Mark Mainz
ESPN (NYSE:DIS) has signed a deal with World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE:TKO) for the Disney-owned sports media giant to have exclusive rights to high profile and two-day wrestling events, according to a official statement on Wednesday.
The deal includes rights for streaming events such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam, plus other WWE premium live events including Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and Money in the Bank, on the upcoming ESPN app.
“WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fan base that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said.
A report from The Wall Street Journal, citing sources said the deal is for $1.6B and that ESPN will pay $325M each year for the rights for a period of five years. The agreement begins in 2026.
In comparison, WWE’s current deal with Peacock (CMCSA) was valued at $900M, people familiar with the pact told WSJ.
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