On the precipice of media rights negotiations with various entities, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has made a new addition to the Monday Night RAW team. Jackie Redmond, rinkside reporter for the NHL on TNT and NHL Network host, has been named as a backstage interviewer on the Monday night presentation, one of the promotion’s marquee properties. Furthermore, Redmond will be the co-host of premium live event kickoff shows with radio personality Peter Rosenberg, WWE personality Kayla Braxton and Hall of Fame member Booker T. Huffman Jr.
Despite the new roles, Redmond’s responsibilities for studio work will continue with WWE on programs, some of which have previously included Talking Smack and Raw Talk. Once hockey season starts up, she will continue her roles with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and NHL Network. The news was first reported in an exclusive article by Variety, and Redmond’s new role will begin this Saturday, July 1.
Redmond joined WWE in 2021 to host the aforementioned studio programming and has versatile experience in sports media. She was prominently featured throughout the Stanley Cup Final on TNT – the first major sports championship exclusively presented on an American cable television since 1994 – and interviewed various members of the Vegas Golden Knights upon capturing hockey’s ultimate prize.
Due to the move, Cathy Kelley will be moving to Friday Night SmackDown and Megan Morant will be the new host of Raw Talk and other international and digital shows for the entity. The company recently inked a multi-year partnership with Twitch relaunching the WWE channel and producing exclusive digital content. On Monday nights, the company hosts a livecast on Twitch with a rotating panel of hosts and appearances by WWE personalities and superstars.
WWE has merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to form a new publicly-traded company with assets expected to equate to more than $21 billion. An announcement was recently made divulging the name of the new company to be TKO Group Holdings, consummated after Endeavor Group Holdings acquired a majority share in WWE. The media rights deals with FOX and NBCUniversal expire in 2024 and negotiations are in the initial stages; however, reports indicate that the deal could surpass $500 million per year.
