Summary
ESPN is reportedly unhappy with its deal for WWE premium live events (PLEs), which began earlier than planned. Fans criticized the latest WWE event on ESPN for its lack of excitement, and some fans are also unhappy about the higher subscription cost. The next big WWE event on ESPN will likely be the Royal Rumble in January 2026.
Key Facts
- ESPN recently started airing WWE premium live events (PLEs), beginning earlier than planned with an event called WrestlePalooza.
- The latest WWE PLE, Survivor Series: WarGames, aired on the ESPN app but faced criticism for being unexciting.
- Fans need to pay more for a $30-per-month subscription to access the ESPN app, Hulu, and Disney+ to watch these events.
- There is a report that ESPN is unhappy with the WWE deal, hoping to recover its investment.
- WWE's deal with ESPN was supposed to start in 2026 with WrestleMania 42 but began early in 2025.
- The next WWE event on ESPN might be the Royal Rumble, scheduled for January 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
- Freddie Prinze Jr., a former WWE worker, shared this information on his podcast, based on a conversation with a person at Disney.
- Fans will be able to see John Cena's final match on a different platform, Peacock, in December.
