WWE’s developmental third brand, NXT, will move from USA Network to The CW in October 2024, marking the first WWE programming to air on the free-to-air channel since 2008.
WWE NXT will be broadcast on a free-to-air television network in the United States for the first time after the brand signs a five year deal to broadcast on The CW, beginning in October 2024. NXT began as a pseudo reality style competition on the Syfy Network in 2010 before morphing into a third brand designed to develop young and upcoming WWE talent. When the show relaunched in 2012, it became on of the flagship programmes for the new WWE Network before joining Monday Night RAW on the USA Network in 2019.
WWE is no stranger to The CW, broadcasting SmackDown there between 2006 and 2008, as well as launching the show on the network’s former iteration, UPN. It was previously announced that SmackDown will move to USA in October 2024, as well, filling the void that the the gold brand will leave.
With The CW recently rumoured to be bringing Billy Corgan’s National Wrestling Alliance to their network, it’s clear that they are keen to add wrestling content to their offer. The CW will host 52 live weekly events a year and hope that the young, up and coming nature of NXT programming will match well with their youthful demographic.
We are thrilled to welcome the WWE brand into the CW Sports portfolio as they play an integral role in our mission to bring live sporting events to the network year-round. WWE NXT is a perfect fit for The CW thanks to its dynamic young talent featuring the hottest rising stars in the sport and exhilarating, unpredictable weekly events. The passion and engagement of WWE’s fanbase is unmatched, and we are eager to grow that audience as WWE NXT’s new home on broadcast television.
Dennis Miller, president of The CW Network
The move to The CW should, in theory, allow a wider audience to access NXT on a weekly basis, as the network is available free-to-air to the majority of homes in the United States. The USA Network, while one of the most popular channels on cable, is still on cable and behind a paywall. It remains to be seen whether Peacock will retain on demand rights for the show or whether it will become available to stream on the CW App, alongside its other programming.
The CW has made impressive moves over the past year with its live sports programming schedule. It’s a truly exciting opportunity to expand NXT’s audience by bringing the show to broadcast television for the first time in NXT’s history.
Nick Khan, WWE president
WWE NXT currently airs Tuesday nights at 8pm ET on USA Network and is available on demand later in the week via the Peacock subscription service.
What do you think of the move to The CW? Will it be a good move for the white and gold brand? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
