ESPN, WWE ink five-year deal for WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, different reside occasions

The WWE is coming to ESPN.

The Disney-controlled sports activities and leisure enterprise pays a mean of $325 million per yr for 5 years of U.S. rights to the WWE’s greatest reside occasions, together with WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble and SummerSlam, starting in 2026, based on folks conversant in the matter who declined to be naming talking concerning the deal specifics. Spokespeople at WWE and ESPN declined to remark.

NBCUniversal’s Peacock had beforehand paid $180 million per yr over 5 years for the package deal, based on two folks conversant in the matter.

All 10 of the WWE’s premium reside occasions annually will stream on ESPN’s new $29.99 per thirty days direct-to-consumer platform within the U.S. Choose occasions will probably be simulcast on ESPN’s linear networks.

Disney reported quarterly earnings Wednesday that confirmed home ESPN income up 1% to $3.93 billion.

The WWE and ESPN have strategically moved nearer collectively lately, mentioned TKO Group President and Chief Working Officer Mark Shapiro in an interview. TKO is the controlling proprietor of WWE. Shapiro, himself, was a prime government at ESPN within the early 2000s.

“In some ways, that is our future,” mentioned Shapiro. “If you wish to increase the viewers, our fan base, the fervor round WWE, and develop on an actual vital nationwide scale, you possibly can’t do this because it pertains to the sports activities world with out partnering with ESPN.”

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro mentioned he would have been desirous about bidding on the package deal of occasions even when ESPN weren’t about to debut its new streaming service. Nonetheless, including the occasions, for no further cost, for subscribers of the digital product will assist cut back churn for skilled wrestling and assist increase ESPN past conventional sports activities.

“Our place was constructed because the leisure and sports activities programing community,” mentioned Pitaro, referencing the literal that means of the acronym, “ESPN.” “This can be a implausible approach for us to increase our viewers. It is youthful, it is extra various, and it is extra feminine than what we see on the community stage.”

Thirty-eight % of WWE’s viewers is ladies, famous WWE President Nick Khan. About 50% of people that attend WWE reside occasions include youngsters, he mentioned in an interview.

“It is multigenerational viewing, and we expect ESPN is multigenerational viewing,” mentioned Khan.

In 2024, the WWE signed a 10-year, $5 billion cope with Netflix to stream “Uncooked” each Monday evening, starting this yr. Netflix will proceed to stream marquee WWE occasions outdoors the U.S.

“SmackDown,” which airs Fridays on USA Community, will proceed to stream on Peacock. That deal expires in 2029, based on folks conversant in the matter.

Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the dad or mum firm of CNBC and USA Community.

Clarification: This story has been up to date to make clear that ESPN will maintain the rights to stream WWE premium reside occasions within the U.S. Netflix holds these rights outdoors the U.S.