The WWE is facing a lawsuit for allegedly misleading fans about their new deal with ESPN for media rights to premium live events in the United States. This lawsuit highlights a growing trend in the streaming industry, where platforms initially offer attractive features and benefits, only to later impose additional fees and restrictions. The term 'enshittification', coined by writer Cory Doctorow, describes this process where streaming services start as convenient and affordable, but eventually become more expensive and cumbersome. The WWE's deal with ESPN is a prime example of this, as fans who already had ESPN channels through cable or other providers were still required to pay an additional monthly fee to watch WWE events. This contradicts marketing communications from both WWE and ESPN, which suggested that all existing ESPN subscribers would have access to the WWE PLEs. The specific issue involves fans who had to pay for ESPN's standalone app to watch Wrestlepalooza on September 20, even though they already paid for access to the ESPN cable network. The Disney-owned brand had deals with some cable carriers to offer subscriptions to the new app to their existing ESPN subscribers, but many did not. As a result, fans who didn't get the app from their cable provider had to pay $29.99 for ESPN's new streamer to see Wrestlepalooza and any subsequent PLEs while Disney and their carrier negotiated. The lawsuit argues that WWE and ESPN's marketing materials gave no indication of this possibility. The WWE has yet to respond in court, and neither WWE nor ESPN replied to the comments made by Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston. The plaintiffs, Michael Diesa of New Jersey and Rebecca Toback of New York, are seeking others to join the action and are hoping for a small payout of $30 each, despite the lawsuit claiming over $5 million in damages.
