If you’re planning on tuning into the biggest WWE event of the year, then you could be facing a £1,000 fine.
This weekend, John Cena will make his final SummerSlam appearance in East Rutherford, New Jersey, ahead of his retirement at the end of the year.
The highly anticipated event promises to be one of the most exciting in the 2025 wrestling calendar with big names like Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes all set to appear.
If you can’t make it to New Jersey, though, don’t worry. The competition is set to be livestreamed around the world, and fans in the UK can tune in using Netflix.
However, before you get too excited, be warned, if you’ve not got a TV license, then you really shouldn’t be tuning in.
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According to the TV License website, a license is required to watch any live event, even if you’re watching it over a streaming service.
‘You need to be covered by a TV Licence to watch live on streaming services such as ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go, YouTube, and Netflix,’ their website reads.
It is therefore against the law to watch SummerSlam on Netflix without a TV license.
Should you tune in regardless, you could be prosecuted and face a ‘maximum penalty of £1,000 plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.’
That means if you’re one of the estimated 17.6 million people who subscribe to Netflix and you’re thinking of watching Cena’s final match, maybe get the license sorted before Saturday.
According to the BBC, just last year, there were 25,550 convictions for licence fee evasion.
What does a TV License cover?
The TV License covers:
- All TV channels – like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, U&Dave and international channels
- Pay TV services – like Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV
- Live TV on streaming services – like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video
- Everything on BBC iPlayer
Thankfully, it’s very likely you already have a license.
The TV licensing body estimates that in 2025, almost 88% of households which need a TV licence will have one.
The License Fee remains a decisive issue in the UK.
Those against it believe it’s an unfair tax that forces people to pay for a service they may not use.
Critics also point out how unfair it is that it’s a flat fee, meaning the richest and poorest both pay the same amount.
Proponents, meanwhile, point out that the License Fee allows the BBC to maintain a degree of editorial impartiality that other media outlets can’t while also freeing the channel from pesky adverts.
Metro has approached the BBC and TV Licensing authority for comment.
SummerSlam will air on Netflix from August 2-3 (if you have a TV license)
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