A new class action lawsuit has been filed against WWE, alleging deceptive marketing tied to the company’s move of its premium live events to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday night in U.S. District Court in Connecticut, claims that some fans who already received ESPN through cable or streaming TV providers were still required to pay an additional monthly fee to watch WWE premium live events. The plaintiffs argue that marketing from WWE and ESPN gave the impression that existing ESPN subscribers would automatically have access, which did not end up being the case for many viewers.
The proposed class would cover U.S. customers who subscribed to ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service between August 6 and September 20 ahead of WrestlePalooza, while already paying for ESPN through traditional providers. The complaint estimates more than $5 million could be at issue, with potential refunds or partial reimbursements for affected consumers if the case is successful.
Notably, the lawsuit names only WWE as a defendant. The plaintiffs state this was done to avoid arbitration and class-action waiver provisions contained in Disney’s subscriber agreements. ESPN and Disney are not defendants in the case.
According to the filing, access to WWE events on the ESPN app varied by provider. Some pay TV services allowed subscribers to authenticate and watch the events at no extra cost, while others did not, forcing fans to sign up for ESPN’s $29.99-per-month direct-to-consumer tier. This created confusion and frustration among fans leading into WrestlePalooza.
The complaint also references public statements made during the rollout that suggested WWE’s biggest events would be available to ESPN subscribers “with no upcharge.” The plaintiffs argue those comments led existing ESPN customers to believe they would not need to pay extra to watch WWE premium live events.
The named plaintiffs say they personally subscribed to the service despite already paying for ESPN through cable or streaming TV packages, then later canceled. Individually, the damages are relatively small, but the lawsuit argues that the size of the potential class, estimated at roughly 95,000 to 125,000 signups, makes the case significant.
As of now, WWE has not responded in court. Key issues are expected to include whether WWE can be held responsible for ESPN’s rollout and marketing, and whether the plaintiffs can successfully certify the proposed class.
We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding the WWE and ESPN class action lawsuit continue to surface.
(H/T to Brandon Thurston and POST Wrestling)
