Big changes are coming for WWE fans in India. After decades of being a staple on networks like Ten Sports and Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE is shifting its media rights to Netflix. Starting April 2025, Netflix will exclusively stream WWE content in India as part of a massive global agreement worth five billion dollars.
This move ends a long-standing relationship between WWE and Sony, which had renewed its deal in 2020 for a hefty amount. While Sony hoped to retain rights, WWE’s digital performance on their platform reportedly did not meet expectations. Netflix saw this as an opportunity to step in and strengthen its presence in the Indian sports entertainment market.
For Netflix, this partnership is a bold entry into Indian sports streaming where cricket dominates the viewership. WWE’s flagship shows such as Raw, SmackDown, and NXT will start streaming globally on Netflix in January 2025 and reach Indian viewers by April. Netflix is banking on WWE’s passionate fanbase to grow its subscriber count in India, where it still trails behind platforms like Disney Hotstar and JioCinema.
However, convincing traditional TV viewers to move to streaming will not be easy. India’s vast audience of 900 million TV viewers far exceeds its 547 million streaming users. Fans who have grown used to watching WWE on TV may be reluctant to switch, especially in smaller towns where streaming services are less accessible.
For Sony, losing WWE is a setback, but it is already shifting focus to other sports, investing heavily in cricket to maintain its audience. Meanwhile, Netflix’s bet on WWE signals its intent to dominate the changing sports entertainment space.
By 2025, WWE fans in India will need to embrace streaming, marking the beginning of a new era for wrestling entertainment.