Reason Why WWE Won’t Bring Back Brand-Specific PLEs Revealed

Fans hoping for the return of brand-exclusive premium live events might want to put those dreams on ice—because WWE’s hands are tied by ESPN’s checkbook.

During the latest Fightful Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp was asked if WWE would ever bring back brand-split PLEs to give underused talent more exposure. But as it turns out, the decision isn’t just a creative one—it’s a business call dictated by WWE’s media rights partner. Sapp dropped the truth bomb, revealing that ESPN’s current deal doesn’t allow for separate Raw and SmackDown shows unless they pony up more cash.

“They did not pay for half a roster on a PLE,” Sapp explained. “What they did pay for though are basically five to six match PLEs. That’s become the standard now.”

According to Sapp, this format actually helped WWE for a while by allowing more marquee matches to air on weekly TV instead. But the core issue is simple: unless ESPN decides to change the terms of their deal, WWE has no incentive to go back to brand-exclusive events.

“Unless WWE is paid for those additional events, it wouldn’t serve them well to do them,” he continued. “They’ve got a set minimum number of events they do with ESPN. And unless ESPN comes along and says, ‘Well, we’ll expand this deal and you can do this,’ there’s really nobody that benefits.”

In short, it’s not about talent, TV time, or roster depth—it’s about contracts. And right now, ESPN owns the format. If you’ve been wondering why dual-brand PLEs have become the new normal, now you know. The old-school format isn’t coming back anytime soon… unless there’s a big change in the money department.

What do you think? Would brand-exclusive PLEs help showcase more talent, or is the current format better for storytelling and star power? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear from you.

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