WWE PLE’s to air on ESPN

[Chris]

So we all will could be affected at some point or another.

Lets say I go on vacation the week of a WWE PLE. Getting Peacock on a Hotel TV is damn near impossible. You know what's on pretty much virtually every Hotel TV? ESPN.

Also, Bars and restaurants now can just put on ESPN, which they all get with their commercial TV package. Before they had to get an advanced package that allowed them to get the shows that were on streaming (or illegally log into a Peacock account which could result in major fines).

Then you will run into the "select PLE" issue potentially and we don't know which yet. I'm not trying to fight or say it's not a big deal but these just seem like very trivial things lol you're gonna watch on the app 99.9% of the time, that .01% will feel nice when you got a use linear for some reason tho, not taking that away.

 

[Chris]

True. And maybe it's just the multiple discussions occurring at once rn so I maybe missed it if it was asked or clarified... but what I'm now wondering is if the cable subscription will be limited in any form to where the content you get automatic access to on the app is only the same stuff that is broadcast on main ESPN. Like, you have cable, and they're airing Mania on both ESPN TV and the app, so you have access automatically to watch it either on TV or the app... but if like Elimination Chamber isn't broadcast on TV, only the app, would cable subscribers then be required to pay a subscription for that "additional content". That would be the one way I could see it as more of a ripoff to the fans, but idk.

From the FAQ, they seem pretty clear cut that "if you have ESPN through cable, you get the service for free" which implies the full service. But what you described is how ESPN+ currently works in an opposite way kinda, you can use the app to watch stuff on ESPN linear if you link your provider, but if you don't link your provider then you can't. So possible, but would mean they were especially misleading here so I don't think so

 

[O-Blaze]

We truly will find out once we actually get there. For now it definitely seems like it will all be on there free for people with ESPN, which hey good for them. For those without it, then that's kinda sucky to have to pay that much more for the content.

 

[Hoss]

From the FAQ, they seem pretty clear cut that "if you have ESPN through cable, you get the service for free" which implies the full service. But what you described is how ESPN+ currently works in an opposite way kinda, you can use the app to watch stuff on ESPN linear if you link your provider, but if you don't link your provider then you can't. So possible, but would mean they were especially misleading here so I don't think so

That does seem reasonable to conclude but there are a couple factors that make it feel unclear, like if there's any distinction being made between the linear channels, what they're offering, and whatever the additional streaming content, not airing on TV, is. The ESPN+ example is a good demonstration because to access all the content on there, I *believe* would need both cable (for events on ESPN TV) as well as the subscription for stuff that isn't on TV, and is just part of the ESPN+ library. Or does the cable account automatically give unfettered access to everything on the ESPN+ app? Seems like this is gonna be a tiered service so perhaps the Unlimited $30 situation is truly unlimited and if that is interchangeable to speak with a cable account then I guess that's all good.

 

[Hoss]

Another example that comes to mind is something like Sling, which gives you access to a bunch of channels and you can get DVR space to record and rewatch stuff, but there's still also a lot of On Demand stuff that you'd pay extra for. Peacock obviously has the opposite where they're more about their library, but they also have channels on there. However, they don't have any of the actual flagship NBC channels on there last I checked. $30 for multiple linear channels that are on cable plus a vast library of old and live streaming events seems like quite the deal (relatively speaking) but maybe the deal is just that good.

 

[Switchblake]

literally in the Q&A they say log in with your pay TV provider and get it without paying $29.99 a month.

And yes they will literally air select premium live events on ESPN now.


I'm done with the brigade of people who just shit on WWE nonstop. Y'all are shitty people that are just as bad as the you claim the company is.

I’m not one of those people and you know that I’m not but bro not everyone has cable and I don’t so trying to charge me $30 a month to continue watching WWE is fucking garbage.

 

[Switchblake]

I already didn’t like this news when I first heard it when I assumed they were talking about the ESPN+ that you can bundle with Hulu and shit because I would never use the service for anything other than WWE so it would be a useless extra amount of money that I’d have to bundle but now that I know that they want to charge me 30 fucking dollars for this. I’m not doing it. That’s straight up trash.

 

[Switchblake]

Thank God for international Netflix even though when I’m watching live a lot of the times it starts to mess up now.

