World Wrestling Entertainment, better known as WWE, has survived scandal, controversy and seismic shifts in the media business. Now, the pro wrestling franchise has entered another new arena: Netflix.

WWE’s popular weekly wrestling program “Raw” is streaming exclusively on Mondays on the platform in the U.S., marking the first time in more than 30 years that it will not broadcast on linear TV.

For Netflix, it’s the latest in a series of moves to grow the streamer’s live TV business in an effort to increase viewership, subscribers and advertising dollars. For WWE, it’s a chance to gain a massive global audience.

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, a former pro wrestler, said the move to Netflix — with its 283 million global subscribers — is a “game changer” for the franchise.

“The reach and how much that can expand our base ... when you look at shows they do and the freedom that they have within that, it is a game changer for us,” Levesque said at an event in December. “This, at the end of it, is going to be called the Netflix era, because that’s where the big change is.”

Launched in 1993, “Raw” was one of the first wrestling programs on TV and cable TV that led to boom periods for the genre, said Dave Meltzer, a wrestling historian, the editor and publisher of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, and longtime chronicler of the WWE.

“Raw” is known for producing larger-than-life characters like Hulk Hogan and soap opera-like storylines. Many careers of prominent wrestlers like The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), Triple H and Stone Cold Steve Austin launched during the “Attitude Era,” which ran from the late ’90s to early 2000s. Some of the biggest stars, such as Johnson and John Cena, found success outside the ring in movies and TV.

Meltzer called the deal with Netflix the “next evolution” for WWE, and an important step as viewers — particularly as younger audiences have migrated from traditional television channels to streaming.

“With the decline in TV, it’s probably good to have eggs in the cable and streaming baskets,” he said. “They reach somewhat different audiences. There are people who don’t have Netflix and have USA Network, so it covers all the bases.”

The 10-year agreement with Netflix is valued at more than $5 billion, according to a regulatory filing. After five years, Netflix has the option to exit or extend the deal for another 10 years, according to the deal’s terms. Netflix has the exclusive rights to “Raw” in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Latin America and is able to stream the show globally.

In 2023, WWE said it had signed a five-year broadcast-rights deal for its other big weekly telecast, “SmackDown,” to air on the USA Network after its contract with Fox expired. Under the Netflix deal, the streamer is also the home for other WWE programs and specials outside of the U.S., such as “SmackDown,” “NXT,” “WrestleMania,” “SummerSlam” and “Royal Rumble.”

“What it means is, there’s going to be a lot more eyeballs on WWE than there ever were in the past on a global basis,” said Brandon Ross, an analyst at New York-based research firm LightShed Partners.

Ross said putting “Raw” on Netflix provides stability in the streaming era and could spur more fandom and allow WWE to make more money from touring and sponsorships.

Netflix executives said they were attracted by WWE’s loyal, multigenerational audience. “Raw” also adds to Netflix’s live offerings, which have included NFL football games, boxing matches and comedy specials that can draw massive viewership and attract advertisers.

WWE President Nick Khan said a series of steps took place to enable the Netflix deal to happen, including Bela Bajaria being promoted to Netflix’s chief content officer in 2023.

Bajaria called this a “full-circle moment” for her. When her family moved from London to Los Angeles, and she was a young girl, she would watch WWF (or World Wrestling Federation, the organization’s previous name) with her grandfather, who loved Andre the Giant.

So when TKO executives approached her about a year and half ago about WWE, she was interested.

“First and foremost, as a fan, all those early memories came flooding back,” Bajaria said at a media event in December. “The more I learned about the business of wrestling, the more I felt like this could actually work.”

“Raw” could deliver a significant audience for Netflix. The series averages more than 1.7 million viewers in the U.S. on a weekly basis, according to LightShed Partners. The show has more than 1,600 episodes and has drawn celebrities like Bad Bunny to participate in matches.

“In the WWE, you really have one of the most enduring and resilient programs out there,” Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports, said at the media event. “I think it fits in with a lot of the programming that we do, and it also expands the audience that maybe we don’t have as much of an offering for right now.”

As it launches on Netflix, “Raw” is still going to be a family-friendly, multigenerational program, Khan said. He said Netflix’s international reach was a big draw. “We can’t just be an American company, piping out American content, hoping that people will show up and tune in. We have to be boots on the ground.”

WWE star Drew McIntyre said “Raw” going to Netflix could boost the careers of top pro wrestlers.

“Our product is so gigantic ... but I’m kind of curious to see how much it’s going to creep up in countries like America specifically, and just where you’re going to start to see WWE superstars popping up, maybe on other Netflix shows,” McIntyre said in an interview.

“I got a sneaking suspicion that my personal life outside my house is over,” he added. “But we’ll see, which is fine — just as long as wrestling gets as big as possible.”

Netflix delved into launching live events on its streaming service last year, first with a Chris Rock comedy special. Since then, it has live-streamed sports tournaments, a hot dog eating competition, Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Tom Brady roast and NFL football games.