ESPN Response To Stephanie McMahon Plugging VPN
Stephanie McMahon’s recent VPN ad read on her What’s Your Story? podcast has stirred some issues with ESPN, it has been reported. According to Fightful Select, “At least one source we spoke to at ESPN ‘wasn’t thrilled’ by the VPN ad read on Stephanie McMahon’s podcast.” While the insider didn’t expect it to become a “major issue,” they acknowledged the awkwardness given WWE’s partnership with ESPN.
The plug came during a mid-show ad break on McMahon’s podcast. Stephanie suggested that fans use a VPN to access international Netflix content. Doing so would allow fans in the U.S. to avoid ESPN’s $30-per-month PLE model in favor of the much more cost-effective alternative provided by Netflix for fans outside the United States.
The new ESPN deal, valued by Logan Paul on SmackDown at $1.6 billion, has already drawn criticism from American viewers. Now, fans in the States must pay for both a Netflix subscription to get access to WWE Raw and other programming, while also paying for ESPN for PLEs.
VPNs should help fans in the U.S. save money, albeit at the cost of WWE’s partners at ESPN. The VPN suggestion didn’t sit well with at least one ESPN contact, and time will tell if McMahon delivers another plug like it.
