Skip to main content
Wrestling On FanNation

ESPN and The CW Network Strike New Deal for WWE Programming

WWE NXT programming will soon be available to stream on the ESPN app.
Rick Ucchino|
ESPN and The CW Network
ESPN and The CW Network | The CW Network

The CW Network and ESPN have reached an agreement that will soon make all CW sports broadcasts available to stream on the ESPN App.

Starting this summer, fans with an ESPN Unlimited subscription will have the opportunity to watch all CW Sports offerings live on any device with the ESPN App as a complement to The CW’s free over-the-air broadcast model nationwide.

The CW's extensive sports catalog features more than 800 hours of live action each year, including ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West college football, as well as men's and women's basketball, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, PBA Bowling, PBR Bull Riding, AVP volleyball, and most importantly for our readers, WWE NXT.

The CW Network and ESPN are partnering up as NXT builds a new future

Ricky Saints and Ethan Page
Ricky Saints and Ethan Page | The CW Network

“Joining forces with ESPN is a monumental next step in the evolution of CW Sports,” said CW Network President Brad Schwartz in a statement Wednesday morning. “This agreement extends the reach of CW Sports and enables us to capture audiences across the best of broadcast and the best of streaming, ensuring fans can access live CW Sports wherever they are and on whatever device they prefer.”

This comes on the heels of Tuesday's announcement that WWE and The CW had reached an agreement to broadcast future NXT Premium Live Events on the network, beginning with NXT Great American Bash this summer. No official date for that show has been announced, as of this writing.

“Bringing CW Sports to the ESPN App is another step in delivering more value, choice and flexibility for fans, expanding the range of live sports available within our streaming ecosystem,” said Rosalyn Durant, the Executive Vice President of ESPN Programming & Acquisitions.

“This agreement gives fans even more live sports to watch year-round within the ESPN Unlimited plan, while extending the reach of CW Sports to new audiences. As we continue to evolve ESPN’s direct-to-consumer experience, collaborations like this allow us to better serve fans by making more of the sports they love available in one place," Durant continued.

NXT will be relying on a new cast of contributors to help lead the brand into its next phase of coverage on The CW Network and ESPN.

Head of creative Shawn Michaels has lost Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Joe Hendry, Je'Von Evans, Ethan Page, Ricky Saints, Jacy Jayne, Sol Ruca, Blake Monroe and others to the WWE main roster over the past few months, leaving NXT veterans like reigning champions Tony D'Angelo and Lola Vice to mix it up with a bevy of newcomers.

Former NJPW star EVIL, Tristan Angels, Kam Hendrix, Will Kroos, Tate Wilder, and Lizzy Rain all made their debuts on the April 28 edition of NXT.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

Home/WWE