A demonstrable decrease in the number of individuals watching the weekly broadcast of World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Raw program occurred following the availability of WWE content on the Netflix streaming platform. This decline is quantified as a reduction of 2.2 million viewers. As an illustration, if the average viewership prior to the Netflix launch was, for example, 6 million, the average viewership after the Netflix availability became approximately 3.8 million.
Changes in television audience size are significant because they impact advertising revenue, network negotiations, and the perceived popularity of the content. Historical precedents show that the introduction of streaming services often results in audience fragmentation across multiple platforms. This particular instance highlights a potential shift in viewing habits, where audiences may be opting to consume wrestling content via streaming rather than through traditional linear television broadcasts. It is important to analyze how streaming services effect traditional cable viewership in the age of content availibility, distribution, and subscription.
