WWE is touting a successful Royal Rumble after setting an all-time viewership record for the event.
According to stats from the company, the event was up nearly 16% domestically on Peacock and “even higher” globally on Netflix compared to last year. The WWE didn’t provide exact numbers.
This is the first year that the Royal Rumble was streamed on Netflix following the WWE’s 10-year deal with the streamer, which also includes the rights to Monday Night Raw. Netflix has now become the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S., including other weekly shows SmackDown and NXT.
Last year, the event was available via pay-per-view and was streamed on Peacock and WWE Network. Historical viewership data is unavailable, though it stands to reason that Netflix’s involvement would give the Royal Rumble a bit of a boost.
On the heels of the Royal Rumble, WWE also announced Monday the launch of WWE Evolve, a new showcase of in-ring action that will feature new wrestling prospects. The goal is to use this as a springboard for new talent on NXT and, eventually, SmackDown and Raw.
WWE Evolve will debut on March 5 on Tubi, with new episodes every Wednesday.
