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 then announced 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. Additionally, 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 President Nick Khan spoke on The Varsity Podcast following the news of the deal and talked about why he feels the Walt Disney Company, along with the WWE’s other streaming partner NBC Universal, are ahead of the game.
“They [streaming companies] have a significant advantage over many of the traditional companies, but not in our opinion, Disney or NBCU,” Khan explained. “Those are the two companies of the traditionals [media companies] that are poised best to compete for the future.”
Furthermore, Khan went on to explain the vision Disney CEO Bob Iger had when he purchased Major League Baseball Advanced Media in 2016 was the correct one—understanding that the consumer was moving into the world of streaming content over the traditional pay TV model.
“The future was in front of us, and the future was streaming. It didn’t mean exclusive from traditional. It just meant you had to be able to watch whatever you wanted, wherever you wanted, on whatever device that you wanted,” said Khan. “I think Disney continues to stay ahead of the game. For those who do that, and who tend to look at the entire media landscape, not through rose colored lenses, the future should remain bright.”
In addition, Khan credited the relationship between the WWE and Peacock for building an amazing partnership coming out of the COVID pandemic. He also stated his excitement about joining the Disney family, which the WWE has had a history with—a positive one, according to Khan.
“It’s a significant step up. It’s a great platform for us,” said Khan. “To have WWE, what we consider to be the number one sports entertainment product in the world, on the most family friendly apparatus. It’s a big for all of us.”
The new ESPN streaming platform is launching on August 21. Much like its approach with the UFC through ESPN+, ESPN plans to integrate WWE into its promotional strategy in order to create early momentum.
Despite the ESPN agreement, WWE will maintain relationships with other major platforms. For example, 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. However, WWE’s partnership to air premium live events on NBC Peacock will come to an end.
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