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WWE moves all Premium Live Events to ESPN
WWE will shift Premium Live Events to ESPN’s new streaming service starting 2026, ending the Peacock partnership with a $1.625 billion deal.
WWE moves all Premium Live Events to ESPN’s new streaming service starting in 2026 after a 1.625 billion deal, ending its Peacock partnership.
WWE shifts Premium Live Events from Peacock to ESPN in 1.625 billion deal
WWE has agreed to move all Premium Live Events to ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service starting in 2026. The deal is valued at 1.625 billion, with ESPN offering about 325 million per year, higher than Peacock’s reported bid of around 275 million annually. WWE also explored a separate package for WrestleMania with Peacock, but the talks did not lead to a lasting arrangement and the company ultimately chose ESPN.
From 2026, fans will access Premium Live Events through ESPN’s streaming service for a monthly price of 29.99 dollars. The move ends WWE’s partnership with Peacock, which began in 2021, and aims to reach more viewers while leveraging ESPN’s technology and coverage. Some fans have voiced frustration over the price and access changes, with reports that VPNs could be used to bypass regional or service limitations. WWE signaled that the change should improve the viewing experience, but the price hurdle remains a point of public debate.
Key Takeaways
"Peacock did make an offer, and I guess the offer was allegedly in the neighborhood of about $275 million a year"
Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live describing Peacock’s bid
"If Peacock had offered $400 million a year, WWE likely would have stayed"
Alvarez's interpretation of alternative offers
"WWE chose ESPN for broader reach and better tech"
Summary of the decision and its potential benefits
"The price point could push fans to VPNs"
Fan reaction to the $29.99 monthly price
The shift illustrates a broader trend in which large media brands consolidate premium live sports rights under single platforms. For WWE, aligning with ESPN brings scale, marketing muscle, and a fresh tech backbone, but it also concentrates access and raises the price of entry for casual fans. If the subscriber base grows slowly, WWE and ESPN will face pressure to justify the cost with additional features and reach. The move may set a precedent for how other live events trade hands in a streaming-heavy era and could alter Peacock’s business model as it absorbs the impact of losing the rights.
Highlights
- Peacock did make an offer around 275 million a year
- If Peacock had offered 400 million, WWE likely would have stayed
- WWE chose ESPN for broader reach and better tech
- The price point could push fans to VPNs
Rights shift risks fan access and investor sentiment
Moving all Premium Live Events to ESPN with a new price may provoke backlash from fans and raise questions from investors about subscriber growth, costs, and access. The change also reshapes Peacock’s audience and advertising strategy.
The next season will reveal whether this bold move broadens WWE’s audience without alienating price-sensitive fans.
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