Earlier this week, WWE announced that it had signed a five-year deal with The CW to bring NXT to the network starting in October 2024. The move came just weeks after Haus of Wrestling exclusively reported that the NWA, currently owned by Billy Corgan, had signed a pair of TV deals with the same network for NWA Powerrr and a brand-new reality TV show respectively.
Those deals now look to be under threat, however, following a controversial spot at NWA Samhein where Father James Mitchell and others could be seen snorting cocaine. As we reported last week, the spot (which Corgan came up with and pushed to be on the pay-per-view) upset higher-ups at The CW and as a result, NWA’s content is now highly likely to air on The CW app instead of its TV channel. Following the NXT announcement, the NWA owner withdrew from those close to him and did not want to discuss the situation.
When questioned about the situation during a recent interview on 102.5 The Bone’s Drew Garabo Live, however, Corgan stood firm in his previous claim that the promotion has a pair of deals with an as-yet-unnamed top 20 television network and hit out at speculation that the claim is false.
“Yeah, I like to say, first and foremost, we are a television content producer,” Corgan began. That’s really wrestling in the 21st century, television first and everything else second. That’s not to say the second is not important, but if you can’t drive from television down, you’re gonna have a hard time building an audience. Certainly being on national television in any capacity, digital or otherwise, broadcast network, that’s how you reach the most people.
Going into a market like Sarasota as we’ll be on next Saturday after next, having people have a routine way to reach your television product is part of what makes people want to come see the matches. We are free on YouTube, but the way YouTube works and the way people’s schedules are, unless they go looking for stuff, they may not even know you’re there.
So yeah, TV deals are at the core of it and there’s been a ton of speculation lately. I stand by what I said: We have two TV deals with a top 20 network, that’s all I can say for now. There’s lots of speculation that that’s not true but I can stand here and say, hand on heart, that is absolutely true.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please give a h/t to Haus of Wrestling and credit Drew Garabo Live.