WWE Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over ESPN Premium Live Events Deal – On January 8, 2026, a class action lawsuit was filed against WWE concerning the company’s Premium Live Events distribution deal with ESPN, accusing WWE of deceptive marketing practices related to how the service was presented to consumers.

According to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, the lawsuit focuses on the ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, ESPN DTC, which became the exclusive home of WWE Premium Live Events in 2025. The core allegation is that fans who already paid for access to ESPN through cable or satellite television were still required to pay an additional monthly fee to watch WWE events, despite public messaging that suggested no extra charge would be necessary.

The plaintiffs claim that WWE and ESPN communicated that existing ESPN subscribers would automatically receive access to WWE Premium Live Events. Instead, many customers discovered they were required to sign up separately for ESPN DTC, resulting in additional costs. The lawsuit estimates that more than $5 million could be tied to this issue. If successful, eligible customers may receive refunds or partial reimbursements.

The class is limited to ESPN customers who signed up for ESPN DTC ahead of Wrestlepalooza on September 20, 2025, and who already had ESPN access through providers such as Xfinity or YouTube TV. Thurston noted that only WWE is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, not ESPN or its parent company Disney. This approach reportedly avoids arbitration clauses and class action waivers included in Disney’s service agreements, including those tied to Disney+.

The complaint was filed by Michael Diesa of New Jersey and Rebecca Toback of New York. Toback subscribes to YouTube TV, while Diesa has an Xfinity cable package, meaning both already had ESPN access before signing up for ESPN DTC. The lawsuit argues they were misled into paying for content they believed was already included in their existing subscriptions.

As part of the filing, WWE President Nick Khan’s appearance on the Varsity podcast was cited. During the interview, Khan compared the ESPN agreement to WWE’s previous deal with Peacock, suggesting there would be no additional cost to fans. The official press release announcing the WWE and ESPN partnership was also referenced, as it stated that ESPN DTC features would be available to existing ESPN subscribers.

Not all customers are included in the lawsuit. Certain providers, including DirecTV, Verizon FIOS, and Spectrum, reportedly allowed subscribers to access WWE Premium Live Events without additional charges due to separate distribution agreements.

While individual compensation is expected to be relatively modest, potentially around $30 per customer, the plaintiffs emphasized that the broader issue is accountability. The lawsuit notes that between 95,000 and 125,000 signups occurred ahead of Wrestlepalooza, generating millions of dollars for a company already earning an estimated $325 million annually from its ESPN deal.

As of now, neither WWE nor ESPN has issued an official response to the lawsuit.

WWE Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over ESPN Premium Live Events Deal

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