“Netflix Should Be A Great Start To A New WWE Chapter” – WWE President Nick Khan | Pat McAfee Show

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this man self-made okay had to go on
Wheel of Fortune to win enough money to
send himself to law school Propel
himself to become a lawyer which would
Propel him to be one of the greatest
agents to ever exist which then leads
him to being the president of the WWE
who just Inked a 10-year 5 billion deal
with Netflix ladies and gentlemen the
president of WWE Nick
[Applause]
khong hey hey thanks for having me on
longtime viewer first time uh caller or
present or whatever you want to say yeah
we’re lucky to have you obviously uh we
know that you’re forced to watch some
clips every once in a while so uh we
appreciate that and uh you’ve been an
incredible mentor to me in a man that
I’ve been a like a conary if you will so
I appreciate you mightily and thank you
for taking time on this incredibly busy
day legendary day in the history of the
WWE I just talked about it there about
the Wheel of Fortune run into becoming
law school into lawyer into agenting
into becoming the president of a fortune
what are we Fortune
let’s say we’re Fortune 600
maybe pretty good almost yeah pretty
good whenever you’re dealing with
everything that’s happening okay because
since you got there in 2020 obviously
there’s been a transition Vince McMahon
Kevin Dunn kind of both stepping back
there’s a sale obviously to the Endeavor
group you create TKO then you’re able to
negotiate this $5 billion deal while all
of this is happening what do you think
is the reasoning on why you’ve been able
to handle and you and the w we have been
able to handle the transition so
seamlessly appearing from the outside
looking in well thank you thank you for
your kind words Pat and by the way
always a pleasure to connect with you
talk to you as friends conary whatever
role you say get to it all right I’ll
move along thank you thank look well
well look what one last thing on that
there would be no WWE without Vince
McMahon and Kevin dun both in my opinion
the greatest of all time in terms of
what they did and what they contributed
to build what is now a massive ENT
entprise in terms of the transaction and
moving it forward you know Vince was the
controlling shareholder he decided it
was time to transact he allowed me to
sit side by side with him in the process
to hear all of the different pitches it
was a robust Marketplace Endeavor had
the best proposal we felt for our
shareholders and here we are with the
Netflix deal being announced today with
Dwayne Johnson being added to our board
of directors we feel like it’s a great
start to what should be a a beautiful
next chapter at WWE yeah you guys have
fantastic and shout out to Kevin Dunn
and Vince both they’ve been far too kind
to me and all my guys and I can’t wait
to see them down the road at some point
uh Netflix I think whenever it was
announced uh caught a lot of us I think
by surprise you know Netflix not really
known to be in the live entertainment
world I think they’ve done a couple
stand-ups live I think Chris Rock had
one uh that kind of went they did some
other stuff whenever you’re at the
market in the marketplace and obviously
raw has been on the air forever it
generates a number every single week no
weeks off it is a high valued asset that
WWE has had and currently has when you
go to the market place at what point did
you realize Netflix might be a real
player because we assume because
everything I’ve heard you know ESPN and
Disney were potentially involved Amazon
potentially involved obviously peacock
NBC has been the owner of USA Network of
raw for a long time at what point is
Netflix like yeah we’re thinking about
getting in the game and like five
billion is a big jump into the game when
did that all come together Nick
indeed by by the way Pat 20 years ago
just keep in mind raw has not been on
USA for its entire 30-year plus run 20
years ago raw was on the Nashville
Network which became the national
network which became TNN which became
Spike Smackdown was on UPN so if you
look at the Nashville Network and UPN
fast forward 20 years to Netflix and
nbcu with USA and peacock we think we’re
in business with two great Partners um
what we did once the smackdown deal
closed which will shift Smackdown over
from Fox to USA starting this October 1
we focused or hyperfocused on Raw it was
a robust Marketplace we had a number of
meetings there was a lot of interest
there were a number of offers and at the
end of the day to be the first movers
with Netflix live on a consistent basis
so yes I saw the Chris Rock special too
and the reality show after show and
they’re doing the golf prom which is all
great programming but 52 weeks a year
we’re TurnKey as you know you’ve lived
it with us the fact that they could come
to us and say yeah we strike a deal and
you guys do all the rest is something
that they liked and certainly something
that we thought was in our direct
wheelhouse it came together over the
matter of a couple of months and uh we
think it’s a great deal congrats yeah
congrats on getting that done you know
the USA deal allegedly 250 million this
one 500 million a year what a what a dog
what a absolute abs look at the grin yep
yeah y yeah massive ordeal obviously
earned by everybody in the WWE what has
been the reaction within the WWE with
the people that you’ve talked to a
couple people obviously friends of mine
