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WWE's exclusive negotiating period with NBCUniversal expires with no deal

The exclusive negotiating window for WWE's television rights deal with NBCUniversal expired Feb. 15 and no deal was reached between the two sides, according to a report from Variety.com.

Although no deal has been reached, it does not mean NBCUniversal is out of the running to keep WWE programming on its airwaves.

WWE can simply negotiate its television rights with other companies with the caveat that NBCUniversal reserves the right to match any offer made to WWE.

"WWE's exclusive negotiating period with NBCU for our flagship programs, 'Raw' and 'Smackdown,' has now expired," WWE said in a statement it released to Variety.

"While we were unable to reach an agreement with NBCU during this period, we have certainly appreciated our long and productive partnership. With year-round, live programming that is highly coveted by programmers, distributors and advertisers; we are extremely excited about our future. We look forward to engaging with potential partners who recognize the value of having the No. 1 show on cable and live content delivered 52 weeks a year."

WWE's current deal is for $139.5 million, but the company is trying to at least double that number with its next deal.