"It's a real boom [time] for sports rights, in general," says Brandon Riegg, Netflix's head of unscripted and sports content. "It's such a hot category right now." As one of the only types of programming that audiences will still endure heavy advertising to watch, live sports commanded nearly 30% of all U.S. national television ad spending in 2023. And Netflix wants in."
"WWE, now in its fifth decade, has always been more than a sport, which makes it a unique proposition. For one thing, while most live sports are unpredictable, with no guarantee of excitement, WWE's storylines are plotted in advance."
"Netflix is paying WWE $5 billion over 10 years, dwarfing the $265 million per year NBC­Universal-owned USA paid for the previous five years."
"The spectacle of excess, where athletes play outsize characters and perform choreographed stunts that lead to predetermined outcomes, makes for riveting entertainment."
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