ESPN Denies Report That They Are Not Planning To Renew WWE Deal When It Expires

ESPN is currently denying rumors that they are planning to not renew their WWE Premium Live Events deal when it expires in 2030.

The rumors originated from a recent report from SEScoops’ BJ Bethel who stated that ESPN would not be renewing their deal with WWE and claimed “the current media market, ‘culture and synergy’ issues between the two companies and the failure of cable providers to pick up the cost of the app for customers” as the reasons for ESPN’s decision. Bethel also had reported that a “massive increase in subscriptions” over the next few years or cable providers carrying ESPN Unlimited at friendly financial terms could result in ESPN changing course for their decision.

The Wrestling Observer’s Josh Nason reported that one source close to the situation stated that the claim was baseless.

ESPN later issues an official statement to the Wrestling Observer and other media outlets denying the report calling it “completely false.”

“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.”

ESPN signed a five-year deal with WWE worth a total of $1.6 billion in 2025 to be the exclusive home of WWE PLEs in the United States. This deal officially started with WWE’s Wrestlepalooza event in September of 2025. This deal has also featured WWE talents making appearances on ESPN shows to promote WWE events as part of the synergy between the two companies.