Eric Bischoff Lays Out What WWE Raw Broadcast Rights Deal Does For Netflix

With the announcement of a $5 billion deal between WWE and the streaming giant, "WWE Raw" is moving to Netflix in 2025, which WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff thinks will be a massive sea change in the worlds of professional wrestling and televised entertainment in general. "It wasn't that long ago that we were reading headlines about Netflix being in financial peril," Bischoff said on "83 Weeks." The streaming company had cut numerous costs and even recently scrapped Halle Berry's upcoming film "The Mothership," opting to get a tax write-off instead. "I think this is a great way for Netflix to take a next step in its evolution."

Bischoff cites his old boss Ted Turner, who believed that where wrestling goes, viewers will follow. "Netflix needs to grow their audience too. I've said it before, if you're not growing in the television industry then you are dying," Bischoff explained. "This is a big opportunity for Netflix to inherit a worldwide, loyal audience for a product that up until this point has only been available on terrestrial or cable television. Now that audience is going to move to Netflix." Bischoff believes that Netflix and WWE will experience tremendous growth together, which gives him no small amount of glee.

"Professional wrestling before cable television was probably the most watched form of entertainment in the United States," Bischoff explained, mentioning that Vince McMahon embracing cable in the 1980s completely changed the way the business was distributed. The former WCW President feels the Netflix deal is a similar tide-turning in the history of pro wrestling. "Professional Wrestling, maintaining its record as living on the leading edge of [entertainment]."