FOX & USA Not Happy About WrestleManias on ESPN, ESPN Was in Talks Last Year For Desk at WrestleMania

A new report reveals how ESPN nearly factored into last year’s WrestleMania in a big way and how FOX and USA Network weren’t happy about the deal that WWE and ESPN struck for the lead-up for this year. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports that ESPN was in deep discussion with WWE last year about having major coverage of WrestleMania 35 that would have included a desk at the PPV and WrestleMania SportsCenter breaks that would have aired all weekend.

However, those talks did die off the week before WrestleMania. Barrasso reports that a major sticking point was the fact that Vince McMahon didn’t want to show the behind-the-scenes aspects of WWE, including the ones from immediately after the show. ESPN and WWE did strike a deal this year, airing previous WrestleMania on ESPN this week with another one to take place on Sunday. This deal reportedly upset FOX and USA Network. FOX wanted the shows to air on FOX Sports 1, but ESPN has a much higher viewership and that’s where McMahon decided WWE would go. Fox has, however, recently signed a deal to have one-hour versions of WrestleMania on FS1.