WWE fans are eagerly awaiting news on where they’ll be able to catch their favorite Superstars in the future, with the company’s television rights deals up for negotiation. However, FOX and USA Network are in a strong position, as they have an exclusive window to negotiate with WWE before anyone else can make an offer.
During WWE’s 2023 first quarter earnings report, Nick Khan was asked about the length of WWE’s exclusive negotiation window with FOX and USA Network for SmackDown and RAW respectively. Khan responded that the networks have “about a month, a month each” to discuss renewing their television deals with WWE.
FOX and USA Network will have around a month to talk with WWE about their television deals without the company fielding offers from elsewhere. Although Khan did not specify which network WWE is speaking with, the response suggests that negotiations could take up to two months.
Despite the exclusive negotiation window, WWE still has plenty of options due to its significant presence in the industry. The WWE Network was a groundbreaking streaming service and could still be used to shop around their content. Alternatively, WWE could centralize their library on a larger streaming platform and become a competitor rather than a partner. However, several major players highly covet their programming, and moving away from traditional television is still possible.
With WWE’s recent merger with the UFC under Endeavor, it’s clear that the company is open to new opportunities. As negotiations continue, fans will have to wait and see where they’ll be able to tune in to catch their favorite WWE Superstars in the coming years.
