. He mentioned that after SmackDown’s impressive surge in rights fees, Raw stands out as “the top package on the market”, with six potential purchasers considering Endeavor’s assets.
“We secured a 40 per cent boost for SmackDown. Raw is the top package up for grabs. There are three major rights soon to be on the market: WWE Raw, UFC, and NBA. We play a role in two of them. Six potential buyers are in the fray. Additionally, there’s WWE Network, which is set for renewal in 2026.” WWE is poised to invest $1.4 billion to transition SmackDown from Fox to the USA Network, a move declared in late September. This agreement kicks off in 2024.
At present, Raw broadcasts on USA every Monday evening, and the same network airs NXT on Tuesdays. These contracts are slated for renewal by the close of 2023.
Further into the conversation, Emanuel hinted that the NBA rights deal would need finalization prior to Raw’s, suggesting fans might have to patiently await an official declaration.
