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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
ESPN lands $1.6 billion deal to stream WWE's major events starting in 2026
ESPN has landed the rights to stream WWE's pay-per-view events starting in 2026. WWE and Disney announced the billion-dollar deal on Wednesday, stating that ESPN will host the wrestling company's biggest events, including WrestleMania, Summer Slam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and Money in the Bank. The Wall Street Journal reported that the five-year agreement is worth $1.6 billion. The shows will be hosted by ESPN's new streaming service, set to launch on August 21 and cost $29.99 per month. ESPN's deal boasts a significant increase in value compared to WWE's current deal with Peacock, which is valued at $900 million and set to expire this year. The streaming platform, owned by Comcast, has housed WWE events since 2021. "WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fan base that we're excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. "This agreement, which features the most significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future." The new deal also includes pre- and post-shows for the pay-per-view events. WWE's pay-per-view calendar will begin with the Royal Rumble in January, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "We are proud to reinforce the 'E' in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey," Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of TKO, said in a statement. "WWE Premium Live Events are renowned for exactly the type of rich storytelling, incredible feats of athleticism and can't-miss, cultural tentpole experiences that have become synonymous with ESPN," Shapiro added. "Through our UFC relationship, we have experienced firsthand how transformational an ESPN presence can be, and we know this will be an exceptional partnership at a time of great innovation for both companies." While the pay-per-view events will be streaming on ESPN, WWE's flagship program, Monday Night Raw, will remain on Netflix after inking a contract with the platform. Netflix began hosting Raw in January of this year after signing a 10-year, $5 billion exclusive rights deal. While Raw stays on Netflix and events stream on ESPN, SmackDown will remain on Peacock and the USA Network. WWE has gotten more popular in recent years with soaring viewership across platforms. According to Fox News' data, viewership for Raw was up 4%, SmackDown saw a 10% spike and NXT went up 28% as of last summer. The WWE deal follows ESPN's acquisition of the NFL Network and NFL RedZone, in which the NFL will gain a 10% equity stake in the network.
CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
British opera company pulls performance in Israel after staff backlash
The Middle East UK Israel-Hamas war MusicFacebookTweetLink Follow The Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO), one of Britain's most prestigious arts institutions, has canceled its planned production of 'Tosca' in Israel after a widespread staff backlash. In a recent open letter, 182 members of staff said they 'reject' holding current or future performances in Israel because of its war in Gaza. The RBO had planned to stage the three-act opera, which dramatizes the 'devastation of war,' in collaboration with the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv next year. But the signatories accused the RBO of having 'chosen to actively support the Israeli state' while its government is 'currently engaged in crimes against humanity' in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Alex Beard, RBO's chief executive, confirmed to CNN Wednesday that the production had been canceled, but said the decision had been taken 'before the recent staff letter was received' and out of 'concerns about the safety of company members in the region, in light of the ongoing conflict.' The letter from staff was prompted by a dispute that broke out within the organization last month after a dancer held up a Palestinian flag during the curtain call for a performance of 'Il Trovatore.' Widely shared videos of the moment showed a fracas between the dancer and a man who stepped from the wings to try to snatch the flag from the dancer's hands. In a statement at the time, reported in UK media, the RBO said the dancer's display was a 'completely inappropriate' and 'unauthorized action' that fell foul of the organization's 'commitment to political impartiality.' However, the organization's response sparked widespread condemnation among staff. In their open letter, RBO staff expressed solidarity with the dancer who unfurled the Palestinian flag. It said that the attempt to snatch the flag from him 'sent a clear message that any visible solidarity with Palestine would be met with hostility.' Staff demanded that the organization withholds 'our productions from institutions that legitimize and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians.' More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostage. The letter also took aim at what it called the RBO's 'hypocritical' stance, citing the organization's support for Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. 