ESPN drops WWE letter grades | Pollock & Thurston
WWE/ESPN editorial relationship
The story came up after the weekend show and it was confirmed to be by somebody on the WWE side that WWE had gotten it [ESPN letter grades] killed.
One source with knowledge of ESPN's approach maintains that the decision to discontinue letter grades was ESPN's alone and that WWE did not request the change.
WWE long-term strategy
I think that if you want to distill what is Nick Khan's long-term goal it is making WWE closer to Marvel than it is anything else... a really valuable set of IP that can be sold at a great value to a much larger acquirer.
AEW/Paramount/WBD merger
I would love to be on the same channel as UFC. I have a great relationship with Dana White and Hunter Campbell. While their sister promotion is also in pro wrestling and is of a competitive nature there, I think that on my behalf, I would love to be on the same channel as UFC.
ESPN journalistic independence
Is there reassurance you can provide to us that reporters who report on WWE for ESPN will still have full independence in how they cover WWE? Yeah, I think the answer to that is an emphatic yes. Yes. Unequivocal. Yes.
WWE media access
Since then [September 18th], ESPN's digital reporters, who previously had frequent access to WWE talent, haven't had a new story with original comments from WWE talent.
NXT PLE distribution
Stand and Deliver is not taking place over WrestleMania weekend instead it's getting its own weekend April 4th and it's getting its own streaming platform... it's going to fall between the cracks and we don't have a new deal for NXT's PLEs.
UFC/TKO fighter pay
Ric Flair used the U-word [Union]. He said it. Oh, dear.
WWE event scheduling/transparency
The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum does not have a World Wrestling Entertainment WWE event scheduled on or about May 23rd, 2026. Today, WWE in partnership with Visit Fort Wayne announced that Saturday Night's Main Event will emanate live from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
WWE viewership
SmackDown last Friday night 1,190,000 viewers and a 0.27 in the demo... this was their lowest 18 to 49 number since before the dash study was introduced.
