Netflix executive Gabe Spitzer is “thrilled” with how WWE is performing on the platform and sees significant growth opportunities for the product internationally.
Appearing on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch (full episode below), Spitzer Netflix’s Vice President of Global Live Sports and Entertainment — largely addressed the moves the streaming giant is making into the NFL and women’s soccer. He was also asked about Netflix’s partnership with WWE and how he determines whether the relationship has been successful. Spitzer said that, in the United States, things have gone how Netflix expected with WWE bringing over a loyal audience and hitting “every metric” they hoped for. Outside of the US is where Spitzer has been surprised by the results in a good way.
“I’ve been a fan for a long time and, you know, great partners over there with people like Paul Levesque and Lee Fitting and Nick Khan. They’ve been great partners. and I think we’re thrilled with the results so far,” Spitzer said. “We knew in the US, with something like Raw having that every week, there was going to be that passionate loyal fan base and they are going to show up, and they have come in expected ways over to Netflix and in predictable ways. It’s hit every metric that we’ve hoped for on the US side.
“I think the place where we’ve been surprised in a good way and that will continue to grow is outside of the US. That’s really where we see the potential to continue to grow this partnership is, in the US we have Raw only, outside of the US in most countries around the world, we’re the home for all of WWE. So that’s Raw, that’s SmackDown, that’s NXT, and that’s the big Premium Live Events every month — be it WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, or SummerSlam.”
Spitzer noted that Netflix and WWE have been able to work together to boost viewership in markets that Netflix is focusing on.
“It’s been cool to see as different countries have come online — as an example, Italy this year came online and they did a big PLE, the Clash in Italy, there shortly after. So they’re working with us and they’re saying, ‘Hey, where are the countries you want to continue to grow or how can we boost that viewership or can we bring an event there?’ They’re going back to Australia this year, they’ve been to Europe a bunch of times, they’re going down to Mexico in just a couple of weeks [September 14] for a big Raw that we’re really excited about.”
On the topic of censorship, which has been a discussion point online, Spitzer said the issue doesn’t come up often in regards to WWE. Everyone has ratings standards to adhere to, but Netflix tries to be looser on that.