still in the business in there say hey
big announcement coming tomorrow big
announcement coming tomorrow yesterday
then when this rolls out I think a lot
of people may be surprised by what is
been the reaction I assume everybody’s
pumped it’s a massive Global deal
overwhelmingly positive overwhelmingly
positive and I think look if you look at
the streaming Wars Netflix has sat at
the top of that perch they continue to
sit at thep top of that perch so it’s an
entity that everybody certainly in our
sphere has and subscribes to we think
it’s a great way to grow the WWE
audience while growing the Netflix
subscriber base so overwhelmingly
positive reaction from our force uh of
colleagues who really make up the WWE
who all contributed to this deal to
friends and family who are texting me
the same yeah everybody’s P for you dude
you see the ringing of the Bell you’re
standing hey you’re under the K you saw
it yeah you saw it you’re under the K
look at you good spot huh listen as you
know I’m I’m a man of the people I’m
just a public school kid and uh trying
to take it all in you know the drill no
that’s why it’s so inspirational to
watch you dominate man absolutely and I
don’t know you know your name has been
one that has been whispered by folks
around business worlds and whenever I
had an opportunity to meet you a couple
times and I think we took a picture one
of the first times I met with you and
maybe The Rock was even it was me the
rock Nick Khan in a photo I think and I
walked away and people were like you in
a photo with Nick Khan and I’m like yeah
yeah I was also the Rock and then more I
learned about you in your story you’re a
dog dude you’re one of the best we have
in the United States of America you need
to know that so from Vince ma McMahon
one of the greatest American Dream
stories from a trailer park who is you
know abused as a kid turning a company
into a multi-billion public conglomerate
to a man that literally wheel of
fortuned his way into an entire career
it’s like it’s a beautiful thing over
there Nick it really is you should take
that in sometime I know you got to suit
on you got to do your but you did
it dude uh
legitimately it’s it’s kind of you to
say and look just a a little bit more
about Vince as you know you know very
very rough upbringing which you just
talked about to be able to hurdle
himself to the the heights that he got
to and that he got all of us to I’ll
always have admiration and respect for
that in terms of me you know I just come
to work every day like everyone else and
try to move it forward so I appreciate
all the kind comments yeah and you put
your suit on you know put your suit on
hey question for me before the boys have
a couple and obviously they’re all big
fans and you’ve been far too kind this
dude like escorted my wife into an arena
cuz she didn’t have a ticket or whatever
and then uh like couple months
later Sam talks to Nick and uh she goes
nice to meet you and Nick goes oh I was
actually your
chur the trth Sam forgot about me that’s
how memorable I was that she forgot
about me no that’s how low key you are
always just like head down no big deal
I’m gonna get out of here the president
of the company is walking through an
arena right now um this you and I have
uh complimented each other a few times
here and I told you to shut up there
earlier whenever you’re doing it and get
to the answer but why do you think you
and I have been my record with suits is
pretty documented at this point publicly
I assume behind the scenes as well why
do you think you’ve been able to reach
and connect with people like for
instance R Emanuel now a part of
endeavor that you are working alongside
of he was the guy he was the agent he’s
the super agent he’s the one in
entourage and then everybody the next
generation of that was you why are you
known as the Super Why do you get along
why are you the guy you are you think
why is that the case it’s kind of you to
say look I I would say this to you Pat
again very kind and generous of you to
say I I would say that similar to you I
believe I’m a good listener and in terms
of quote unquote Talent as it relates to
you it’s one of the first things I said
to you after we were at a wedding
together randomly four five six years
ago pre pre-co wedding um I don’t want
to bring up CO as a subject here yeah
okay Nick enough enough talking about
the enough Nick geez congrats to the
coin by the way beautiful baby exactly
David coonan wedding we were there and I
remember walking away from that because
that was the first substantive in-person
conversation I had with you and I said
to myself and others I said he’s a
tremendous listener and you often don’t
find that with young folks who have had
success and all of that they want to
talk to you about their success you were
not that way I’d like to think in
whatever success I’m perceived to have I
don’t do that yesterday’s yesterday I
start every day the the clock strikes
midnight every day for a reason it means
whatever the highs were whatever the
lows were that day is over and you got
to move it forward okay well you’ve done
that phenomenally and I appreciate what
you just said there you and Hunter
seemingly Paul the cerebral assassin um
king of the king the the game you two
are seemingly the people that are being
talked about as currently directing the
ship that is the WWE is that accurate it
and how has that been now that you two
are kind of doing that Paul L the King
