WWE Network launches its free tier, adds 'Raw Talk' post-show

Originally published at WWE Network launches its free tier, adds 'Raw Talk' post-show

On Monday, the WWE Network launched its free tier unlocking a significant amount of content that can be viewed without the use of a credit card.

The network is launching a new show called ‘Raw Talk’ that will stream on Monday nights following Raw. When the network launched in 2014, they tried similar shows with ‘Raw Backstage Pass’ that lasted until October 2014, and the Raw pre-show that ran for several years and ended in 2016.

Free content includes the Monday Night War, Ride Along, Table for 3, Photo Shoot, & Story Time series. They are also making recent episodes of Raw, SmackDown & NXT available, as well as select WWE pay-per-views and NXT TakeOvers from their archive. In addition, their weekly series The Bump, WWE NOW, The Best of WWE, WWE Timeline & Top 10 is also part of the free content.

From Jayar Donlan, WWE’s EVP of Advanced Media:

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. 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.

As of April 6th, the day after WrestleMania, the WWE Network had 2,098,000 total subscribers with 1,622,000 of those being paid subs. WrestleMania enhanced the subscriber number significantly with 476,000 free sign-ups for the event, which was up from 233,000 free subs for WrestleMania 35 in 2019.

Obviously, the goal of the free tier is to cast a wider net of viewers and convert those sampling the free tier into paid subscribers. One of the keys of the second quarter earning’s report is how many of the free subscribers at WrestleMania they were able to convert.

Does anyone know if the free version is available for people in Canada without having to use a VPN? Our frustrating setup puts services like this in the control of service providers and often require a cable subscription to access.

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Does that actually work ? :thinking:

It depends on if people see value in paying the money. Is it really any different than the Patreon model for lots of podcasts. Offer free content and hope people like it then offer additional value for money. Now whether it will work for something like this where there was already some “free” content in the TV shows is anyone’s guess.

Sweet! After a 3 hour Raw, there is nothing I want more then more wrestling!

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Watch a Raw from 1997 instead

‘97 was a great year for Raws! Especially in the summer.

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Renee & Booker T hosted “Raw Talk” on the network around 2017-ish. Just remember it not being as good as “Talking Smack”.

I expected them to launch a lower paid tier rather than expand the free tier to be honest. Something for 3.99 or something.

Watching “Raw Talk” right now, meh… I prefer Talking Smack.

Peak Talking Smack was better than any Raw or Smack down in the last decade.
Snarky D-Bry was the best.

Silly me I was expecting a new Talking Smack. It is not.

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I can confirm, You can be a Canadian without a VPN access the free videos of the wwe network
all you need is a free wwe.com account (Username and password) (no CC Needed to make one)

I logged in with my wwe account only and can access the free videos without having to put in my tv provider login info to watch some videos (free ones) if i want to watch everything i have to sign in with my tv provider

Thanks! I will check it out more later. I found that when I attempted to login yesterday that I was still forced to name my cable provider. I don’t have cable so when I select Rogers it tells me I need a cable subscription (I only use Rogers for Internet)

Maybe I was going about it wrong and will try check again.

it may ask you but you can exit out or go back in then again i am using a browser i am not sure if the app is different