The WWE-ESPN relationship was at the center of major speculation on Tuesday, August 25, after a report claimed the network had already decided against renewing its current deal to air premium live events. New information, however, paints a far less dramatic picture.
According to Andrew Baydala, WWE’s PLE numbers on ESPN haven’t quite met the network’s expectations. That said, none of the sources Baydala spoke with brought up “extreme buyer’s remorse” or any decision to walk away from the deal.
“The numbers WWE PLEs are bringing to ESPN aren’t exactly what the network was hoping for, but reports of ESPN having ‘extreme buyer’s remorse’ or not renewing WWE have not been discussed with those spoken to directly.”
ESPN itself shot down the initial report, published by BJ Bethel of SEScoops, as previously covered by WrestlingNoticias.com. The network said no decision regarding a non-renewal has been made.
“There is no truth to the report that we have decided not to renew. They never checked with us before publishing and had they, we would have told them that was completely false.”
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8:34 PM · Aug 25, 2026SEScoops updated its story with ESPN’s denial but maintained that it stands behind its original reporting.
WWE and ESPN are locked into a five-year agreement worth approximately $1.6 billion that kicked off with Wrestlepalooza on September 20, 2025 and doesn’t expire until 2030.
TKO itself has previously said the partnership was “gaining traction,” highlighting viewership growth for Elimination Chamber and noting that WrestleMania 42 Night One became the most-watched broadcast of the year on ESPN2.