WWE Plans To Maintain Long-Term Comcast,NBCUniversal Partnership Amid ESPN Expansion

TKO President Mark Shapiro has confirmed that WWE will maintain its longstanding partnership with Comcast and NBC Universal as long as both parties remain committed, despite WWE's expansion into other media platforms. WWE's media rights are now distributed across multiple outlets: ESPN holds the premium live event rights (PLEs), Netflix streams WWE Raw and PLEs globally, while Comcast continues to air WWE SmackDown on USA Network and Saturday Night's Main Event on Peacock. This multi-platform approach reflects WWE's strategic aim to maximize revenue, reach new audiences, and ensure brand fit. The WWE-ESPN partnership officially began with Wrestlepalooza in September 2025, bringing PLEs to ESPN earlier than initially planned, while archive content and NXT events remain on Peacock for the foreseeable future. Adjustments in the relationship with NBCUniversal include SmackDown airing earlier on USA Network and delayed availability on Peacock, with WWE's remaining NBCU deal extending through 2029. Shapiro emphasized that WWE values its historical relationship with Comcast and will not leave unless Comcast decides otherwise, balancing financial gains with audience exposure across platforms like Netflix, ESPN, USA Network, and the CW for NXT.