ESPN Grabs Exclusive WWE Premium Live Events Streaming Rights in $1.6 Billion Deal

ESPN’s Power Play: WWE's Premium Live Events Go Exclusive

Wrestling fans are in for a shakeup in 2026. ESPN just signed a massive five-year deal that gives it exclusive U.S. rights to all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank. That means these blockbuster shows are leaving their current home on Peacock and heading straight to ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming service. And yes—select events will still get air time on ESPN's traditional TV channels.

Let’s talk numbers: Disney, ESPN’s parent company, is dropping $325 million each year over the course of the deal. Over five years, that's a $1.6 billion bet on the power of WWE’s loyal fans. ESPN will stream every WWE Premium Live Event on its new platform, while allowing WWE to stay in charge of producing all the action. So, fans can still expect the same familiar look and feel—just in a new digital home.

Why Move Now? The Streaming Arms Race Heats Up

This partnership isn’t just about wrestling. It signals another major play in the ongoing race between streaming platforms. ESPN’s Chairman, Jimmy Pitaro, is betting on WWE’s intensely committed fanbase to help accelerate ESPN’s move into the streaming future. By scoring exclusive rights to some of WWE’s biggest spectacles, ESPN grabs a foothold in the entertainment world beyond typical sports—something few sports channels have managed on this scale.

WrestleMania and SummerSlam, two of WWE’s top crowd-pullers, are sticking with their two-night event formats. WWE will keep producing all its shows and content, so the stories, stars, and signature production values fans expect remain intact. But the platform itself is new, and ESPN isn’t hiding its hopes to use WWE as an anchor for its upgraded service—competing for viewers in a fast-changing media world.

So, what changes for fans? If you want to catch the spectacle of the Royal Rumble or the drama of Survivor Series, you’ll need to log in to ESPN’s streaming service starting in 2026. For those still holding on to cable, select WrestleMania moments and other big matches may pop up on ESPN’s TV channel, making sure you don’t miss everything. This migration to ESPN marks the end of an era with Peacock and sets up a whole new way to watch wrestling’s wildest nights.

With exclusive rights in hand and billions on the line, ESPN’s gamble puts them front and center in the future of wrestling entertainment. And it opens the door wider for sports and entertainment streaming to keep crossing over.