WCWJ

What WCWJ does

The CW Network, LLC is a U.S. broadcast television network and free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform majority-owned by Nexstar Media Inc. since Nexstar's 2022 acquisition of the controlling stake from Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global. The network targets a broad horizontal consumer audience across the United States, delivering programming without subscription fees, credit card requirements, or account creation. Core products include The CW App (native apps across Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, LG, and VIZIO smart TVs, plus iOS and Android), live and on-demand streaming at cwtv.com, a curated FAST channel suite, and My CW personalization features (watchlist, continue watching).

The CW's content slate has been strategically pivoted toward live sports since 2024, anchored by WWE NXT (weekly primetime wrestling, Season 20) and NASCAR racing coverage featuring proprietary driver cam and battle cam viewing modes. The network has expanded its sports portfolio to include ACC Football, PAC-12 college sports, AVP Beach Volleyball, and PBA bowling tournaments, complemented by an on-demand library of more than 50 scripted series (including originals such as Superman and Lois, All American, Walker, and Sullivan's Crossing) and a curated movie catalog. Third-party content is supplied through partnerships with Lionsgate and FilmRise.

The business model combines two revenue streams: (1) advertising revenue from impressions served on the free streaming platform and during live event broadcasts, and (2) retransmission consent and carriage fees paid by cable, satellite, and virtual MVPD distributors (YouTube TV, Hulu, DirecTV, FuboTV) for the linear broadcast signal. Distribution is further extended through Nexstar's owned-and-operated broadcast station group, which provides cross-promotion and incremental reach. Geographic operations are confined to the United States, with the corporate headquarters located at Nexstar's Irving, Texas facility.

Name

WCWJ

Legal name

The CW Network, LLC

Website

https://cwtv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The CW Network is a U.S. broadcast and free ad-supported streaming (FAST) platform offering scripted series, live sports (WWE NXT, NASCAR, ACC, PAC-12, AVP, PBA), and an on-demand library across 10+ connected TV and MVPD platforms, operated as a majority-owned subsidiary of Nexstar Media Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Broadcast Television Network

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports OTT & League Pass Streaming Channels (MPABAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Free TV / Syndication Distribution (MPADAJAI)

Keywords

• Free streaming television
• Ad-supported streaming
• Broadcast television network
• Live sports streaming
• On-demand video streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising Revenue: The CW operates as a free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. Revenue is generated through advertising impressions served to viewers during content playback. The platform offers brand advertising opportunities across its entertainment, sports, and movie content libraries.
2. Broadcast/Cable Distribution Fees: As a broadcast television network, The CW receives retransmission consent fees and carriage payments from cable, satellite, and virtual MVPD distributors that carry the linear broadcast signal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels14 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The CW Network operates as a free, ad-supported broadcast television network and streaming (FAST) platform that delivers original scripted series, classic TV shows, movies, and live sports — including WWE NXT, NASCAR, AVP Beach Volleyball, PBA bowling, and ACC Football — to consumers across web, mobile, and connected-TV devices with no subscription, no credit card, and no account required. The service is monetized through advertising on the streaming side and retransmission/carriage fees from cable, satellite, and virtual MVPD distributors on the linear broadcast side.

Product overview

The CW Network is a broadcast and streaming television network offering a free, ad-supported video streaming service through The CW App. The platform operates on a no subscription, no credit card model. The core product portfolio consists of live sports programming (WWE NXT, NASCAR, AVP Beach Volleyball, PBA bowling, ACC Football, PAC-12), an extensive on-demand series library featuring over 50 shows including original CW series and fan favorites, movie streaming, and a suite of themed channels. Content is distributed through the native CW App across TV and mobile platforms, as well as through third-party streaming services including YouTube TV, Hulu, DirecTV, and FuboTV. Personalization features include My CW functionality for watchlists and continue watching capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CW Sports: The CW's sports programming division featuring NASCAR coverage and other sports content.
• CW Sports - PBA

