As WWE Raw‘s debut on Netflix next month nears, we’re learning more about the pro wrestling giant’s plans for its flagship show.
That includes multiple WWE and Netflix executives confirming that the product will remain TV-PG when it moves to the streamer on Jan. 6, despite speculation to the contrary.
“We do love the multigenerational fanbase,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said during a WWE-to-Netflix panel on Wednesday, according to Forbes. “We’re not trying to alienate anybody either.”
“TV-PG is where we’re going,” Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction Series and Sports Brandon Riegg added.
That appears to be exactly what Netflix wants. And based its own executives’ comments, WWE seems more than happy to oblige.
“I think it’s what you want and expect out of WWE,” chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque said. “It’s not pushing anybody away from what they want, it’s a safe place for families, for kids, for everybody to be able to view the programming. That will not change.”
Added WWE president Nick Khan: “We’re not changing the rating of our programming… there’s some online chatter about ‘oh it’s going to be R-rated—or for us old folks—X-rated…’ that’s definitely not happening. It’s family friendly, multigenerational, advertiser-friendly programming. It’s going to stay that way.”
As Khan alluded to, there had been some speculation that WWE could be returning to a modern “Attitude Era” of sorts with Raw no longer facing the constraints of broadcast television. In fact, Levesque, himself, seemingly insinuated as much when he stated that Raw will be “uncensored” on Netflix during an interview on The Pat McAfee Show in June.
There’s a big difference, however, between allowing the occasional curse word to go uncensored or letting wrestlers bleed once in a blue moon and shifting the entire ethos of your product — especially at a time when business is booming. While WWE’s TV-PG rating has been the source of consternation among wrestling fans dating back to its inception in 2008, the company’s recent resurgence has proven that it’s hardly the hindrance that it seemingly was when it was when the product’s creative was under the direction of Vince McMahon.
[Forbes]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.