Bart Winkler questions intensity of ESPN’s WWE coverage: ‘If you don’t like it, more exposure will not help’

Last year, ESPN signed a deal to become the exclusive U.S. home of all WWE Premium Live Events. As part of the deal, which reportedly sees the Worldwide Leader pay WWE $325 million annually, WWE’s PLEs will air live on the ESPN direct-to-consumer streaming service, with select events also simulcasting on linear ESPN platforms.

While the announcement ruffled feathers with viewers who wanted ESPN to focus more on the S and less on the E, there was a presumption that the sports-centric network would temper its coverage of professional wrestling in some form.

That hasn’t really happened, and, especially in the build-up to major events like WrestleMania and SummerSlam, ESPN programming can sometimes feel a bit too WWE-centric, especially to those who don’t care for it.

In April, during the week leading up to WrestleMania, ESPN’s three flagship studio programs — Get Up, First Take, and The Pat McAfee Show — spent more time discussing WWE than MLB and the NHL combined. In total, the shows dedicated 14 segments to WWE that week, while dedicating only 7 to MLB and 5 to the NHL. WWE was also the third-most-discussed “sport” in ESPN’s daily programming that week, behind just the NBA (44 segments) and NFL (25 segments).

While things tend to calm down following PLEs, you never quite know when a WWE Superstar might show up on ESPN programming, whether it makes sense or not. And so far, ESPN hasn’t had much reason to pull back on this strategy.

While those among us who don’t care for professional wrestling might scoff at the overabundant coverage, there’s also a sense among some WWE fans that the relationship doesn’t do them any favors either.

On the latest episode of Bart Winkler’s Into The Winklerverse podcast, former CBS Sports Radio/Infinity Sports Network host Bart Winkler and co-hosts Grant Bilse and Paul Imig were discussing their experience watching SummerSlam on the ESPN App before they transitioned into a discussion around why they all felt the relationship isn’t working for fans and non-fans alike.

“I’m not a diehard WWE guy. You know how people say about golf, we gotta grow the game. I feel like WWE’s in the same spot where the more it grows and the more they try to bring people in [the less it works],” said Bilse. “I don’t need to be watching SportsCenter minutes after LaMelo Ball gets traded and they have to drop out from that coverage because CM Punk’s in Saudi Arabia and they need to do a check-in with him.”

“… You know, like, [Sean] Hannity has Stephen A. Smith on sometimes. But it’s not like all the f*cking time. It’s just like, ‘here’s my buddy Stephen A,’ replied Winkler. “I’m saying that because it seems out of place, but it works.

“So you can still have a little WWE on ESPN, but they’re giving like, half of First Take to it. They’re doing action, like Joe Tessitore, who’s actually pretty good at it, but they’re having him on, and he’s like, Seth Rollins’ legacy is on the line. No, it’s not. This is fake. There’s no f*cking legacy.”

“This is about legacy. This is about which man will control the industry right now and shape it for the next few years.”@JoeTessESPN is fired up for the Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins WWE SummerSlam matchup 💪

Stream WWE #SummerSlam Aug. 1-2 on the ESPN App with an ESPN… pic.twitter.com/dKBEcaEjnR

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 27, 2026

“… It’s bad for everybody. That’s my point,” added Bilse. “It’s not good for you because you guys see right through it. It’s not catering to you, and it annoys the sh*t out of me because I just want to hear Brian Windhorst for 5 minutes about the LaMelo Ball trade and we got to go over to Saudi Arabia…”

Winkler noted that pro wrestling, and WWE specifically, is an acquired taste, and one that doesn’t always work in large doses.

“WWE is one of those things where if you don’t like it, more exposure will not help,” said Winkler. “More exposure makes you hate it more. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I wasn’t into wrestling, but then this Brock Lesnar legacy discussion on First Take really piqued my curiosity.

“No, it’s like, get back to talking about the f*cking Jets or the electromagnetic grid taking out every Niners wide receiver.”

Perhaps ESPN can point to internal data that proves otherwise, but it does feel like there is a growing sense among some viewers that this partnership is a bridge too far for audiences, even those who casually enjoy WWE programming.