 

[Switchblake]

The only way this possibly impacts me is what it would mean for the back catalog. I'm glad it's still on Peacock right now. I've never tried to look for old shows on Netflix so idk if they've added that or to what extent. But the only value WWE's distribution deals provide me currently is with easy access to their archive. I certainly don't intend to get this ESPN app, so I can only hope the catalog will continue to live somewhere that I'm easily able to access it.

I’m assuming the catalog isn’t going to go to ESPN but if it does, it’s at least something because Netflix already said that they don’t plan on adding everything for the International fans.

Still don’t think $30 is worth it, though.

As for where else we can maybe get it well WCW is definitely being uploaded to YouTube and they’ve been pretty consistently doing it so that’s something, but it isn’t the same as having one app for everything. I miss WWE Network.

 

[Switchblake]

That article makes it sound like archive rights will be a separate thing so peacock could pay much less to keep them potentially if they even see value without current program

They honestly should because that would definitely be incentive for people that don’t care about modern WWE to not cancel their peacock subscription and also would be great way to continue watching it through a service other than the sparsely uploading to YouTube.

 

[Switchblake]

What are people even arguing against Troop about? I mean, "no one wants me to enjoy WWE" stuff aside... As a WWE fan who already has cable, this is definitely cool for him. I side with him as reading that entry in the FAQ to mean that the app (at least the aspects that are tied to WWE events being broadcast on ESPN) won't be any additional if you already have cable with ESPN. And considering he already has cable, he will be able to watch the events that are broadcast on the ESPN TV channel anyways, without needing any additional subscription. Maybe my reading comprehension has fallen off, maybe they're using wording that makes it unclear, idk. I feel like Troop is justified to see this is as a positive for himself at least.

Anyone with cable this probably is great news but reading through his posts doesn’t seem like he’s specifically saying this is positive only for him. He seems to be just defending their decision to do this in general and not really factoring in how this is gonna affect people without cable.

I say this as someone that loves Troop.

 

[Comrade Khan]

Yeah it's gonna be good for people with cable.
3x more expensive if you only had peacock

Really depends which camp you're in.

I'd say it's pretty bad overall and more greed since it will be in the unlimited portion.

But ya obviously it's great for people still holding on to cable who have ESPN.

 

[Switchblake]

How am I the bad guy in this?

1. I read the press release, understood how it will save me money, and expressed excitement for the deal because it not only will save me money but the entertainment company I enjoy gets more visability thanks to working with a global juggernaut like ESPN.
2. I Didn't like the tone used (greedy cunts) to bitch about the deal. Explained how it is not a case of WWE being greedy just a case of getting a better TV deal now that the new one expired, yet continually get told that shows won't air on ESPN TV when it was in the press release. Who cares what ESPN says or what WWE says, it's not real. No it is real. No additional cost, and some shows will literally be on Channel 36 (for me, whatever ESPN is for you on your provider).
3. I provided links, and screenshots of articles (including one behind a paywall) explaining how it isn't an additional charge for most people. But again get told what I said isn't true.
4. Then I get told I'm toxic. I mean with all due respect I was not being toxic here. I was getting angry but can you blame me? I'm literally providing sources but getting told blindly that I'm wrong. What the hell do I have to do to not be toxic, just allow wrong information to spread?

Now, if you do not have a pay-TV provider, it will cost you $29.99 a month. This is true. but you were not watching 100% of WWE anyway, since Smackdown airs on USA Network and you need a pay-TV provider for that. And of course if you're in any other country in the world you just need Netflix.

And this is what I was saying to Hoss. I’m happy for you that you’re gonna get it for free with your cable, but you really can’t be telling people it’s not a big deal if they have to pay an extra $30 a month to watch their PLEs.

I have a VPN and that’s how I was watching SmackDown so I’ll survive but like not everyone has this capability.

 

[Switchblake]

Yeah it's gonna be good for people with cable.
3x more expensive if you only had peacock

Really depends which camp you're in.

I'd say it's pretty bad overall and more greed since it will be in the unlimited portion.

But ya obviously it's great for people still holding on to cable who have ESPN.

Like you can’t paint me as a general WWE bad type of person because generally I just go about my day when it comes to WWE, but this is greedy as fuck for fans who don’t have access to cable and ESPN proper.

 

[Comrade Khan]

Saying people who shit on WWE non-stop are as bad as WWE themselves is fucking unhinged though I'm sorry , wtf lol