Will Netflix Opt Out of WWE? | Saudi, Crown Jewel & Story Time — The Coach and Bro Friday 10/23/26

Coach opens Story Time Friday by playing back Vince Russo's adults-only "pop" explanation from Wednesday, then Russo asks whether hated broadcasters are as valuable as beloved ones, from Howard Cosell to Stephen A. Smith. That leads to Russo's question of the week: why is Howard Stern's weekly show on HBO Max, and Coach's answer about the executive who signs off on a big name, Dave Meltzer doing AEW-on-HBO-Max math, and why ten-year deals kill motivation.

Topic 1 is Netflix: about 1,000 layoffs, a stock down more than 40% in a year, the exit of content chief Bela Bajaria (whose tenure brought in the WWE deal) and Coach's comparison of Raw to Stranger Things. Russo walks through the soft Q4 guidance and the ad-revenue cut and says he expects Netflix to use the opt-out at year five of the Raw deal. Coach has WWE's back: live, exclusive programming is the new money, and must-watch TV and binge-watching prove cliffhangers still work.

Then Saudi Arabia: TKO's Ari Emanuel told Fox News that Crown Jewel on Nov 7 in Riyadh is still set while other events, including the Future Investment Initiative, have been postponed. Russo rips a podcast thumbnail that pinned the decision on Triple H, Coach explains clippers paid per 1,000 views, and both hosts talk about crew safety, a volunteer-bonus hypothetical and what leaders owe their people. Super Chats cover Toni Storm's cassette tapes, titles as props, William Shatner's "Get a life" sketch, the WrestleMania after-party room, Tulsa King's cliffhanger, autograph-show personal space, Orlando Jordan in TNA and Zilla Fatu. Coach closes on Ric Flair's health, Jalen Hurts' blood clot and Christina Applegate's misdiagnosis, and Russo tells retiring wrestlers to try enjoying life.

Housekeeping: Friday Coach and Bro-lette Wheel winner: PTS Demon. New contest: name the BTT community for a $50 merch gift card. Russo's Brand launches new shows Nov 1, including one with Coach (russosbrand.com). Coach and Bro is back Monday at 2 PM ET.

Timestamps
00:00 Story Time Friday + Super Chats and the Brolette Wheel
02:29 Coach has an issue with Vince: the "pop" replay (adults only)
04:40 Are hated broadcasters as valuable as beloved ones?
06:51 Stephen A. Smith's comeback
07:54 HBO, HBO Max and Howard Stern's show
12:58 All you need is one executive to sign off
14:42 Meltzer's AEW-on-HBO-Max math
15:34 Long contracts and motivation
17:10 Topic 1: Netflix layoffs, stock and the WWE deal
19:27 Russo breaks down Netflix's Q4 guidance and ad revenue
23:01 The year-five opt-out: Russo says Netflix walks
24:15 Coach has WWE's back: live is the new money
25:36 Must-watch TV, the water cooler and binge-watching
28:35 Super Chats: Eddie vs. Benoit at ECW One Night Stand
30:31 Saudi Arabia: is Crown Jewel still on?
32:07 Russo: leave Triple H out of it
33:40 Clickbait and clippers paid per 1,000 views
34:36 Events postponed in Saudi
36:09 Lawsuits and the volunteer-paycheck hypothetical
38:19 Coach: leaders have to make the call
41:26 No U-Haul behind a hearse: Coach in Afghanistan
43:02 Super Chats: Toni Storm's cassette tapes
45:01 Ruthless Aggression, WrestleMania 13 and titles as props
46:30 Shatner's "Get a life"
48:02 WrestleMania was just another day
49:57 Cliffhangers: Tulsa King
51:09 BlueChew questions and Party Down
55:44 Tony Khan's scrum hugs
56:52 Autograph shows and personal space
59:17 Russo's mail: three of the same card
1:00:33 BlueChew sends a note: 36 hours explained
1:03:39 Super Chats: Orlando Jordan in TNA
1:05:06 What if Vince McMahon had gone to prison?
1:05:47 The Bloodline and Zilla Fatu
1:07:15 Ric Flair's health, Jalen Hurts and Christina Applegate
1:09:45 Flair on Tony Khan
1:10:30 Retirements: try enjoying life
1:11:54 Coach and Bro-lette Wheel + name our community
1:14:34 Russo's Brand Nov 1 + sign-off

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