Paul Heyman Assesses WWE's 'Transformative' Move To Netflix

"WWE Raw" on Netflix has proved to be a successful move from cable so far, with the show pulling in strong global viewership numbers and featuring several celebrities in attendance on a week-to-week basis. Many have questioned if Netflix was WWE's first choice for the red brand, but Paul Heyman has recently provided clarification on the company's initial goal. Speaking on "Sport Media with Richard Deitsch," Heyman noted that Amazon Prime, Paramount Plus or another deal with the USA network was on the table, but Netflix was most definitely the preferred option.

"There were a lot of reports in the media of the possibility of a Netflix deal." Heyman said. "There were just so many different rumors. So was the hope always Netflix? Oh, of course, it's the premier distribution platform for today's viewer of content in what would be an antiquated description of television viewing ... So whatever the viewing of the content that's designed for television, the premium platform today is Netflix."

Heyman also revealed if talent and staff within WWE anticipated how impactful the transformative move to Netflix was going to be, explaining that although wrestlers were preoccupied with their on-screen stories, those focused on the business side of the company were hoping to land a Netflix deal.

I think a lot of the talent was caught up and rightfully so, in the day to day, the week to week, the month to month stories that we have to have in our heads in order to perform the tasks, the interviews, the promos, the matches ... some of us who analyze the industry were just sitting here praying every day that it would be Netflix." 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Sport Media with Richard Deitsch" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.