ESPN Secures Rights to WWE's Major Live Events: WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and More
ESPN has secured the rights to broadcast WWE's major live events, such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam, for five years starting in 2026. The deal is worth an average of $325 million per year. Previously, NBCUniversal's Peacock had paid $180 million per year for the same package. All 10 of WWE's premium live events will be available on ESPN's new $29.99-per-month streaming platform, with select events also airing on ESPN's linear networks.
The partnership between WWE and ESPN has been growing stronger in recent years, with both parties seeing the benefits of working together. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro expressed interest in bidding on the events package even without the launch of their new streaming service. The addition of WWE events to the platform will help attract a younger, more diverse audience to ESPN.
WWE President Nick Khan highlighted the multigenerational appeal of WWE events, with a significant portion of the audience being women and families attending live events together. The collaboration with ESPN is seen as a way to further expand the reach of WWE programming and attract new viewers.
In addition to the deal with ESPN, WWE has also signed a $5 billion agreement with Netflix to stream "Raw" every Monday night starting in 2024. "SmackDown" will continue to be available on Peacock until 2029. The partnership with ESPN and other streaming platforms reflects WWE's commitment to reaching a wider audience and growing its fan base.
Overall, the collaboration between WWE and ESPN is expected to bring exciting live events to sports fans and expand the reach of WWE programming to a diverse audience. The partnership reflects the changing landscape of sports and entertainment media, with streaming platforms playing an increasingly important role in reaching viewers.