of Kings Triple H he’s the one who
introduced me to WWE Hunter he’s the one
who first introduced me so when I was an
agent my prior profession and I was
trying to get into the WWE business Paul
had called me unsolicited call and this
is when Tim TBO had just gotten cut by
the Patriots Paul called me he said hey
I just want to introduce myself my name
is Paul LC I said oh yeah Triple H I
know who you are remember he was
terrorizing former wrest name from WCW
exactly I said I don’t know who you are
he’s like oh you know WWE I said yeah I
know W grew up a fan I was an usher at
WrestleMania 9 at Caesar’s Palace I said
what’s going on he said hey what do you
think of Tim TBO against the Big Show at
whatever that WrestleMania was after the
Patriots run and I said I said what what
are you thinking he offered some
financial terms I called Tim at the time
what do you think Tim and I had then a
top secret private meeting Tim TBO
myself Vince McMahon Triple H and
Anaheim California about that ultimately
it didn’t happen but Triple H and I
Triple H and I remained in touch and
over time he was the one who said to me
hey um I think uh Vince may want to meet
with you uh I think you told me you’re
going to be in Dallas this weekend
Dallas was where raw was uh I think you
told me you’re going to be in Dallas
that’s good that you’re going to be
there because if I told Vince you were
flying in for the meeting he’d say don’t
do it I may have to cancel it’s raw it’s
raw it’s raw but I know you’re going to
be there so plan on meeting with Vince I
went the night before because of course
you don’t want to go day of and be late
and this and that nobody wants to hear
the hey my flight was delayed nonsense
um so I went I sat in a hotel room Paul
called me he said Vince is ready to meet
I went to Vince’s office met with him I
pitched what I had to say and we shook
hands on a deal and here we are I love
that hell yeah yeah you’re already going
to be there right yeah y going to be
there y going to be in Dallas live in LA
fulltime but need you tomorrow Dallas
need you to do this how about Vince
dealing with Vince what a wild thing
it’s awesome I’ve talked about this
before and you tell me if you feel the
same way so humans much like dogs uh can
sense how you’re acting towards them so
like if you go into a room with a dog
that has actual canines and uh you act
scared that dog is going to treat you
like a little that that is how
that dog’s going treat for the rest of
the time that you’re in that house but
if you present yourself confidently and
comfortably the dog will act the same
way and of cour I think there’s some
humans that are like that I think there
is humans that are at the top of the
food chain and have been business-wise
and are very sharp and smart and callous
and have been there that if you had they
can sense fear almost and I feel if you
go in confident and comfortable that
sets the tone for the whole conversation
I assume you feel the same way and I did
that with Vince one time and boy I never
been more scared in my life inside
outside oh yeah here we go yeah it’s
just Vince man no problem at all what up
Vince handshake smack in the middle he
went back big laugh I’m like all right I
think I got him even though I was
my pants inside I assume it was
different for you with Vince but how was
that relationship day one on was it
great and uh how much do you talk to him
now but by the way if I remember
correctly there was a moment in time
where you were looking around for your
show what you wanted the home of it to
be there were a number of different
suitors I believe you sent Vince and I
both a text saying hey this one
Enterprise they’re not responding
quickly enough I want to tell them to f
off something to this effect and do you
recall what Vince’s response to you was
don’t pat he said don’t he said say it
in here don’t actually say it out here
you say it inside you don’t say it
outside I’m like but they need to hear
it in here yeah that was his big
response it was awesome it was awesome I
I remember it it it was amazing and look
here’s what I found with Vince in a
private setting if said respectfully you
can say anything you want to him You can
disagree with any point of view and the
folks who have succeeded tremendously at
WWE Kevin Dunn I’m not talking about the
our in ring Superstars I’m talking about
the executives on the outside Kevin Dunn
Paul LEC many many others they all had
that trait where you understood this is
the boss he was the controlling
shareholder the founder of the company
this and that so you’re not going to
call him out in a room of people if you
disagree with something you’re not going
to be rude he’s polite by Nature as you
know he prefers to be Pol but he’s
certainly comfortable if it has to go a
different route so what I found with
Vince was I could say anything to him
directly in person as long as it was in
a respectful way and he’d always hear it
and often times he’d agree with it in
terms of how often I’m in touch with him
I just saw him today at the New York
Stock Exchange he looks amazing he’s
still buff as can be fit suited up and
uh ready to go he a mustache still he he
has he has the mustache but as I said
this previously I said it to you if you
look at Vince McMahon Dwayne Johnson
Paul LC Ari Emanuel they have a combined
body fat of like 1% so it’s not for me
to comment on anyone’s physicality if
Vince Vince is on the right to look
however he wants hey that front row has
