Royal Rumble 2023 was on Peacock, but only for Peacock Premium subscribers
Royal Rumble 2023 aired on Peacock on January 28, 2023. The event was available exclusively to Peacock Premium subscribers — the paid tier that costs $5.99 per month with ads or $11.99 per month without ads. The basic free version of Peacock did not include access to the event.
WWE moved its premium live events to Peacock in 2021 as part of an exclusive streaming deal. This means Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series all stream on Peacock rather than on traditional pay-per-view through cable or satellite providers. The event was not available on WWE's website or through other streaming services.
If you had a Peacock Premium subscription active on January 28, you could watch the entire Royal Rumble card without paying an additional fee. There was no separate purchase required beyond your monthly subscription.
Key Takeaways
- Royal Rumble 2023 streamed exclusively on Peacock Premium, not on free Peacock or traditional pay-per-view.
- Peacock Premium costs $5.99 monthly with ads or $11.99 monthly without ads, and that single subscription covered the entire event.
- WWE's four biggest annual events — Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series — all stream through Peacock as part of the company's exclusive deal.
- If you missed the live broadcast, Peacock kept the full event available on-demand for subscribers to watch later.
How Peacock Premium access worked for Royal Rumble
Peacock Premium subscribers could stream Royal Rumble 2023 live on the Peacock app or website starting at 8 p.m. ET on January 28. The pre-show began earlier, typically around 7 p.m. ET. Both the pre-show and main card were included in the Premium subscription — no additional purchase was needed.
The event remained available on-demand after the live broadcast ended, so subscribers could watch it the next day, the next week, or whenever they wanted. Peacock kept archived WWE events available indefinitely for Premium members, so you could rewatch Royal Rumble 2023 anytime your subscription was active.
Peacock Premium also includes access to WWE's full back catalog of past events, weekly programming like Raw and SmackDown, and original WWE content produced for the streaming service. A single subscription gave you access to all of it.
What changed when WWE moved to Peacock
Before 2021, WWE fans could buy Royal Rumble and other premium live events through traditional pay-per-view for $60 to $80 per event. Cable and satellite providers offered the PPV option, and some fans also purchased through WWE's website. That model ended when WWE signed its exclusive deal with Peacock.
Now the only way to watch Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series legally is through a Peacock Premium subscription. There is no PPV option, no cable broadcast, and no separate purchase available. This means the cost depends on how long you keep your subscription active rather than on how many events you watch.
If you subscribe to Peacock for just one month to watch Royal Rumble, the cost is $5.99 or $11.99 depending on which tier you choose. If you keep the subscription year-round, you pay between $72 and $144 annually and get access to all four major events plus everything else on Peacock.
Other ways fans watched Royal Rumble 2023
Some cable and satellite providers offered Peacock Premium as part of a bundle or promotional package. Comcast Xfinity customers, for example, sometimes received Peacock Premium included with their internet or TV service. If you had that benefit, you could watch Royal Rumble without paying extra for Peacock itself.
WWE also offers WWE Network, a separate subscription service that costs $9.99 per month. However, WWE Network does not include live access to Royal Rumble or other premium live events — those stream only on Peacock. WWE Network is primarily for archived content and original shows.
Some bars, restaurants, and sports venues purchased commercial licenses to show Royal Rumble on their televisions. If you watched at a sports bar or restaurant, that business paid for the broadcast rights, not individual viewers.
Checking your Peacock subscription status
If you were unsure whether you had Peacock Premium on January 28, 2023, you could check by opening the Peacock app or visiting peacock.com and looking at your account settings. Your profile would show whether you were on the free tier or Premium, and if Premium, whether you had the ad-supported or ad-free version.
Peacock Premium subscribers receive a confirmation email when their subscription renews each month, so checking your email for recent Peacock receipts would also tell you whether your subscription was active on the date of Royal Rumble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I watch Royal Rumble 2023 on Peacock now if I don't have a subscription?
No. The event is only available to Peacock Premium subscribers. You would need to purchase a Premium subscription to watch it. The free version of Peacock does not include access to WWE premium live events.
Is Royal Rumble 2023 available anywhere besides Peacock?
Not legally. WWE's exclusive deal with Peacock means Royal Rumble and the other three major annual events stream only on Peacock Premium. There is no cable broadcast, PPV option, or other streaming service that carries it.
If I subscribe to Peacock for one month, can I watch Royal Rumble 2023 anytime later?
Only while your subscription is active. Once you cancel Peacock, you lose access to all content, including archived events. If you want to rewatch Royal Rumble 2023, you need to maintain an active Premium subscription.
Does WWE Network include Royal Rumble 2023?
No. WWE Network and Peacock are separate services. WWE Network focuses on archived content and original shows but does not include live or on-demand access to Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, or Survivor Series. Those events are Peacock-exclusive.
What if I missed the live broadcast on January 28?
Peacock kept the full Royal Rumble 2023 event available on-demand for Premium subscribers to watch anytime afterward. You could watch it the next day, the next week, or months later — as long as your subscription remained active.