In January 2025, WWE will move its weekly Raw show to Netflix, ending a run of more than 30 years on cable television and taking its flagship show to streaming for the first time.

WWE Raw has been a cable institution since its debut in 1993 and has called the USA Network its home for most of that time. Needless to say, this is going to be a big change for WWE and its fans in many ways.

With sports like hockey, basketball and football embracing streaming services in recent years, it makes sense that pro wrestling would follow suit.

The way we consume entertainment is constantly evolving, and right now, streaming is king. Gone are the days of being at the mercy of TV listings and not being able to catch up on a show if you missed it live.

Let's look at some of the changes we can expect to see on Raw once it moves to Netflix.

Fewer or No Commercials

One of the biggest differences between streaming and cable is advertising. A three-hour episode of Raw can have as many as a dozen commercial breaks, but on Netflix, that may be a thing of the past.

The streamer and WWE could still sell ad space during the show, but it won't be on the level we are used to. If we get any ad breaks at all, they will almost certainly be much shorter than we get now.

This will allow viewers to see more of each match and allow WWE to tell more cohesive stories without needing to worry about time quite as much. The days of picture-in-picture portions of matches could go the way of the dodo.

With most streaming services offering ad-free and ad-supported pricing tiers, it will be interesting to see how that is handled. It's possible we could get an entirely commercial-free product on the higher tiers with regular ad breaks on the lower tiers.

In one way, we already deal with this. Those who have Peacock's premium tier get to see video packages during PLEs while those on the lower tier have commercials from sponsors.

The same can also be said about AEW internationally. If you watch the weekly shows on Fite TV, you get to continue watching the match while the rest of us see commercials.

More Cursing

WWE's move to Netflix is unlikely to lead to a mature-rated product, but the lack of restrictions will almost certainly lead to WWE pushing some boundaries.

Even though it has embraced a slightly more adult program in recent years, WWE is still considered family-friendly and that is not likely to change.

Families, and specifically kids, are WWE's bread and butter. They will always be a priority because it's more profitable to offer a product with a wide appeal than a product meant for adults only.

Take superhero movies as an example. The vast majority favor a PG-13 rating instead of R because it can sell more tickets to younger moviegoers. For every R-rated Deadpool and Wolverine, there are a dozen PG-13 Avengers movies.

The same goes for WWE. If the product is family-friendly, more parents will be willing to buy tickets and merchandise. However, WWE also knows controversy and pushing the envelope can create intrigue, so it may take advantage of the lack of oversight in some ways.

A few more curse words and some occasional blood are probably the biggest changes we will see in the first year after moving to Netflix, but things may change more over time depending on how the audience responds.

Fewer Time Restrictions

One thing that makes all televised wrestling companies predictable is how the show has to end at a certain time, so you always know when the main event is going to wrap up.

This can be a little disheartening when you are anticipating a main event only for it to start with less than five minutes left in the show.

However, this is not always the case. AEW often gets an overrun for Dynamite to extend the main event, and it used to be a weekly occurrence for WWE Raw to end a few minutes late.

Nowadays, WWE ends every show at the bottom of the hour with almost no deviation, but on Netflix, it would be able to play around with the show's time a bit because it doesn't have to worry about preempting the next program.

This may seem like a minor thing, but removing even a little bit of predictability can make a show much more enjoyable for fans. Any time WWE can do that, it should.

Between not needing commercial breaks and not having to worry about the next show starting late, WWE is going to have a lot more flexibility with Raw.

Crossovers

WWE likes to call itself sports entertainment instead of pro wrestling because the product is more than just what happens from bell to bell.

For many years, WWE has welcomed actors, musicians, influencers, and professional athletes. Some just sit in the crowd and enjoy it as fans, and some get more involved.

AEW has done many promotional crossovers with properties like Game of Thrones and Godzilla, and we can expect the same from WWE when it moves to Netflix.

These won't be crossovers in the traditional sense, so don't expect to see the cast of Stranger Things show up in character and fight a Demogorgon inside Hell in a Cell, although that would be awesome.

These will be simple cameos from Netflix actors and maybe even a specialty stipulation or two based on one of the streamer's other properties. A One Piece Ladder match seems very plausible.

It's just too bad Sting is officially retired. A reunion with Robocop would have made so many fans happy.

Other Various Production Changes

When it comes to production, WWE does it better than anyone. Everything, from the sets and fireworks to the digital graphics and video packages, is designed to make the entire presentation feel like a big deal.

With a new home at Netflix and different expectations from a streaming service, WWE is likely going to experiment with things as it always has.

Over the past couple of years, management has already made several noticeable changes. Things like the use of 8K cameras for certain shots and different camera angles are just the tip of the iceberg.

Remember that 360-degree shot of Logan Paul from Queen and King of the Ring? How about the opening to Backlash in Puerto Rico, when we went from outside to the middle of the arena in one uninterrupted shot?

The company's use of drones has allowed for some great moments that would be impossible with regular cameramen and equipment.

WWE is as polished as it gets for live production, but being the best doesn't mean innovation should stop. The company is going to use its newfound home to continue tinkering with the presentation.

The changes listed here are just some of the things we can expect when Raw moves to streaming in January, but there will be much more.

What kind of changes would you like to see when Raw debus on Netflix next year?