ESPN drops WWE letter grades from its Premium Live Event coverage, and new reporting offers more clarity on why the grading system disappeared.
Last week, F4WOnline noted that the change came after “someone on the WWE side… had gotten [the use of letter grades] killed.” However, a follow‑up report has added more detail to the situation.
POST Wrestling reported that ESPN made the decision independently, even though WWE had expressed concerns about the grading system. According to POST, a source familiar with the matter stated that the choice to remove grades was made solely by ESPN.
“One source with knowledge of ESPN’s approach maintained that the decision to discontinue letter grades was ESPN’s alone and that WWE did not request the change. When pressed to explain the reasoning for the removal of grades and whether WWE took issue with the reviews, the source declined to respond further.”
The change came shortly after ESPN secured exclusive U.S. streaming rights for WWE Premium Live Events in September. WrestlePalooza was the first event under the new deal, and ESPN combat sports reporter Andreas Hale gave the show a C grade. He highlighted the Women’s World Championship match between Stephanie Vaquer and IYO SKY as the standout performance.
Crown Jewel later received a B in ESPN’s October review, but every event since then has been covered without letter grades. With ESPN drops WWE letter grades becoming a talking point among fans, the move has raised questions about how the network plans to balance editorial independence with its new partnership.
As WWE and ESPN continue working together, the removal of letter grades may signal a shift in how future Premium Live Events will be evaluated and presented.
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