Could WWE Network-Peacock Deal Set the Stage for Comcast Buying WWE?

Will WWE Network folding into Peacock on March 18 open the door for NBCUniversal parent company Comcast to buy WWE in its entirety? It’s not out of the question. But the biggest obstacle to any acquisition will be Vince McMahon, the 75-year-old CEO and on-camera personality who owns 34% of WWE shares and about 79% of its voting stock. With linear-TV ratings (and live-event attendance, even when there were live events) dwindling and a general trend toward media consolidation, it has been within the realm of possibility that WWE could be acquired by an existing partner — like an NBCU, which prior to the five-year Peacock streaming deal already aired several WWE productions, or Fox, the home of “SmackDown.” Also Read: How the $1 Billion WWE Network Deal Puts Peacock Into the Ring With Streaming Giants The deal for WWE’s streaming content indisputably makes NBCUniversal the pro-wrestling company’s closest partner, but this could just be a savvy arms dealer’s move to sell ammunition (content) to the highest bidder in the middle of a (streaming) war. The WWE Network-Peacock deal spans five years and will cost Peacock about $1 billion, two individuals with knowledge of the agreement told TheWrap. Wrestlenomics’ Brandon...

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