'We understood then that silence was unacceptable. Why is it different now? Why is Palestinian suffering met with silence, while Ukrainian suffering was met with action? The double standard is deafening,' it said. Beard, the chief executive, said in a statement reported in UK media that the RBO's support for Ukraine was 'aligned with the global consensus at the time,' but that 'as the world's geopolitics have become more complex, our stance has changed to ensure that our actions reflect our purpose and values.' He said he was 'appalled by the crisis in Gaza' and that the RBO acknowledges and respects 'the full range of views held by our staff, artists and audiences.' Artists for Palestine UK, an activist group, praised the RBO's decision to cancel the production in Israel, claiming 'never before has the management of such an institution responded with immediate action.' Alarm over the suffering in Gaza has reached new heights in recent months since Israel put the enclave under a blockade, causing Palestinians to die of starvation and malnutrition. Following the lead of French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza. The RBO's production of 'Tosca' will premiere in London in September. The Israeli Opera website has since removed all reference to the planned production.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
John Oliver Calls Out Netanyahu's ‘Insulting' Attempts to ‘Deflect Our Attention' From Starving Gazans
"How stupid do you think we are?" the HBO host questions Following in the steps of Seth Meyers last week, 'Last Week Tonight' host John Oliver used his show on Sunday night to call for U.S. aid to Gaza. But first, the HBO host called out Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 'insulting' attempts to 'deflect' from the starvation that's happening. To kick off the episode, Oliver noted as usual that a lot happened in the week. But, he couldn't dig into much of it 'because, to quote the least horny message you could possibly get on Hinge, we need to talk about Gaza.' More specifically, Oliver wanted to take the time to discuss the lack of food available in the region. More from TheWrap HBO Max Pokes Fun at Accidentally Streaming 'The Gilded Age' in Spanish: 'But for Real, Lo Siento' 'King of the Hill' Cast and Crew Tease That Time-Jump – and Which Character Is 'Not Extreme Anymore' Skydance Television Head Matt Thunell to Oversee Paramount TV Studios 'Morning Joe': Trump's Handling of Weak Jobs Report Would Be 'Unthinkable a Decade Ago' | Video But, despite images and video footage of families struggling to obtain food to survive, Netanyahu has said in recent press briefings that there is 'no starvation' in Gaza. 'Yeah, are you sure about that though? Because we can all see it, right in front of us,' Oliver retorted. 'And it's frankly insulting to think you can deflect our attention with all the skill of a s–tty magician.' At that, a graphic of Netanyahu dressed as a magician popped up onscreen, showing the man holding a top hat with bunny ears sticking out. ''Ladies and gentlemen, there is nothing in this hat,'' Oliver acted out. 'Oh. f–k off! I can see its ears and it smells like rabbit s–t in here! How stupid do you think we are? And it is notable that, at this point, even Trump isn't buying it.' Indeed, when asked directly whether he agrees with Netanyahu that there is no starvation earlier this week, Trump did not. 'I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly, because those children look very hungry,' he said during his visit to Scotland. Of course, Oliver didn't think that was a good enough answer by any means. 'OK, describing starving children as looking 'very hungry' is a massive understatement, right up there with 'We were just friends,'' Oliver sniped, as an image of Trump and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein appeared onscreen. Oliver conceded that Trump's response was a 'rare moment' of the president 'resembling empathy,' but immediately pointed out that 'he still managed to make everything about himself' by complaining that Gaza hasn't thanked the U.S. enough for aid sent so far. As the segment went on, Oliver eventually called on the U.S. to intervene on the crisis in Gaza and pressure international officials to make sure aid is actually getting distributed. 'What's so frustrating is that most humanitarian disasters don't come with solutions as straightforward as this one,' Oliver said. 'Hurricanes don't tend to have kill switches that you can flip. You can't stop a pandemic by simply hanging a 'Do Not Infect' sign on your door.' 'But this famine truly does have an off button, as it's entirely man-made and we need to f–king press it,' Oliver finished. 'Last Week Tonight' airs Sundays at 11 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on HBO Max. The post John Oliver Calls Out Netanyahu's 'Insulting' Attempts to 'Deflect Our Attention' From Starving Gazans appeared first on TheWrap.