Products and services

• The CW App A free streaming application that gives viewers access to The CW Network's live sports, original TV series, movies, and themed live channels without requiring a subscription or credit card; available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung, LG, VIZIO smart TVs, iOS, and Android.
• WWE NXT Weekly professional wrestling program featuring WWE developmental talent; broadcasts live on The CW with new episodes airing Tuesdays at 8/7c and special events such as The Great American Bash.
• NASCAR on The CW Live and on-demand NASCAR racing coverage including practice, qualifying, and race replays, with exclusive driver cams and battle cam in-car camera angles plus team communications during races.
• AVP Beach Volleyball Professional Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Beach Volleyball League tournament coverage featuring events from locations such as Las Vegas, Miami, and Aspen.
• PBA Tournament of Champions (Professional Bowlers Association) Professional Bowlers Association tournament coverage including the PBA Tournament of Champions, USBC Masters, Go Bowling U.S. Open, and other PBA Tour events from venues across the United States.
• CW Sports Comprehensive sports programming block featuring NASCAR, WWE NXT, AVP Beach Volleyball, PBA bowling, ACC Football, PAC-12, and Professional Bowlers Association events.
• On-Demand Series Library Extensive catalog of TV series available for streaming including original CW series and classics such as Lost Girl (5 seasons), Beauty and the Beast (4 seasons), Whose Line Is It Anyway? (13 seasons), Sullivan's Crossing (4 seasons), 90210, and over 50 additional series.
• Movie Streaming Collection of movies available for streaming on The CW App including titles such as The Guyver, Little Secrets, Timecop, The DUFF, and many others spanning various genres and decades.
• Live TV Streaming Live broadcast streaming capability allowing viewers to watch The CW Network content in real-time, including NASCAR Chicago events with driver cams and live sports coverage via cwtv.com/live.
• CW Channel Suite Bundle of themed curated channels including CW Gold, CW Forever, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Law&Crime, Hell's Kitchen/Kitchen Nightmares, Top Gear UK, and other themed content collections provided in partnership with content providers such as FilmRise and Lionsgate.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• WWEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW broadcasts WWE NXT programming, including weekly episodes, special events like The Great American Bash, and related content. WWE NXT is one of The CW's flagship sports properties, appearing in Season 20 as of 2026. The partnership includes exclusive content rights for wrestling programming.
• NASCARcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW provides live NASCAR racing coverage including practice sessions, qualifying rounds, and race replays. The partnership includes innovative driver cam and battle cam features providing in-car camera angles and team communications during races. Coverage includes events from multiple racetracks (Sonoma, San Diego, Pocono, Chicago).
• AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW broadcasts AVP Beach Volleyball League events, including tournament coverage from locations such as Las Vegas, NV, Miami, FL, and Aspen, CO.
• PBA (Professional Bowlers Association)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW streams Professional Bowlers Association tournament coverage including the PBA Tournament of Champions, USBC Masters, Go Bowling U.S. Open, and other PBA Tour events from venues across the United States.
• ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW broadcasts ACC Football games as part of its sports programming lineup.
• Pac-12 NetworkssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW includes Pac-12 college sports content in its programming lineup.
• Little CaesarsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLittle Caesars sponsors WWE NXT Top 10 Moments content on The CW platform, indicating a sports marketing/advertising partnership for branded content integration.
• Nexstar Media GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNexstar Media Inc. is the majority owner of The CW Network LLC. Nexstar operates local broadcast stations across the United States and distributes CW programming through its station group. The relationship provides CW with significant distribution reach through over 200 local TV stations.
• RokucoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW app is distributed through the Roku platform and Roku Channel, making CW content available to Roku's 80+ million active accounts.
• AmazoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW app is distributed through Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Appstore, making content available on Amazon's streaming device ecosystem.
• ApplecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW app is available on Apple TV and iOS devices through the Apple App Store, providing access to Apple device users.
• GooglecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe CW app is available on Android TV, Google TV, and Google Play Store, as well as through YouTube TV, Google's live TV streaming service.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pluto TV: Paramount-owned FAST streaming service offering themed linear channels and on-demand video, free to viewers with ad support. Compares to The CW as the closest direct competitor in the free, multi-channel, ad-supported streaming category.
• Tubi: Fox-owned free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform offering a large library of TV series, movies, and live channels. Most directly comparable to The CW in business model (free, ad-supported, multi-platform streaming) and target audience (broad consumer viewership).
• The Roku Channel: Roku's free, ad-supported streaming channel offering movies, TV series, and live linear channels including live sports. Comparable to The CW as a major device-platform FAST offering with similar free-to-consumer model and content breadth.
• Amazon Freevee: Amazon's free, ad-supported streaming service offering movies, TV series, and live channels. Highly comparable to The CW in monetization model (FAST) and multi-platform distribution, with Amazon's ecosystem scale providing a structural advantage.

Emerging players

• Plex: Free, ad-supported streaming service offering thousands of movies, TV series, and live TV channels alongside its core media server offering. Comparable to The CW in the FAST streaming category with an emerging live TV channel feature.
• Tennis Channel: Sinclair-owned cable and streaming network dedicated to tennis and other racquet sports, offering live tournament coverage and original programming. Comparable to The CW's niche sports programming strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Peacock: NBCUniversal's streaming service offering live sports (NFL, Premier League, WWE), originals, and library content with a free, ad-supported tier. Comparable to The CW's combined sports + entertainment offering and ad-supported free tier.
• ION Television: Free, ad-supported broadcast network owned by E.W. Scripps Company offering scripted entertainment, sports, and lifestyle programming. Comparable to The CW as a smaller free broadcast network with an ad-supported monetization model.
• ESPN+: Disney's subscription sports streaming service offering live sports, original programming, and ESPN library content. Comparable to The CW Sports as a sports-focused streaming platform, though subscription-based rather than FAST.

Regional players

• Bally Sports (Diamond Sports Group): Regional sports network operator offering live professional and college sports across regional markets. Comparable to The CW Sports as a sports broadcaster, though operating regionally with a different distribution model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cw17jax
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCW
• Instagraminstagram.com/thecw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/secretaria-de-sa-de-do-estado-do-paran-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WCWJ