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ESPN and WWE step into the ring with reported $1.6 billion, five-year streaming deal

WWE’s 10 biggest live events are poised to join ESPN’s new streaming platform next year.

Nia Warfield

ESPN is not content with being the worldwide leader in sports, and also wants to be among the most electrifying names in sports entertainment.

The Disney-owned sports network is teaming up with WWE in a reported five-year, $1.6 billion deal to stream 10 of the wrestling giant’s biggest events, including WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam. Terms of the agreement were reported by The Wall Street Journal.

For context: that would be 80% above what Peacock reportedly paid, $180 million per year, for the same package in a previous deal. The partnership kicks off in 2026 and will bring WWE’s premium events to ESPN’s $29.99 per month direct-to-consumer platform, with some events simulcast on cable.

“In many ways, this is our destiny,” TKO CEO Mark Shapiro said in a CNBC interview. “If you want to expand the audience, our fan base, the fervor around WWE, and grow on a real significant national scale, you can’t do that as it relates to the sports world without partnering with ESPN.”

ESPN has been bulking up ahead of its streaming service launch. Yesterday, it announced a deal to acquire the NFL Network, RedZone rights, and other league-owned media assets in exchange for a 10% equity stake going to the NFL. ​​

Disney is clearly trying to pump some muscle into ESPN after the sports giant eked out just 1% revenue growth last quarter.

Shares of TKO, which owns WWE, fell 2% on the news. Disney, which reported earnings Wednesday morning, also fell about 3%.

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Texas sues Netflix, accusing streamer of spying on children and collecting user data without consent

The state of Texas filed a lawsuit Monday against streaming giant Netflix, alleging that the company has built a “behavioral-surveillance program of staggering scale.”

The suit alleges that Netflix is “deceptively designed” to be addictive, using features like autoplay to get viewers hooked, “mining those users for data, and then converting that data into lucrative intelligence for global advertising juggernauts.”

“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you,” the lawsuit reads.

“This lawsuit lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information,” Netflix said in a statement to Sherwood News. “Netflix takes our members’ privacy seriously and complies with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate.”

Texas is seeking civil penalties of “up to $10,000 per violation” of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, along with an additional penalty of up to $250,000 per violation involving a consumer aged 65 or older.

“Netflix is not the ad-free and kid-friendly platform it claims to be. Instead, it has misled consumers while exploiting their private data to make billions,” said Texas Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton in the press release announcing the lawsuit.

Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Netflix for Spying on Texas Kids and Consumers by Illegally Collecting Users’ Data Without Their Knowledge or Consent

Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Netflix for Spying on Texas Kids and Consumers by Illegally Collecting Users’ Data Without Their Knowledge or Consent

“This lawsuit lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information,” Netflix said in a statement to Sherwood News. “Netflix takes our members’ privacy seriously and complies with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate.”

Texas is seeking civil penalties of “up to $10,000 per violation” of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, along with an additional penalty of up to $250,000 per violation involving a consumer aged 65 or older.

“Netflix is not the ad-free and kid-friendly platform it claims to be. Instead, it has misled consumers while exploiting their private data to make billions,” said Texas Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton in the press release announcing the lawsuit.

Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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