Update on WWE’s “Contractual Issues” With “Main Event”

Tuesday night, WWE announced rather than airing “Main Event” in its traditional spot on the WWE Network Tuesday nights, it would be making a change next week. Instead of the program airing, WWE will show “Santino Marella’s Royal Rumble Lottery Spectacular” in its place, which will coincide with the upcoming “Royal Rumble” pay-per-view.

With the announcement, WWE announcer Tom Phillips noted the company had “contractual issues” and could not show the regularly-scheduled programming next week. It appears that reason has been revealed.

Next week, the WWE Network will be coming to the United Kingdom and Ireland for the first time. “Main Event,” in most parts of the globe, airs on the WWE Network, but in these areas, is on Sky Sports. WWE has a television partnership with Sky Sports for its programming in general.

Current technology does not allow for WWE to block out “Main Event,” or any of its shows, from not airing in segmented markets. Instead, the shows can only be shown across the board. Since Sky Sports won’t allow WWE to take “Main Event” off its channel, WWE cannot dually-broadcast it, which is why it won’t air next week.

It remains to be seen if this will be an issue going forward.

Editor’s Note:

Welp…someone didn’t think this one through. That could be the end of “Main Event” on the network.

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