ESPN announced a partnership with WWE, including the streaming rights to WrestleMania, on the heels of an agreement with the NFL.
In a deal announced Wednesday, ESPN becomes the U.S. domestic home for WWE Premium Live Events. WrestleMania will be part of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service starting in 2026.
The deal comes a day after the NFL and ESPN entered into a nonbinding agreement. Under the terms, ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, will acquire NFL Network, NFL Fantasy and the rights to distribute the RedZone channel to cable and satellite operators and the league will get a 10% equity stake in ESPN.
In addition to WestleMania, WWE's Premium Live Events include Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and Money in the Bank.
“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,” Nick Khan, president of WWE, said in a statement. "Bringing WWE’s flagship events to ESPN’s platform is tremendously exciting. We know the sky is the limit.”
Added Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of ESPN: "This agreement, which features the most-significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.”
ESPN is expected to launch its direct-to-consumer service before the end of September. The service would give consumers access to all ESPN programs and networks for $29.99 per month.
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FILE - WrestleMania XL prepares at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, April 6, 2024. (Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)
