Stephanie McMahon’s recent podcast ad read has stirred up some unexpected tension behind the scenes.

During the latest episode of her What’s Your Story? podcast featuring Roman Reigns, McMahon casually promoted a VPN service in a mid-show break. In the ad, she suggested fans could use the tool to access international Netflix content, which includes WWE Premium Live Events in certain regions.

What seemed like a routine sponsorship spot caught attention for another reason, it indirectly pointed U.S. fans toward a workaround that avoids ESPN’s $30-per-month model for WWE live events. Viewers in America are now required to pay for both Netflix to follow weekly programming and ESPN to watch Premium Live Events, while international fans enjoy everything on Netflix alone.

According to Fightful Select, the mention raised some eyebrows at ESPN. One source admitted they “wasn’t thrilled” with the VPN suggestion but did not believe it would escalate into a “major issue.” Still, the timing is notable as WWE and ESPN have only just begun their business relationship, making McMahon’s offhand plug stand out even more.

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