Full Breakdown
WWE’s NXT Premium Live Events Move to The CW in a Multi-Year Deal
4/29/2026, 3:29:39 AM
NXT Premium Live Events Find a New Broadcast Home
The CW Network will become the exclusive home for all WWE NXT Premium Live Events (PLEs). Beginning with the Great American Bash in the summer of 2026, the network will air 20 PLEs live on both coasts over the next several years. The events—including Stand & Deliver, Deadline and Vengeance Day—will be presented in full, joining the weekly NXT show that already airs on Tuesdays.
Background: From Streaming to Broadcast Television
NXT PLEs were previously available on Peacock until the streaming contract expired. After the Peacock deal ended, a single event streamed for free on YouTube. The CW’s partnership with WWE began in October 2024 with a five-year agreement that brought the weekly NXT series to broadcast television for the first time. The new arrangement expands that relationship to include the PLEs, marking the first time WWE’s developmental pay-per-view-style events will be shown on a free over-the-air network.
Key Players in the Agreement
- Brad Schwartz – President, The CW Network
- Shawn Michaels – WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative and Hall of Famer
- Paul “Triple H” Levesque – WWE Chief Content Officer, creator of NXT
- TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) – Parent company of WWE
- Tony D’Angelo – Current NXT Champion
- Lola Vice – Current NXT Women’s Champion
Timeline of the Partnership
- Oct 2024: The CW signs a five-year deal to air weekly NXT on Tuesdays.
- Apr 28 2026: WWE and The CW announce the exclusive PLE rights deal.
- Summer 2026: The Great American Bash airs as the first PLE on The CW.
- 2026-202?: Additional 19 PLEs, including Stand & Deliver, Deadline, and Vengeance Day, are scheduled for live broadcast.
Deal Details and Numbers
- 20 PLEs will be broadcast live, each on both the East and West coasts.
- The CW will continue to air 52 live weekly NXT episodes each season (Tuesday, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT).
- The network’s sports portfolio now includes ACC, Pac-12, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, PBA, AVP beach volleyball and other live events, positioning NXT alongside established live-sports programming.
Strategic Significance
Consolidating weekly shows and premium events on a single free-to-air platform expands NXT’s audience reach and provides WWE with a stable broadcast partner. For The CW, the addition of a youth-oriented, high-energy product diversifies its live-sports slate and strengthens its Tuesday-night lineup.
Official Statements & Responses
The CW’s president emphasized that NXT “has energized our Tuesday nights” and that adding the PLEs “is a natural fit” for a single broadcast destination. WWE noted that it will continue to produce all events and highlighted the partnership’s role in raising the profile of emerging talent. Both parties framed the deal as a mutually beneficial expansion of an already successful collaboration.
Criticism & Opposition
No dissenting commentary or criticism was identified in the available sources.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Some outlets indicate that NXT PLEs will remain on Netflix for international audiences, while others omit this detail. The precise duration of the “several years” commitment is not disclosed, leaving the exact end date unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He said, “WWE NXT has energized our Tuesday nights by consistently delivering a loyal and passionate fanbase to The CW every week.” — Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network
- “Adding WWE NXT Premium Live Events to our schedule is a natural fit, providing one broadcast destination for audiences to watch all their favorite Superstars, storylines and championship matches.” — Brad Schwartz
- “The CW has played an integral role in raising the profile of our up-and-coming Superstars, and we are excited to bring NXT Premium Live Events to broadcast television for the first time ever.” — Shawn Michaels, WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative
- “April 28, 2026 - The CW Network and WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced all NXT Premium Live Events (PLEs) will now air exclusively on The CW.” — WWE press release
What’s Next
The Great American Bash will launch the new broadcast era this summer, followed by the scheduled rollout of Stand & Deliver, Deadline, Vengeance Day and additional PLEs. Weekly NXT episodes will continue on Tuesdays, keeping the partnership active while WWE develops the next generation of superstars.
