World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) has announced a new, multi-year partnership with Twitch that will relaunch the WWE channel on the platform. In addition, various WWE superstar channels are being launched that will produce and distribute exclusive content, giving fans new ways to engage with talent throughout the company.
Coinciding with tonight’s broadcast of Monday Night RAW, the company will also commence a new sidecast and alternate viewing experience on Twitch. The new presentation will feature a rotating panel of hosts and contain appearances from various WWE personalities and superstars. Moreover, there will be content tailored for the broadcast, including backstage interviews and other commentary. The livecast will take place on Mondays beginning at 8 p.m. EST, and is available to view through Twitch online or on the mobile app.
The WWE Twitch channel will also encompass other live productions and can be used to stream the company’s premium live event press conferences. The company previously announced a partnership with Twitch that gives its talent the ability to stream, albeit under certain restrictions to protect the integrity and identity of the brand. Individuals have the ability to profit off of this so long as they comply with the rules and regulations set forth by the company.
In 2020, WWE talent were informed that they needed to deactivate Twitch accounts and could no longer engage in streaming on the platform. Shortly thereafter, a deal was reached between the company and its talent to allow for the streaming to continue under conditions of sharing revenue with the WWE.
The WWE is in the process of finalizing a deal with Endeavor that will merge the company with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). WWE chief executive officer Nick Khan recently commented that SmackDown could move away from Friday nights in order to accommodate programming schedules, in addition to demonstrating flexibility with Raw.
