By Gavin Boyle
With WrestleMania just around the corner, many fans may be wondering if it will stream on Netflix. However, for U.S. users, the streamer’s Monday night deal does not cover this star-studded feature.
“WWE is off to a great start. Our first week, we drew about 5 millions views, which is about two times the audience that MONDAY NIGHT RAW was betting on linear television,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos previously said about the WWE’s success on Netflix, adding an explanation about why their deal is not all encompassing. “Not to be overly repetitive, but we are going to be mindful of the bottom line and it’s really important that these economics do work and that the big league sports, full league, full season economics are very hard to make work.”
For that reason, Netflix did not pursue acquiring the rights to WrestleMania for its U.S. audience. Americans seeking to stream the event will have to do so through Peacock where it will stream exclusively.
This news might be disappointing for new fans to wrestling who have gotten into the sport since it was added to Netflix’s library, especially as the two-day event will boast some incredible matches. These bouts include Rey Mysterio vs El Gran Americano, Logan Paul vs AJ Styles, IYO Sky vs Bianca Belair and John Cena vs Cody Rhodes.
Cena’s match is especially important as it will serve as his final one before he retires from wrestling. Though he will continue to be involved with the sport, after this WrestleMania, he will no longer be an athlete competing in it.
Related: Netflix Premiere of WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW Earns High Viewer Numbers
“I’ve always said to the audience that WWE is my home and I love it,” Cena said earlier this year. “Just because I physically feel I’m at my end, doesn’t mean I need to distance myself from something I love.”
“The business is at incredible heights of popularity and awareness,” he continued. “There are some big things going on, especially the Netflix [deal] and I take pride in being an individual WWE can call up and say, ‘Remember that idea? The time is now.’ Let’s do something that can bring all of us together.”
“WWE is filled with stories. It’s constantly a program of stories ending and new stories beginning,” Cena added at a later press conference. “I’ve never been too concerned with the word ‘legacy,’ and I don’t want you to mix messages here: It doesn’t mean I shortchange any second on the canvas. I wish I could do it infinitely. Now I want to just try to do something special for a globe of people I owe everything to.”
WrestleMania 41 kicks off its two-day run on April 19 at 6:30 Eastern.
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