WWE weighing the future of its library: YouTube emerging as the leading destination

With WWE closing new broadcasting agreements and expanding its television rights, the big question arises again: what will happen to its gigantic video library when the current framework with Peacock expires?

Since the launch of WWE Network in 2014, the service's main attraction has been its robust archive of WWE, WCW, and ECW videos. However, internally it was always pointed out that live content was by far the most consumed, which facilitated its licensing to third parties.

According to a report by Fightful this morning, individuals consulted within WWE indicate that there is still no definitive announcement regarding a possible licensing of the archive after Peacock. The theory gaining the most strength is to rely on the relationship with Google/YouTube to exploit the historical content, attract new fans through catalog material, and, if an irresistible offer for the library were to come, keep the door open for selling or licensing.

There has been no definitive announcement on whether the video library will be licensed after the agreement with Peacock, but we have spoken with people at WWE who have theories about it. Most believe that WWE will leverage its relationship with Google and YouTube, and use that platform for archived content. One of the sources we spoke with thinks that this will allow them to attract new fans through archived material, and that if an offer too good to refuse for the library were to come, they could always accept it.

The company also has practically all of its history stored in a backend for copyright recognition. This technical capability would allow them to quickly deploy collections, timelines, or thematic channels if the archive is eventually channeled through YouTube.

Live shows will continue to drive major contracts, but the library is a strategic asset: either to build and attract audiences via YouTube, or as a bargaining chip if an offer too good to pass up arises.