Disney In Talks To Make ESPN DTC Service Available To More Cable Subscribers Ahead Of WWE PPV Deal

WWE pay-per-views/premium live events will have a new home in the United States from 2026 as major events from WWE's main roster will air on ESPN beginning with WrestleMania 42 as part of a five-year deal worth $1.6 billion.

All of WWE's pay-per-views are scheduled to air on ESPN's upcoming direct-to-consumer service, which is set to launch on August 21, while select PPVs/PLEs will also be broadcast on ESPN's linear TV channels.

The ESPN DTC service will cost fans $29.99 per month should they wish to tune into WWE pay-per-views, but not every fan will have to pay. It has been noted that some cable subscribers will have access to the ESPN DTC platform as part of their cable subscription, although this currently is only set to apply to those who use Hulu Live, DirecTV, Charter, FuboTV, and Verizon Fios.

Customers of Comcast Xfinity, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and other major cable providers won't have access to ESPN DTC's platform at launch as ESPN does not have up-to-date carriage agreements with all of the largest pay TV providers. Alex Sherman of CNBC has reported that Disney (ESPN's parent company) are in talks with these cable providers, and Disney are hoping to have agreements with most of the companies in place by the end of 2025, well before WWE pay-per-views move to ESPN in the United States.

Long-term, Sherman noted that ESPN are planning to have deals in place for free access to their DTC service with every major cable TV distributor, as Disney don't want customers quitting their cable bundles.

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