New details have emerged regarding the groundbreaking rights deal that will see WWE’s premium live events move from Peacock to ESPN starting in 2026. A fresh report has revealed the value of NBCUniversal’s bid to keep the rights, shedding light on the intense competition for the deal.

Peacock’s Attempt to Retain WWE’s Premium Live Events Rights
According to a report by Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, Peacock’s offer to retain WWE’s premium live events was valued at around $275 million per year. While this was a substantial bid, it ultimately fell short when compared to ESPN’s winning offer, which came in at an average of $325 million per year over a five-year period.

WrestleMania Package Remained Unresolved
The report also revealed that WWE had explored selling WrestleMania as a standalone package, but no deal materialized. It remains unclear whether Peacock’s $275 million bid was aimed at keeping the entire package, including NXT’s key events and the WWE video library, or just the main roster premium live events.

The transition to ESPN in 2026 will mark a significant shift for WWE, as the company’s three primary products will land on separate major platforms: Raw on Netflix, SmackDown on USA Network, and premium live events on ESPN. 

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