The new era of WWE under the leadership of Triple H brought about some changes that have stood the test of time. One of them was the reduction of the undercard matches in PLE events, which mostly now consist of just five matches. Something that changed at Night of Champions, an event that featured six matches. Now we know the reason behind this modification.
According to WrestleVotes as reported through Fightful Select, the increase in the number of matches was a direct request from ESPN. It seems that the sports media conglomerate wants to strengthen the pay-per-view aspect of the PLE events, as the first hour of the show will remain free, at least for the next few months.
"According to sources, ESPN reached out to WWE to request the addition of one or two more matches to the card, with the aim of bolstering the pay-per-view portion of the broadcast that aired on ESPN+, which is separate from the first hour of the event, offered for free through the traditional ESPN channel," the outlet wrote. "We have also been informed that it is expected that the first hour of PLE events will continue to be free, at least until the fall of 2026."
WWE and ESPN reached an agreement last summer for the exclusive broadcast of WWE's PLE events on ESPN+, starting with Wrestlepalooza in September. Later, it was agreed that the first hour of PLE events would be broadcast for free on the ESPN channel. At Night of Champions, this first hour coincided with the finals of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments, leaving four matches exclusively for ESPN+ subscribers.
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