3) Update On WWE’s Negotiations With ESPN+
A few months ago, rumors started to circulate about WWE potentially selling the rights to their PPV events to ESPN. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer spoke about why they have not reached a deal.
According to Meltzer, WWE and ESPN are very far apart on money. Here is what he said (h/t to Ringside News for the quotes below):
“I’ve heard that they’re far apart on money. Vince wants a figure and I don’t know if it’s accurate — they are in negotiations — but, the figure I heard, and again, I don’t know if it’s accurate and I’m not giving the number, but it was way higher than the UFC number and I thought, ‘Well, there’s no way that they’re paying that,’ and maybe it’s like a first number or Vince actually believes that his pay-per-views are worth more than UFC’s and again, is ESPN gonna jump into a big financial thing?”
My Take:
- I really think that it would be a mistake for WWE to move its PPV events to ESPN+. I just can’t see fans wanting to spend $49.99 for a PPV after they have been paying $9.99 for so long.
2) WWE Changed Their Plans For Paige On Smackdown
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Paige’s segment on Smackdown was pre-taped. He says that Paige was originally supposed to travel to Florida for Smackdown but WWE decided to have her do it from her home instead.
Here is what Johnson wrote:
Paige was not at yesterday’s Smackdown taping. Her portions of the back and forth with Sasha Banks and Bayley were shot in California and edited into the show. We are told that at one point, she was slated to travel to Florida but while she was waiting to fly out at the airport, the decision was made to have her stay home and do the angle that way.
My Take:
- I think that WWE made the right call here. Why put Paige at risk for a segment on Smackdown? It was fine how it happened and Paige didn’t have to risk her health at an airport.
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