Fans claim streaming rollout caused confusion and extra costs
Summary
– WWE is named in a class action lawsuit over ESPN streaming access to PLEs
– Plaintiffs allege marketing suggested no extra cost for existing ESPN customers
– More than $5 million in potential refunds is cited in the complaint
WWE is facing a new legal challenge tied to how its premium live events were made available through ESPN’s streaming platform. A class action lawsuit was filed Thursday night in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, accusing WWE of misleading fans about access to major events.
The lawsuit centers on fans who already received ESPN through cable or live TV streaming services but were still required to pay an additional monthly fee to watch WWE premium live events. The plaintiffs argue that this contradicts the presentation of the transition to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service.
According to the complaint, the issue arose ahead of Wrestlepalooza on September 20, when WWE events moved to the ESPN app under a new rights agreement. The lawsuit represents U.S. customers who paid for ESPN’s direct streaming service while already subscribing to ESPN through traditional providers.
Only WWE is named as a defendant in the case. ESPN and its parent company, Disney, were intentionally excluded, with plaintiffs stating this approach avoids arbitration clauses and class-action waivers tied to Disney subscriptions. The suit claims damages exceeding $5 million, with potential refunds or partial reimbursements if the claim is successful.
Confusion surrounding access stemmed from differences between TV providers. Some subscribers were able to authenticate into the ESPN app and watch WWE events, while others were blocked based on provider-specific agreements with Disney.
As a result, many fans were left with only one option: subscribing to ESPN Unlimited at $29.99 per month. The lawsuit argues that this requirement conflicted with WWE’s messaging and marketing around the deal.
Plaintiffs also cite an August 6, 2025, press release stating that ESPN app features would be available to all fans, regardless of whether they subscribed directly or through a traditional pay-TV package. They claim that language created false expectations.
Public comments from WWE President Nick Khan are also referenced. During a podcast appearance, Khan compared the ESPN deal to WWE’s previous Peacock agreement, stating that fans would receive premium live events without an added charge.
Two individual plaintiffs are named in the filing. One alleges that he upgraded a Disney bundle solely so his child could watch WWE events, while another subscribed to ESPN’s service on the day of Wrestlepalooza and canceled immediately after.
The proposed class includes customers who paid for ESPN Unlimited between August 6 and September 20 while already receiving ESPN through providers that had not enabled app authentication. Customers of several major providers are excluded due to earlier access.
While individual refunds may be relatively small, the lawsuit argues that the total impact justifies class-action status. WWE has not yet responded in court, and early proceedings are expected to focus on responsibility for the rollout and whether the marketing constitutes deceptive practices.
