Not everyone with the WWE has glowing things to say about ESPN. Former wrestling commentator and current ESPN host Pat McAfee called out some of the mid-level “suits” as bums after the announcement on Wednesday that WWE and the network are teaming up on a deal to broadcast the promotion’s premium live events. “Congrats to the @WWE and @espn on …
Read More »Disney Scores Earnings Beat and 2 Big ESPN Deals. The Stock Slips Anyway. Barron’s Disney stock slides amid sharp decline in linear TV business, tepid outlook Yahoo Finance Disney Forecasts Stronger Streaming, Parks Growth as Cord-Cutting Continues The Wall Street Journal Disney earnings top expectations as streaming, parks offset TV headwinds CNBC Disney’s Q3 FY25 Earnings: Executive Commentary & Announcements The Walt Disney Company Source …
Read More »
For fans of NFL RedZone, the biggest question is whether ESPN’s acquisition of it will change the product. Appearing on SportsCenter, Commissioner Roger Goodell said that the product won’t change. It could, however, be duplicated in other sports. “It’ll continue to be produced right here in this building,” Goodell said from NFL Network’s broadcast studio in L.A. “It will be …
Read More »
The WWE had long been expected to reap rewards for its lineup of 10 annual “premium live events” like Wrestlemania, but its $1.6 billion rights deal with ESPN unveiled Wednesday is drawing some extra attention on Wall Street. The agreement, whose financial terms were confirmed to Deadline by a source familiar with the details, succeeds a landmark pact with NBCUniversal’s …
Read More »
With ESPN‘s long-anticipated streaming launch now just days away, Disney CEO Bob Iger says the company is exploring potential bundles with other sports programmers. “We believe there may be opportunities for us to bundle other companies’ sports offerings,” Iger said during Disney’s fiscal third quarter earnings call. “We’ve actually had some discussions with some other companies on doing just that. …
Read More »
Starting in 2026, WWE premium live events will air on ESPN in the United States as part of their new streaming service. According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal is reportedly for $1.6 billion over five years ($325 million per year). An official start date was not announced, but it’s all but certain to be with this April’s WrestleMania …
Read More »
The Walt Disney Co. saw its revenues and profits rise in its latest quarter, as it prepares to launch a new streaming push built around ESPN and Hulu. The company reported its fiscal Q3 earnings Wednesday morning, reporting revenue of $23.7 billion, up 2 percent from a year ago, and segment operating income of $4.6 billion, up 8 percent from …
Read More »
ESPN and WWE are about to get each other in tighter holds. Under a new five-year deal, ESPN’s soon-to-launch streaming outlet will, starting in 2026, become the exclusive U.S. home of all of the WWE’s top live events, including “WrestleMania,” “SummerSlam,” “Royal Rumble” and “Survivor Series.” WWE will continue to produce all the events, which have in recent years been …
Read More »
Disney’s theme parks, which had a few wobbly quarters, blew past Wall Street estimates as streaming profits advanced in the June quarter, vying with red ink at the film studio and declines at linear networks. In an early look at the numbers, Evercore ISI analyst Kutgun Maral called it a “healthy quarter with upside where it matters most, theme parks …
Read More »
ESPN will launch its long-awaited new streaming service on August 21, at a price of $29.99 a month, bulking it up with WWE events and expanded NFL rights. The Disney sports division made the announcements as the company was reporting its quarterly earnings Wednesday morning. The moves follow confirmation of a landmark deal between the NFL and ESPN, which sees …
Read More »