“Main Event” May Remain Off WWE Network for Several Months

On the Jan. 13 showing of “Main Event,” live on the WWE Network, Tom Phillips announced there were “contractual issues” surrounding the show. Because of this, next week, on Jan. 20, instead of airing “Main Event,” WWE will air a special show titled “Santino Marella’s Royal Rumble Lottery Spectacular.”

Soon after the announcement, reports surfaced about the contractual issues having to involve the WWE Network coming to the United Kingdom and Ireland on Jan. 19. In the UK and Ireland, Sky Sports has a deal to air “Main Event,” which WWE can’t get out of. WWE is unable to blackout “Main Event” in these regions, only being able to show “Main Event” for all WWE Network subscribers no matter their location. Because of that, WWE is unable to air “Main Event.”

In an update to the story, F4WOnline is now reporting that “Main Event” will likely be off of the WWE Network for several months. The current timeline for “Main Event” to return to the network is late summer or early fall, as WWE does not expect to get geoblocking, which would allow WWE to blackout network programs in certain areas, until the aforementioned seasons.

However, WWE will continue to tape “Main Event” due to international commitments. Still, “Main Event” will remain on Hulu Plus for United States viewers.

Editor’s Note

I’m a bit amazed that the WWE Network cannot blackout programs within a certain region.