Last month, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter revealed that there have been talks between WWE and ESPN about big shows like WrestleMania and the Royal Rumble being released through ESPN+. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon even told investors during an earnings call that WWE could start selling the rights to their major PPVs to another streaming service, but COVID-19 has obviously put the brakes on that.
Now, Dave Meltzer has shared an update as he reveals that one of the biggest issues WWE and ESPN ran into was the fact they were "far apart on money." It's said that the WWE Chairman wants even more than what the UFC is getting, meaning this would likely be a $100+ million deal.
Last week, ESPN announced that they're going to be airing previous editions of WrestleMania, starting with 2014's blockbuster WrestleMania 30.
Clearly, the two sides were able to agree to something, but we're probably still a long way off seeing the Show of Shows on ESPN+ given the current climate. As Meltzer notes, no company wants to enter into a big money deal when everything is so uncertain.
We'll keep you guys updated!