Report: WWE Raw Will Not Go Commercial-Free On Netflix

The end of 2024 looks to be a period of change for "WWE Raw," as the show will undergo some major alterations heading into the new year. WWE and USA were able to strike a new deal to keep "Raw" on the network through December, as the original agreement would have had "Raw" leave three months before its scheduled debut on Netflix in January 2025. On top of that, starting on October 7, "Raw" will move to a two-hour format for the first time in 12 years, with the three-hour format returning on Netflix.

One thing that many fans have talked about when it comes to "Raw" on Netflix is the inclusion of commercials. A streaming service is often sold on the idea that you can stream content ad-free for a monthly fee, but according to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, "Raw" will have commercials even though it's on Netflix.

The reason for this is Netflix wants to add more commercials to both its live and pre-recorded programming, and they feel that "Raw" is a good place for them to truly put the idea to the test, as wrestling fans are used to having ads on the shows they watch. One major difference is that there is a lot more flexibility on Netflix in terms of runtime, but also in terms of how many ads will be on the show. Meltzer noted that some ads could be extremely short in order to get back to the story at hand quicker, while some might resemble what fans are used to when they watch wrestling on TV. Meltzer clossed by saying that the runtime will certainly vary for "Raw," as a way of making main event matches feel more unpredictable.