Report: ESPN has already decided to get out of the WWE business

There were signs this dream partnership was a bad fit from the start, and some reporting that indicated there were executives at TKO/WWE and Disney-owned ESPN who knew it. ESPN shot those down, just as they may this new report from SEScoops’ BJ Bethel. Bethel writes that “multiple sources” tell SEScoops that only a year into it, ESPN’s already decided it won’t be renewing its $1.6 billion dollar deal for exclusive domestic rights to WWE premium live events when it expires in four years. Among the “multiple problems” plaguing ESPN and WWE’s deal that Scoops’ sources cited: The current media market landscape “Culture and synergy” issues between the two companies/brands The failure of cable and satellite providers to pick up the cost of ESPN’s Unlimited app/subscription platform for customers A major issue is apparently that the deal was cut by high-level people at TKO and Disney rather than those familiar with the day-to-day business of ESPN and WWE. That meant that when it came time to