WWE PLE’s to air on ESPN

[Switchblake]

Also, something I just realized while peacock still has the archived content, you technically now need three different subscription services to be able to watch all of what WWE has to offer. You need Netflix to watch raw, ESPN to watch their PLEs and Peacock to watch their back catalogue.

That is crazy.

 

[Chris]

I'm far more interested right now in what the other aspects of the service will be besides WWE myself. I've been following this push for a big sports streaming service for awhile now and it's so fucking political bc TV mostly knows it will kill them. ESPN especially has been trying to get harder into it bc they want to get ahead, but I wonder how many compromises they'll have to still make.

Like WWE will not make this worth $30, even if die hard fans will pay it only for WWE. Even ESPN's prime time sports wouldn't make it worth it IMO (but I don't really watch anymore so that's a factor) if they don't get some kind of league pass or Sunday ticket aspect, which they have for NHL essentially already, but that's still niche for America. I don't think they can survive on only having full access to niche content but very limited actual mainstream. So many variables tho obviously, I'm not gonna pretend like I predict all these streaming things as hit or misses right, I'm always wrong on both sides lol

 

[R-Troop]

Also, something I just realized while peacock still has the archived content, you technically now need three different subscription services to be able to watch all of what WWE has to offer. You need Netflix to watch raw, ESPN to watch their PLEs and Peacock to watch their back catalogue.

That is crazy.

Peacock will be done with WWE stuff when the ESPN deal starts. If anything just Smackdown, since that's on USA Network.

Back catalog is most likely gonna be Youtube (WWE Vault is an amazing channel).

 

[Chris]

Also @Hoss back on the ESPN+ topic, this actually seems like it's their "fix" for the people complaining that they subscribe to ESPN+ but can't watch the things on the main page that are linear TV items. They can watch everything now, just for a price lol

 

[Switchblake]

Peacock will be done with WWE stuff when the ESPN deal starts. If anything just Smackdown, since that's on USA Network.

Back catalog is most likely gonna be Youtube (WWE Vault is an amazing channel).

Since ESPN didn’t buy it Peacock may still retain it.

 

[Switchblake]

Also @Hoss back on the ESPN+ topic, this actually seems like it's their "fix" for the people complaining that they subscribe to ESPN+ but can't watch the things on the main page that are linear TV items. They can watch everything now, just for a price lol

For people that don’t have cable, they should let WWE fans buy the ESPN plus because at least I can bundle that with Hulu and Disney.

 

[O-Blaze]

The worse part for those without any tv service, if they are paying that 30 bucks.. they get maybe like 5 matches for it. Since that seems to be the typical amount of matches they give you on most shows.

 

[R-Troop]

Since ESPN didn’t buy it Peacock may still retain it.

They would need a new contract with WWE, as the Peacock deal expires. WWE/ESPN deal the new deal that starts when the Peacock deal ends.

Don't know if WWE would do it. Feel like Youtube is the best place for it in all honesty.

 

[Chris]

For people that don’t have cable, they should let WWE fans buy the ESPN plus because at least I can bundle that with Hulu and Disney.

I'm assuming ESPN+ will be phased out entirely with this, maybe they have cheaper tiers instead tho. If it's not phased out them I'm curious how it factors in to the new one

 

[Switchblake]

They would need a new contract with WWE, as the Peacock deal expires. WWE/ESPN deal the new deal that starts when the Peacock deal ends.

Don't know if WWE would do it. Feel like Youtube is the best place for it in all honesty.

WWE would definitely do it. And yes, I’m aware that they would have to do a new deal. If Peacock wanted to retain the people that specifically signed up for WWE at least having the archived stuff still would be a great way for them to do it. There would obviously have to be a lower price tag on it, but WWE would obviously be aware that they’d have to settle for a lower price without the live content.

I’m fine in theory with it being on YouTube as long as absolutely everything is put there but at the same time searching content on YouTube is trash. If the channel doesn’t use very precise playlists, forget about it.

 

[Switchblake]

I'm assuming ESPN+ will be phased out entirely with this, maybe they have cheaper tiers instead tho. If it's not phased out them I'm curious how it factors in to the new one

They really should consider tiers then because they have to understand that WWE fan are all gonna wanna purchase all that other sports nonsense.

I don’t even mind them putting an ad on it.

 

[Switchblake]

The worse part for those without any tv service, if they are paying that 30 bucks.. they get maybe like 5 matches for it. Since that seems to be the typical amount of matches they give you on most shows.

Don’t get me started on that. I hate five match PLE’s thank God SummerSlam at least it’s six per night and I’m hoping Hunter will move forward with six.

 

[Chris]

They really should consider tiers then because they have to understand that WWE fan are all gonna wanna purchase all that other sports nonsense.

I don’t even mind them putting an ad on it.

Considering it's sports and ads are already baked into how they're played, I think the $30 would just have ads as well lol that's been the whole issue with trying to take sports off TV, the advertising revenue. And that's why streaming is just becoming more ad based in general

 

[Switchblake]

Considering it's sports and ads are already baked into how they're played, I think the $30 would just have ads as well lol that's been the whole issue with trying to take sports off TV, the advertising revenue. And that's why streaming is just becoming more ad based in general

Like I said before, I’ve never minded the ad tiers. Most of my streaming services have the ad tiers, and the only reason why I upgraded on Netflix is because you can’t cast from your phone without the non-ad version but my God, who the hell would spend $30 on a streaming service with ads. Certainly not me.

 

[Switchblake]

On a positive note the one way WWE would actually get me interested in spending $30. Is they need to give ESPN direct whatever the hell their service is being called the live capabilities for SmackDown and NXT. If I can watch all my WWE content without a VPN I would consider spending the $30.