WWE RAW is moving to Netflix starting in January, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to watch the live program ad-free. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE’s flagship program will still have commercials when it debuts on the streaming service.
Netflix is hoping to add more commercials to live and pre-recorded programs and believe RAW is a good place to test it out. The thought is that wrestling fans are used to commercials on their broadcasts.
However, just because there are ads, doesn’t mean they will be intrusive. WWE has more flexibility on Netflix when it comes to how long the shows run, as well as how many commercials will run. Some ads could be quick to get back to the show faster, while others may be closer to what airs on linear television. The runtime for the show, previously reported to be going back to three hours, will actually vary depending on the plans for that particular episode. This will especially help to make main events feel more unpredictable.
