WWE fans will have to pay double to watch premium live events like WrestleMania starting in 2026 after the company announced a new deal with ESPN on Wednesday morning.
“ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), and WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), today announced a landmark rights agreement as ESPN platforms, including the new ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, will become the exclusive U.S. domestic home of all WWE Premium Live Events (PLEs), including the two-night cultural phenomenon WrestleMania, starting in 2026. This deal makes ESPN home to the highest-profile WWE events of the year,” the two companies said in a statement.
WWE PLEs currently air on Peacock. But there had been rumblings for some time that when that deal ended this year, the content would likely land somewhere else. And for a more lucrative price. The assumption was that Netflix, the home of WWE Raw and broadcast hub for PLEs in international markets, would be the likely landing spot. However, it seems that ESPN made the wrestling promotion an offer it could not refuse.
The current subscription price for new Peacock members is $10.99 and $11.99 for ESPN+. On paper, it wouldn’t be a major difference in price to switch from one service to another unless you are a user who has a cheaper grandfathered rate. However, WWE PLEs won’t be on ESPN+. They are going to the network’s new direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
The new service is set to launch later this month and will offer all of the company’s various channels and content. Due to the large amount of content being offered, the subscription price will be $29.99 a month. So, even if you drop ESPN+, which is expected to be absorbed into the new DTC platform, you will be paying a lot more per month for similar content.
If you are among those who will keep Peacock after WWE leaves, and you have to add ESPN’s DTC service, it means another bill for you each month.
“WWE’s agreement with ESPN is a pivotal moment for our millions of fans across the United States: the leader in sports entertainment partnering with the biggest brand in sports media. Bringing WWE’s flagship events to ESPN’s platform is tremendously exciting. We know the sky is the limit,” WWE President Nick Khan said in a statement.
