ESPN is having an incredible week. After striking a deal with the NFL for ownership of NFL Network, RedZone Channel, and NFL Fantasy in exchange for a 10% equity stake in the network, ESPN has now secured a five-year agreement with the WWE to bring the company’s marquee live events exclusively to the brand’s forthcoming standalone streaming service starting in 2026.
Under the agreement, ESPN will become the exclusive U.S. home for 10 of WWE’s top events. Among those events include WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series. The deal contains rights to air pre- and post-event programming. It also leaves the door open for select events to be simulcast on ESPN’s linear platforms.
“WWE is an extremely popular form of entertainment that has stood the test of time,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “This partnership helps us grow our audience — it brings in younger, more diverse, and more female viewers.”
Pitaro added that Disney and ESPN plan to explore additional content extensions around WWE. Those could include crossovers with NBA stars, ESPN/UFL partner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, or ESPN talent like Pat McAfee, who has a longstanding relationship with WWE.
The new ESPN streaming platform is expected to launch ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Similar to its approach with the UFC through ESPN+, ESPN plans to integrate WWE into its promotional strategy in order to create early momentum.
“We are proud to reinforce the ‘E’ in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey,“ said TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro. “WWE Premium Live Events are renowned for exactly the type of rich storytelling, incredible feats of athleticism and can’t-miss, cultural tentpole experiences that have become synonymous with ESPN. Through our UFC relationship, we have experienced firsthand how transformational an ESPN presence can be. We know this will be an exceptional partnership at a time of great innovation for both companies.”
This isn’t the first time ESPN and WWE have worked together. ESPN aired archived WrestleMania broadcasts to fill its schedule during the pandemic. The brand also featured on-site programming to support WWE live events, conversations on SportsCenter, First Take and other ESPN programs, and articles on ESPN.com. The positive history between the two companies helped lay the groundwork for this expanded deal.
WWE President Nick Khan called the negotiations “quick” and “robust in spirit.” Company officials did not share exact figures, but according to CNBC, ESPN will pay over 1.6 billion over 5 years for the U.S. rights to WWE’s premium live events. NBCUniversal reportedly paid $180 million per year over its prior five-year partnership with WWE. ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer platform will cost $29.99 per month upon rollout.
Despite the ESPN agreement, WWE will maintain relationships with other major platforms. Monday Night Raw will continue streaming globally on Netflix, while Friday Night SmackDown and Saturday Night’s Main Event will remain with NBCUniversal and its Versant Media Group division. WWE’s partnership to air premium live events on NBC Peacock however comes to an end.
As ESPN’s rights deal with UFC nears its 2025 expiration, Pitaro confirmed discussions are ongoing about continuing the relationship. He added, “The track record is just too strong.”