like uh 6% body fat combined you right
underneath the K yeah I’m I’m okay with
sandwich I don’t know you guys your
taste buds might not be as good as mine
you know mine mine enjoy pretty good
taste uh you look very lean and rip
though dude I will tell you that I I
know
after the baby come you know when the
baby came it’s always tricky and no one
you know the attention should not be on
the dad for any reason but I remember
you told me you’re like hey dude I got
to get back in shape here and you did it
h thank you I was I was dancing with
like 300 lb there you know what I mean I
I was getting way fat and then now the
football season is winding down this the
best shape I’ve ever been in at the end
of a season which is for sure normally
season kills us which is you guys 52
weeks a year what are we even talking
about Ty has a question for you yeah
Nick obviously Royal Rumble right around
the corner and then WrestleMania not too
far off I think for a lot of casual fans
who might not watch Raw every single
week but they will always you know find
the premium live EV events and make sure
that they don’t miss out on that was
there any discussion with Netflix about
those being housed on Netflix as well or
where will the premium Live Events kind
of be housed uh for the near future here
well first of all you guys coming to
WrestleMania and Philly April 6th and
7th I got the email from your uh office
today right remember I
yeah yeah we’re in the link oh yeah
Philly
stat couple John everywhere oh the Johns
can’t wait it’ll be great look our
current partner in the United States on
all the premium Live Events like
WrestleMania is peacock and nbcu they’ve
been tremendous Partners this deal with
Netflix is for the premium Live Events
outside of the United States ex uh
excluding certain territories where we
have existing deals like India for
example but it’s raw globally again a
few Exceptions there uh but it’s really
a global uh Enterprise with Netflix that
should build to something even greater
there’s so many people in India so many
right that’s what I’ve been told go
ahead WWE is the most the second most
popular sport in India and yes I
understand we’re not a pure sport Sports
entertainment after Cricket you got it
it’s WWE our partners there Sony India
they’ve been tremendous they’re going
through a merger that may or may not
happen and all of these things see how
that shakes out so you’re dealing with
all that every single day oh we got Sony
in India we got Netflix here UK Latin
America’s got this that’s every day of
your life listen it’s the job I also
deal with friends who can run hot at
times where if something on their show
is going arai and they may hit me I
always want to have time for that too
I’m not referring to anyone here I’m
just saying in general there’s been a
lot of you know this guy you know how do
I uh last question here nick uh from
Darius and this one one hey put it on
the play the things that you knew were
going to come right down the pipe yeah
big question 8s babies here first of all
a product of the attitude ER greatest
era in wrestling ever but maybe a stupid
question uh with this big move to
Netflix congrats again is it raw still
going to be on Mondays is it going to be
Monday night raws we’ve known it or is
it going to be different days what was
that conversation like and uh looking
forward to this answer yeah we all are
at this moment in time it remains Monday
Night Raw but keep in mind we got 10 and
A2 months until this Deal’s up and
running so we’re looking at what you’re
looking at and what everyone else is
looking at you the proliferation of
gambling with Monday Night Football you
have an enhanced Disney package better
games all credit to Jimmy pataro the Bob
father as Pat you and I call him you
coin that term Bob Iger and all the
other good Folks at Disney you got the
Manning cast you got this year was on
ABC and ESPN Monday Night Football you
got last season the the the playoff game
that they got got uh I believe was Tom
Brady at the Cowboys the season before
whatever that was you also have the
college national championship football
and Hoops on Mondays so you got a lot of
Mondays where there’s stiff competition
that said even against Alabama Michigan
and the Washington Texas game uh a few
weeks ago Monday Night Raw did A6 in the
18 to 49 demo which is a massive rating
against big competition if we stay on
Mondays it’ll work if we move it to a
different day we think it’ll work too
such a baby face promo right there
listen here’s all these other things you
hear the stats also just still at a
point 6 if you need to hear it I’m
excited that you’re taking all that into
consideration obviously as football
people that hir a football show so we’re
also massive WWE fans I’ve said it
numerous times the only thing I watched
growing up was literally football and
wrestling WWE so to be a part of your
world every once in a while with how
kind you guys have been to me very
grateful thank you for making time today
congrats on all the success and by the
way I just want to say this coming out
of the last month month or so of the pad
magae show you guys have only been
tremendous Partners to us you are easy
to work with so anytime I hear I don’t
know maybe it’s not so easy I I find all
of you guys incredibly easy and we’re
grateful for that well you’re a talent
that’s why ladies and gentlemen Nick
thank you
[Applause]
[Music]
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