The Rise and Fall of the WWE Network

[TMC]

For just $9.99 a month, wrestling fans once had access to every WWE pay-per-view, every Raw and SmackDown episode, WCW, ECW, and exclusive originals like WrestleMania Rewind and Table for 3. But now? It’s all scattered across Peacock and Netflix.

In this deep dive documentary, we explore the full rise and fall of the WWE Network — from its groundbreaking launch in 2014 to its global shutdown in 2025. Learn how WWE created one of the most ambitious streaming services in sports history, why fans loved it, and how corporate deals slowly dismantled everything that made it special.

[TMC]

The WWE Network gave fans everything for $9.99 but it didn’t last. This retrospective explores the rise and fall of WWE’s streaming service, the reasons it failed, and the shift to Peacock and Netflix.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - 2:11 - The Rise of The WWE Network
• 2:12 - 3:27 - For only $9.99!
• 3:28 - 4:45 - The Content Library Was STACKED. (Documentaries, Tough Enough, Swerved, Edge and Christian Show, Camp WWE, Ride Along, Total Divas, every Wrestlemania and more.)
• 4:46 - 7:12 - Reality TV Is PEAK.
• 7:13 - 9:24 - NXPeak.
• 9:25 - 10:20 - The Beginning of the End.
• 10:21 - 11:17 - Why It Fell Apart.
• 11:18 - 13:38 - The Netflix/Peacock Era
• 13:39 - 15:54 - The Legacy of the WWE Network.

[Hawkee]

When you get the general picture for a long time WWE was as big as ever with fans paying to watch certain WWE matches such as Wrestlemania and Summerslam on Pay-Per View and when that became a fad WWE fans bought into it and soon it grew into a popular sensation. Even when USA Network started airing WWE Monday Night Raw and WWE Smackdown Live Pay-Per-View WWE matches were still a fad. Even when Pay-Per View went out of style WWE wanted to expand the brand and by developing their own network they could still support their fans and gain new fans to WWE and thus WWE Network was born. With WWE Network a success fans could watch interview shows with WWE stars and legends such as Hulk Hogan John Cena The Rock L.A. Knight Ric Flair and other WWE stars and gain exclusive access to WWE matches for a fee. But why I think WWE Network failed was because people couldn't pay the high price for access and with streaming apps such as Peacock showing WWE wrestling WWE Network couldn't handle the pressure. And why they went with Netflix was because Netflix is very big on sporting events and seeing how boxing works on Netflix WWE did the same thing too. But I wouldn't be surprised if the WWE Network is revived with a new format because WWE wrestling continues to score big with fans and fans watch WWE for it's huge fanbase

[Dude111]

Its sad very no network has stayed good......

They started GOOD but became crap and its sad......

[TMC]

Netflix becomes the home of the WWE library in the U.S.

The multi-year deal comes following the expiration of a five-year deal that NBCUniversal’s streamer Peacock had for the WWE video library.