In a landmark move, TKO has secured a groundbreaking deal with ESPN, bringing WWE‘s premier live events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and the Royal Rumble, to ESPN‘s new direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service starting in 2026.

The New Landscape of WWE Broadcasting

This five-year agreement will see ten WWE Premium Live Events (PLEs) stream annually on ESPN‘s forthcoming streaming platform. The deal also includes the option for ESPN to simulcast some of these major events on its linear cable channels, broadening the potential audience.

This reshapes the viewing experience for WWE fans. By 2026, the weekly schedule will be spread across multiple platforms: Raw will have its new home on Netflix, SmackDown and Saturday Night’s Main Event will continue on the USA Network, NBC, and Peacock, and now, all major pay-per-view style events will be on ESPN‘s new streaming service.

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A Deal Even Better Than It Appears

As noted by analyst Brandon Ross, this deal is a massive victory for TKO and WWE. Rumors suggest the company is receiving more than double the revenue from its previous deal with Peacock, but for significantly less content. The previous agreement included domestic rights to WWE‘s vast library, 250 hours of original ancillary programming, and five documentaries annually, all produced at WWE‘s expense. Those costs and content requirements are now gone.

Most importantly, this partnership massively expands WWE‘s reach and promotional power. The deal includes simulcast rights for top events, hitting both linear and digital audiences. Furthermore, ESPN will be cross-promoting WWE across its extensive portfolio of live sports, including high-profile events like Monday Night Football, the NBA Finals, and major college games.

Unsettled Rights: The WWE Library and NXT

This new agreement leaves a few key assets still on the negotiating table. The extensive WWE historical library, a treasure trove of wrestling history, is now open for bidding. While Ross speculates that a service like Netflix might be a prime suitor, WWE‘s recent strategy suggests another path. The company has been consistently uploading classic content to its WWE Vault and WCW Vault channels on YouTube, indicating a potential long-term plan to make YouTube the home for its archival footage. Also still available for bidding are the rights to NXT‘s special events, which have become a hot property in their own right.

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How Much Will the New ESPN Service Cost?

ESPN‘s new streaming service will have a few pricing tiers. The “unlimited” plan, which will include the WWE PLEs and all of ESPN‘s linear networks, is priced at $29.99 per month. For current ESPN+ subscribers, your plan will essentially become the “select” tier at $11.99 per month, though you would need to upgrade to the unlimited plan for the WWE events. The best news is for fans who already subscribe to ESPN through a traditional cable or satellite provider; they will get access to the new service’s content at no additional cost. At launch, ESPN is also offering a special introductory bundle of the unlimited plan with Disney+ and Hulu for $29.99 per month for the first year.