WWE is negotiating its latest round of media rights as their deals with NBCU (WWE Raw on USA Network) and FOX (WWE SmackDown on FOX) are set to expire in 2024.
While NBCU and FOX have an exclusive negotiation window, WWE will be open to negotiation with other platforms after the window. Nick Khan said WWE is looking to get a 1.5 times increase from their last media rights.
Speaking at the MoffettNathanson's Inaugural Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, Nick Khan discussed the possibility of a WWE property ending up on a streaming service.
"We like broadcast, but if you look at what Amazon has done with Thursday Night Football, and folks can say that viewership is down. It's worked because it keeps people engaged in Prime and obviously they went out and got a high-priced, capable broadcast team. They are having NBC produced it because obviously it needed to look great if they were going to have big programming. It's worked great for them. What we believe Amazon is looking to do, is they want to program nights of the week. If you look at the PAC 12, if we were advising the PAC 12, and we're not, we'd say, 'Go full in on Amazon.' Yes, you may get smaller viewership, but if you can get the right deal in place for the PAC 12, which is primarily west coast based, you can do east coast prime time games that start at 5 o'clock local and get people engaged on Saturdays. For us with Friday Night SmackDown, which was on Thursdays prior to going on Fox and Tuesdays before that. We could go any night of the week. For entities looking to program any night of the week, we think we're attractive to them as well," he said.
It is unknown if SmackDown will move nights should the show end up on another platform. It is also unknown when WWE will announce its new media rights deals.
Elsewhere during the conference, Khan discussed the potential of new WWE programming. You can find his full comments by clicking here.
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