Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has shared potentially troubling insight regarding ESPN’s internal feelings about its broadcast partnership with WWE. Speaking on his Wrestling with Freddie podcast, Prinze Jr. revealed details from a private conversation with a contact inside The Walt Disney Company—suggesting that ESPN is not happy with the early performance of its deal with WWE.
While recapping Survivor Series: WarGames, Prinze Jr. shifted to the business side of the industry and cited a blunt assessment from a friend currently working at Disney, which owns ESPN.
“ESPN, by the way, so unhappy with the deal,” Prinze Jr. said.
He elaborated further, quoting his source directly:
“I was talking to a friend of mine who works for Disney, and he was just like, ‘Yo, they better make their money back on this deal.’ He just said, ‘They’re hot.’”
WWE’s partnership with ESPN is only several months old, but it represents one of the most significant distribution changes in company history. Under the agreement, WWE Premium Live Events now stream exclusively on ESPN’s direct-to-consumer platform, shifting away from the NBCU/Peacock model that defined the previous era.
Since its launch, the ESPN platform has carried several major WWE events—including Wrestlepalooza, Crown Jewel, and Survivor Series: WarGames. The strategy was designed to boost ESPN’s streaming subscriptions, but Prinze Jr.’s comments suggest the financial return may not yet be meeting Disney’s expectations.
Prinze Jr. also referenced John Cena’s status within this new broadcast arrangement, noting that Survivor Series held unique significance:
“It’s his final pay-per-view on ESPN.”
Cena’s retirement tour adds further weight to WWE’s streaming draw during a pivotal period for media rights and corporate revenue.
WWE now turns its attention to the next major event in the ESPN era: Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The broadcast will feature John Cena’s final match, where he will face the winner of the “Last Time Is Now” tournament.
As WWE approaches this historic moment, all eyes—both in the wrestling world and at ESPN—will be watching closely.
