Netflix Faces Technical Glitches During WWE Raw Stream, Frustrating Fans

Netflix and WWE almost made it through an entire month of streaming Raw without any major issues—until Monday night, that is. During the February 3rd episode, some viewers experienced frequent interruptions with the feed cutting to a black screen and audio dropping out. While the live feed never went completely offline (thankfully, it wasn’t a repeat of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson streaming fiasco), the glitches were still a source of frustration, especially for fans eager to catch the fallout from Saturday’s Royal Rumble.

Raw’s Transition to Netflix Hasn’t Been Without Challenges

WWE Raw debuted on Netflix in early January, after being a cable TV staple for decades. Netflix committed a whopping $5 billion over 10 years to secure the rights to WWE’s flagship weekly show. Outside of the U.S., Netflix now boasts an even larger WWE content library, including SmackDown, NXT, and the company’s premium live events. With so much invested, ensuring a seamless streaming experience is crucial—and fans are quick to notice when things go wrong.

Monday’s technical issues were particularly noticeable during the main event, which featured CM Punk facing off against Sami Zayn. Curiously, the Netflix logo remained visible on-screen during the blackouts, leading some viewers to speculate that the glitches originated from WWE’s live production feed in Cleveland.

Netflix Price Hikes Add to the Frustration

The timing of these technical problems wasn’t ideal, as Netflix recently increased its subscription prices. The ad-supported tier now costs $7.99 per month, the standard ad-free plan is $17.99, and the premium tier has jumped to $24.99. When fans are paying more, they naturally expect a flawless streaming experience.

The Verge has reached out to WWE for clarification on what caused these brief interruptions. As WWE and Netflix continue to iron out the kinks in their partnership, fans will hope for smoother streams in the weeks ahead.