WWE hit with new lawsuit as ESPN Plus PLE access sparks subscriber dispute

WWE is facing a new lawsuit alleging false marketing claims related to its streaming deal with ESPN. Plaintiffs Michael Diesa and Rebecca Toback claim that the move of WWE Premium Live Events (PLEs) to ESPN Plus was misleading, implying access for all ESPN subscribers when, in reality, some were required to pay an additional monthly fee. The lawsuit specifically targets WWE and ESPN, despite the involvement of other major entities in the $1.6 billion five-year partnership.

The complaint highlights that some fans who already had ESPN channels through traditional providers were still charged extra to view WWE events, contradicting marketing materials that suggested existing subscribers would have automatic access. The proposed class action represents customers who paid for ESPN Unlimited between August 6 and September 20 while also subscribing to services that already provided ESPN channels, excluding customers of DirecTV, Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, and Verizon FIOS, who were able to authenticate and watch the PLEs.

The core of the dispute revolves around whether WWE and ESPN adequately communicated the access requirements for PLEs on ESPN Plus, leading to confusion and additional costs for some subscribers.

(Source：News 24)