WWE and ESPN Announce Landmark Deal With Exclusive PLE Rights

TKO-owned WWE and ESPN have recently signed an exclusive deal with The Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, which grants the sports network WWE Premium Live Events media rights.

WWE fans had been speculating about what the future of WWE programming in the US looks like, ever since the Netflix deal was announced last year in 2024. Will Netflix also air WWE PLEs after the Peacock deal expires? 

As of now, Netflix currently has exclusive rights to Monday Night Raw in the United States and nearly all WWE programming internationally. Many fans expected Netflix to also secure rights to WWE PLEs, given that it’s the go-to platform for WWE content in many countries.

Right now, NBC Universal’s USA Network holds exclusive rights to SmackDown in the US. Its streaming platform, Peacock, has the rights to WWE’s PLEs in the country. The Peacock deal started in 2019, and WWE is making $180 million per year from this. 

Details About WWE and ESPN Deal

ESPN and WWE have agreed to a five-year deal that gives them exclusive streaming rights to WWE’s PLEs in the United States. WWE will reportedly receive $325 million per year from this deal ($1.6+ billion in 5 years).

Fans will be able to watch events such as the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer subscription plan, which will be launched later this month on Aug. 21 at $29.99 per month. A few events will also air on ESPN’s linear networks, according to CNBC.

In the press release, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said this about the new partnership:

“WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fanbase that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform. This agreement, which features the most-significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.” 

Former ESPN executive and current TKO President, Mark Shapiro, said this deal will be mutually beneficial for both parties.

“We are proud to reinforce the ‘E’ in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey. 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, and we know this will be an exceptional partnership at a time of great innovation for both companies.”

WWE President Nick Khan, who has previously helped the wrestling juggernaut secure multi-billion-dollar media rights, also commented about this shift:

“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.”

Breaking News: WWE Premium Live Events are headed to @espn platforms in the U.S. starting in 2026 pic.twitter.com/uD4KOiQYBg

— WWE (@WWE) August 6, 2025

Wrestling Fans Will Need Multiple Subscriptions To Watch WWE In The US

Many wrestling fans aren’t happy with this move. To be a wrestling fan who enjoys WWE in the US, you’ll need subscriptions to multiple streaming platforms.

Raw airs live on Netflix every Monday. SmackDown airs on The USA Network and is also available to stream on Peacock. The CW Networks holds the broadcasting rights to NXT. Now starting next year, fans will need another subscription for ESPN’s DTC streaming plan if they want to watch the PLEs.