The next pro wrestling media rights domino has fallen, and it will send WWE’s increasingly popular NXT brand to a network who has been an aggressive player in seeking out sports-related programming as of late.
The CW Network confirmed today that it will become the official broadcast home of NXT beginning in October 2024. The deal is for five years, which would keep it on the network through fall of 2029.
PWInsider first broke the news earlier today, ahead of the official announcement.
Once known for its young audience-skewing dramas, The CW has undergone a dramatic change in strategy since being acquired by Nexstar Media Group last fall. At the heart of it has been a move into live sports, including LIV Golf and ACC college football and basketball.
It will also be the home for NASCAR Xfinity Series races beginning in 2025.
“The CW has made impressive moves over the past year with its live sports programming schedule,” WWE president Nick Khan said in a press release announcing the deal. “It’s a truly exciting opportunity to expand NXT’s audience by bringing the show to broadcast television for the first time in NXT’s history.”
With SmackDown heading to USA next fall, there’s a chance that all three weekly WWE programs could air somewhere different than their current homes by the end of 2024. No new broadcast deal has been reached yet for Raw, which is expected to leave USA with SmackDown on its way in.
And a few intriguing pieces of the puzzle regarding NXT still remain to be completed. Today’s announcement didn’t reveal which night the show will be aired on The CW, which could be dependent on both the network’s existing sports obligations and which nights end up homes to Raw and SmackDown.
There’s also the question of whether The CW is still going to air NWA programming or if NXT is “instead of” and not “in addition to” that promotion’s shows. Owner Billy Corgan said he had signed two deals with a “top 20 network,” which Haus of Wrestling reported on Oct. 18 were with The CW.
However, that same outlet suggested the agreement, which has yet to be officially announced, could be in jeopardy after a controversial segment during the NWA Samhain pay-per-view. Until the network makes a statement one way or the other, it’s dealings with the NWA will continue to be a subject of speculation.