Past WWE TV contracts & non-compete details with NBCU, Fox revealed in new documents
Details about past WWE TV rights contracts and specific non-compete clauses were revealed Wednesday as more documents emerge from the ongoing shareholders lawsuit.
Reported by Post Wrestling’s Brandon Thurston, the information covers WWE’s deal with NBCUniversal for Raw and Fox’s SmackDown rights deal, both from late-2019 to late-2024.
Annual average contract value for Raw & SmackDown
- The annual five-year contract value for Raw was confirmed at a $265 million average with $15 million escalators per year for a total of $1.325 billion.
- The annual deal for SmackDown to Fox was for an $205 annual average value with $12.5 million yearly escalators for a total of $1.025 billion.
Non-competes
- Under their deal with NBCU, it was agreed no other wrestling content would air on any NBCU cable network or any of those network’s “vertical websites.” That clause extended to any “any person or entity that primarily produces or distributes programming consisting mainly of wrestling matches between professional wrestlers, as that term is commonly understood in the television industry.” There was one exception, NBC Universo, but for wrestling produced outside the U.S.
- There was a similar arrangement between WWE and Fox, stating no Fox-owned network “will exhibit, include advertising for, or otherwise promote, any professional wrestling content, products or services other than WWE.”
- In both cases, MMA and other combat sports weren’t included in those clauses.
Other Notes
- WWE retained final creative control, but NBCU had “consultation rights on production and creative elements” while WWE had to remain within standards and practices.
- The Fox clause was similar with creative control. However, “WWE was required to discuss that content with Fox before including that content in an episode. No denigrating the NFL, MLB, NASCAR, or other major Fox partners, apparently.”
- On the promotional front, Fox was obligated to promote WWE SmackDown “in a manner consistent with how it supports its major sports league partners” like MLB, NFL, and NASCAR. It was specifically noted that WWE would be promoted in certain Thursday and Sunday NFL games and other Fox Sports broadcasts. There was even a total contract value of $125 million in promotion.
- The promotion with NBCU had less guarantees with just one specific annual commitment with NBCU holding rights as how they promoted WWE Raw.
- Fox was obligated to product two weekly 30-minute promotional shows, one for late-Saturday nights on the broadcast network and the other for FS1. The former never happened while the latter was WWE Backstage which disappeared after seven months.
- Fox also had the option to do pre-shows on either broadcst or FS1 for the big four PLEs which never happened.
- Both entities had limited re-air rights with certain provisions at to when in addition to specific language about YouTube content.
The lawsuit claims that Vince McMahon’s drive to merge WWE with UFC was predetermined while other better offers were on the table because he wanted a role within it. He stepped down from his TKO position when the Janel Grant lawsuit first came to light in January 2024, but remains the company’s largest single person stockholder.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.