ESPN is pushing back against a report claiming the network has already decided to move on from WWE once its massive media rights agreement expires.
After SEScoops reported that ESPN does not intend to renew its five-year deal with WWE, the network firmly denied the claim.
Ben Cafardo of ESPN Communications called the report “categorically false,” rejecting the idea that a decision has already been made about the future of the partnership.
“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,” Cafardo wrote on X.
SEScoops cited several alleged issues behind its claim, including challenges surrounding ESPN Unlimited, friction between the companies, and cable providers not adopting the streaming service as widely as anticipated.
The two companies agreed to a landmark deal in 2025 that made ESPN the exclusive U.S. home of WWE's premium live events. According to CNBC, ESPN is paying WWE an average of approximately $325 million annually from 2026 through 2030, putting the total value of the five-year agreement at roughly $1.6 billion.
The partnership officially got underway with Wrestlepalooza in September 2025, which featured John Cena taking on Brock Lesnar as Cena approached the end of his retirement tour.
Since then, WWE has become an increasingly visible part of ESPN's programming and promotional strategy. The company's biggest annual events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Royal Rumble, have all been presented under the ESPN banner.
WWE's 2026 premium live event schedule continues on ESPN with three major events remaining this year: Sunday Night's Main Event on Sept. 6, Money in the Bank on Oct. 10, and Survivor Series: WarGames on Nov. 28.
