Fresh off the blockbuster announcement of ESPN’s deal with the NFL, they made another announcement on Wednesday, as ESPN will be the exclusive home for WWE’s PLEs (Premium Live Events) beginning in 2026.
This announcement sent shock waves throughout the sports and entertainment industry as ESPN has become an even bigger powerhouse with this latest acquisition of WWE’s PLEs. According to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, this new deal will see TKO/WWE getting paid $325 million annually over five years (totaling $1.6 billion). This new pact also comes during a time when the WWE’s deal with Peacock will be coming to an end in 2026.
This deal consists of exclusive rights for ESPN to stream WWE PLEs (WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, Money in the Bank, etc.) nationwide. Netflix will still own the rights to distribute WWE PLEs internationally. This latest acquisition (beginning in 2026), along with the NFL properties, is all part of a new subscription plan that ESPN will be rolling out starting on August 21. The service will be simply called “ESPN” and will include the following, as per an ESPN press release:
“Designed to give fans more choice and flexibility, ESPN DTC will offer two plans, including an unlimited plan for $29.99/month that gives fans access to all of ESPN’s linear networks – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes – in addition to ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX, covering 47,000 live events each year, on-demand replays, studio shows, original programming, and more. Bundling opportunities for the ESPN unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu include a special offer at launch for $29.99/month for the first 12 months.”
As the WWE continues to partner with different entities for their programming, “Friday Night SmackDown” will continue to be on USA and “NXT” on the CW through 2029. The ESPN/WWE deal does not include the library (not mentioned in the press release), which is another valuable asset worth billions, so time will tell if the library stays with Peacock in a new deal or if it will be moved over to ESPN, adding even more value to the streaming service.
The WWE has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to latching on to what’s next and maximizing the value of their portfolio. They have never waited for a deal to expire before securing a renewal or a new venture, which has kept them making any transition seamless for the fans consuming the content. Partnering with ESPN will bring in even more eyes to the product, making it the only wrestling promotion from a casual perspective. This announcement crushes any wrestling promotion that was trying to compete with the WWE.
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