ESPN Reportedly Dropped Letter Grades From WWE Reviews After WWE Objected

ESPN dropped using letter grades on WWE reviews after WWE objected to the practice, according to a new report. POST Wrestling cites multiple sources as telling them that the sports network changes its reviews of WWE PLEs to not include any sort of letter grade after the company complained about the practice. The news was originally reported in last week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, with the WON stating that someone on WWE’s side had the grades “killed.”

ESPN reviewer Andreas Hale’s piece on WWE Wrestlepalooza, the first event in WWE’s deal to air PLEs on ESPN Unlimited, gained attention after he gave it a Wrestlepalooza a C grade. He then gave WWE Crown Jewel: Perth a B. Since then, reviews have come without letter grades either to the event or individual matches. Hale also reviews UFC events and has continued to use letter grades on those all the way through this past weekend’s UFC 326.

An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment on the report, and one knowledgeable source of ESPN’s approach maintained it was ESPN’s decision alone. That said, when asked further about the reason for the change and if WWE took issue with said grades, the source chose not to comment further. WWE did not respond to requests for comment on the matter, and Hale did not either.

ESPN previously said while promoting its relationship with WWE that ESPN’s reporters had full independence in how they cover the pro wrestling company, with both ESPN+ SVP John Lasker and then-VP of Programming and Acquisitions Matt Kenny explicitly stating as such on a press call.

The report from POST Notes that since the Wrestlepalooza review, ESPN’s digital reporters have not posted new stories with original comments from WWE talent. WWE talent have appeared regularly on ESPN TV broadcasts promoting the company. A source knowledgeable in ESPN’s approach stated there have been no issues with access.