After years of talk that the WWE Network would be undergoing some structural changes to its format, WWE finally announced the first stage of that, the free version of the WWE Network. This version is now available for access. No credit card required.
According to a release sent out this morning, he free version of the WWE Network is similar to what early rumors had suggested it would be. This tier is set to include “more than 15,000 action-packed titles” which will now allow more people to engage with WWE content without the barrier of a price point.
As noted in the release, this programming includes:
- New shows including Raw Talk, streaming Monday nights each week immediately following Raw
- Groundbreaking original series including Monday Night War, Ride Along, Table for 3, Photo Shoot and Story Time
- Recent episodes of WWE’s flagship programs Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown and NXT
- Select historical WWE pay-per-views and NXT TakeOver events
- Weekly WWE highlights, Top 10, WWE’s The Bump, WWENow,The Best of WWE and WWE Timeline
“The launch of WWE Network’s Free Version is a key component of our company’s digitization strategy and a new way for all fans to be able to experience premium WWE content,” said Jayar Donlan, WWE Executive Vice President, Advanced Media. “As we continue to reimagine WWE Network’s offering, the Free Version will serve as an effective way to reach a broader group of consumers and allow them to experience the history and spectacle of WWE.”
Information on if additional tiers to the Network will still be forthcoming were not included in this initial release. So for now, all we know is that this is just another way for fans to view some of the content on the WWE Network without having to subscribe to a monthly payment. As streaming services continue to dominate the landscape, WWE seems hopeful this will help keep their network strong in the competitive market.
The timing of the announcement also coincides with some recent rumblings that episodes of AEW Dynamite and possibly airings of AEW Dark could find a home on the WarnerMedia owned and recently launched, HBO Max. Currently, AEW does not air reruns of their programs on any streaming service, with the only access being through TNT and Hulu Live for episodes as they air. DARK does not air anywhere outside of YouTube for the time being. WWE has had these plans to expand the Network for some time so the AEW connection to HBO Max may just be coincidental timing. Though, it could also have been the impetus timing-wise, for WWE to finally go live with something that has been talked about for years. Either way, the access to so much free content should only have a positive result for WWE and the Network’s expansion.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. WWE fan? You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network.
