5 YRS AGO LIVE SPECIAL: Keller & Thurston in-depth discussion on Peacock-WWE announcement, WWE business model changes, would fans benefit

Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast

Wade Keller

Tv & Film, Sports, Leisure

3.9 • 903 Ratings

🗓️ 29 January 2026

⏱️ 98 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In a special episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast from five years ago (1-26-2021), PWTorch editor Wade Keller was joined by Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics who broke down the Peacock-WWE Network deal including how it would affect WWE’s business and WWE’s fans. Also, an overview of the WWE business model, how the pandemic has changed it, and where it could end up in five years based on the changing media landscape and various competing media empires who will vie for WWE’s product and fanbase. Plus, was WWE Network a success or not? Was the Wall Street Journal correct that this Peacock deal shows how tough it is for an independent streaming entity to succeed? What does this mean for non-U.S.-based fans? And more.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Give yourself a reason to look forward to going to the mailbox each week with a PWTorch newsletter paper copy subscription.
0:06.8	Details at pwtorch.com slash paper copy.
0:10.2	It's 12 pages every week packed with my TV reports along with exclusive features such as my cover story on the top story of the week.
0:17.1	Our pay-per-view roundtable reviews from the Torch staff.
0:20.0	Exclusive feature-length columns from Greg Parks, Rich Fan, Sean Radican, Alan Coonahan, and Zach Haydorne, Torch Talk transcripts, the latest news, and more.
0:30.0	PwTorch.com slash paper copy.
0:33.0	Take a break from screen time and settle in every week with a meagos of wrestling news and analysis with
0:38.7	a pro wrestling torch newsletter paper copy edition in the year 2022. You can get a full year of home
0:45.5	delivery for just $99. Or try us for an eight-week trial subscription. Pwtorch.com
0:52.1	slash paper copy.
1:11.6	Now PWTorch and Spreaker bring you the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling podcast.
1:19.3	So it's five years ago this week. We learned that W.W. Network would be going away and Peacock would be taking over PLEs. And I was joined by Brandon Thurston for a special roughly
1:24.0	hour and a half discussion, breaking down the effects of this on WWB's business and if it would be a win or lose for the fans.
1:30.3	We also look back on whether WWB Network was a success and analysis of the Wall
1:35.4	Street Journal take on this news.
1:38.8	So let's get to it.
1:40.0	This originally dropped on January 26, 2021, and it is today's Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast.
1:45.8	Five years ago, flashback for Wednesday, January 28th, 2026.
1:52.3	All right, we're joined by Brandon Thurston from WrestleManiaomics.
1:57.0	Brandon, welcome.
1:58.5	Wade, I'm talking to the PW Torch. I'm so excited. Well, it's great to have you. I'm excited to talk to you, too. This is one of those weeks. This is one of those weeks where you see the headline and you're like, I bet I'm going to be doing a few podcasts this week. On yesterday morning, I had no clue this was coming. I woke up. I looked at my phone. There's a text from
2:18.9	someone that says, you're going to have a busy day today. I was like, oh no, what happened?
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Wade Keller, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Wade Keller and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.