The network says no renewal decision has been made
Summary
– ESPN denied a report claiming it already decided not to renew WWE
– The current five-year agreement began in 2025
– ESPN says there is no truth to claims that a renewal decision has been made
ESPN is pushing back against a report claiming the network has already decided not to renew its WWE agreement once the current contract expires.
Justin Barrasso reported on August 25 that an ESPN spokesperson directly denied the claim. The network said there was no truth to the report that it had already decided not to renew WWE.
The denial followed a report from BJ Bethel claiming ESPN would not extend its five-year agreement with WWE after the current deal runs its course. That report cited concerns involving culture and synergy between the two companies, changes in the media market, and distribution challenges surrounding ESPN Unlimited.
Another issue raised in the report involved how much responsibility ESPN has taken on for selling Unlimited directly to consumers. WWE Premium Live Events have since become available through additional subscription options, while ESPN has also increased WWE promotion across its programming.
WWE and ESPN agreed to their five-year media rights deal in 2025. The agreement was reported at approximately $1.625 billion, which works out to roughly $325 million annually for WWE Premium Live Event rights.
The relationship has faced some growing pains, including criticism from traditional sports viewers over increased WWE coverage and continued changes involving ESPN Unlimited pricing and distribution. None of those issues, however, confirms what ESPN intends to do when the agreement eventually expires.
For now, ESPN’s position is clear. The network says it has not yet decided whether to renew WWE, leaving any long-term decision about the partnership unresolved, with several years remaining on the current contract.
