WWE’s partnership with ESPN reportedly extends far beyond simply broadcasting Premium Live Events.
Earlier this week, it was reported that the decision to expand WWE Night of Champions 2026 from five matches to six came at ESPN’s request. The network reportedly approached WWE about adding another bout to strengthen the paid portion of the event, which streams exclusively for ESPN Unlimited subscribers after the first hour airs free on ESPN television. With a six-match lineup instead of five, four matches remained exclusive to the premium streaming service.
That report has since received additional backing from Dave Meltzer, who addressed the situation in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4WOnline.com.
“[It was] reported that this show was six matches instead of five due to ESPN feeling that they needed at least four matches not on television to convince people who aren’t ESPN Unlimited subscribers to subscribe,” Meltzer wrote. “This was largely confirmed to us as accurate.”
Meltzer also noted that ESPN has been far more involved in the partnership than many may have realized.
“And it was noted that ESPN are definitely not silent partners in this deal and are always coming up with ideas,” he added in an interesting follow-up tidbit of information.
The WWE-ESPN Premium Live Event partnership is now approaching its one-year anniversary after launching in September 2025 with WWE WrestlePalooza. While the two sides remain partnered under the five-year agreement, WWE has yet to announce whether WrestlePalooza will return to the PLE calendar in 2026.
Beyond carrying WWE’s PLEs, ESPN has also played a major role in promoting the company across its programming, with WWE talent regularly appearing on shows such as First Take, Get Up and SportsCenter during major event weeks. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque has previously praised that exposure, describing the mainstream promotion as being “worth its weight in gold” because of the visibility it brings to WWE.
WWE’s next PLE on the ESPN partnership is “The Biggest Party of the Summer,” the two-night WWE SummerSlam show on August 1 and August 2 from US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN.
