ESPN didnt just stream WrestlePaloozathey showed up in full force.
During the Fightful Select Backstage Report, Sean Ross Sapp revealed that top ESPN executives were backstage at WWEs WrestlePalooza, showing just how serious the network is about its new $1.6 billion deal with WWE. This wasnt just a routine meet-and-greetsources told Fightful that ESPNs internal push for WWE content even surpassed how they rolled out UFC.
Sapp made it clear that wrestling has earned full respect within ESPNs corporate culture.
Thats a major shift from how pro wrestling was viewed just a few years ago, especially by traditional sports outlets like ESPN. But with Disney doubling down on its live-event strategy, WWE is now being positioned right alongside the NFL, NBA, and UFC.
This full embrace comes after a controversial streaming launch. WrestlePalooza was meant to kick off the new ESPN Unlimited tier, but fans were left frustrated after discovering their standard cable subscriptions wouldnt grant access. Sapp explained that the company never intended to make ESPN Unlimited available on cablethis was always about pushing people toward Hulu + Live TV.
Despite the backlash, ESPN appears fully committed to wrestlingon every level. The backstage presence of top executives, the internal enthusiasm, and the strategic focus all point toward one thing: WWE is no longer a guilty pleasure for ESPN. Its a priority.
Do you think this ESPN-WWE relationship will truly reshape how wrestling is viewed by mainstream sports media? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
