Wrestling fans across the UK are calling on Netflix to make a huge change to keep WWE watch parties alive.
The sports entertainment giant is moving to the streaming service from January 2025, with Raw, SmackDown, NXT and every premium live event included in the subscription.
While it’s undoubtedly an exciting time for fans, there is some disappointment because Netflix doesn’t allow for legal public streaming in licenced venues.
For years now, watch parties have become a staple for people up and down the country, with hundreds gathering to enjoy the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania and beyond with their fellow fanatics, with most events starting after midnight.
Now, wrestling fans are backing a petition to allow pubs and bars to show WWE’s PLEs on Netflix in the same way Sky Sports and TNT Sports Box Office have allowed.
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Hooked On Wrestling have run events across the UK for over a decade now, but Saturday’s Survivor Series: WarGames show appears to be the final one before the historic move.
HOW’s managing director Paul Benson told Metro how the events have had a real impact on ‘so many people in the UK wrestling company’.
‘To many, it became so much more than a night out, it became the only chance they had to go out and feel safe and accepted in a social environment like a rowdy bar that many of us take for granted,’ he said.
‘So many lasting friendships have been forged at our watch parties and the number of people who have reached out as they’ve realised they will be coming to an end has been incredible.’
The events even became part of WWE’s TV experience, with the company occasionally showing clips from the watch parties with fans around the world celebrating moments like Drew McIntyre winning the 2020 Royal Rumble.
And while Paul ‘fully appreciates’ the business side of PLE broadcasts, he hopes a solution can be found to benefit ‘both [WWE and Netflix’s] interests and their diehard UK fanbase’.
He hailed the Netflix move as ‘a true new era for professional wrestling’, but he doesn’t want the ‘amazing development’ to bring an end to the watch parties.
The issue itself comes down to Netflix’s practices rather than WWE, with the platform not allowing people to stream from their account in public.
‘Right now, there are no legal ways for Netflix to be aired in bars,’ HOW wrote on social media after Survivor Series.
‘We’re trying to have conversations with WWE & Netflix to find a way to continue bringing the UK WWE fan community together but we ask you to help demonstrate the need for these events in the UK.’
Commenting on the petition, one fan called Christian said it would be ‘a real loss to the scene’ if the watch parties couldn’t take place, while Hannah said it would be a ‘shame’.
When is WWE moving to Netflix?
WWE is switching over to Netflix from January 2025, and for UK fans that’ll be from the get-go on New Year’s Day.
The official move is the January 6 episode of Monday Night Raw (for US fans, that’s the only show heading to Netflix right now) – for us Brits, it’s a real game changer.
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As well as weekly live episodes of Raw, SmackDown and NXT, the deal includes every monthly PLE like WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and beyond.
Netflix and WWE have also confirmed that ‘select programming and historic PLEs’ will be available, although it’s yet to be revealed exactly what’s included there.
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Metro has contacted Netflix for comment.
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