NFL Fans Spend $900 to Watch Games. WWE Fans Pay Even More

NFL fans know being a fan is expensive, especially if you want access to everything. Between traditional television broadcasts, streaming exclusives, and out-of-market games, following the entire NFL season requires multiple subscriptions.

How expensive? A fan who wants access to every NFL game during the 2026 season could spend about $900 on streaming services. That's a pretty hefty price for five months of football.

Amazingly, WWE fans would see $900 as a discount. WWE has its own set of streaming agreements, and fans who want to watch everything from Monday Night Raw to WrestleMania have to navigate multiple services. Unlike the NFL, WWE runs year-round.

Altogether, a WWE fan could spend nearly $1,200 a year to watch all the company's major programming. That NFL package doesn't look quite as outrageous, does it?

Watching Every NFL Game Could Cost Nearly $900

The days of watching an entire football season on broadcast TV are long gone. You’ll still find plenty of games on the Big 4, but you’ll need several additional streaming services to watch every game.

The biggest expense is NFL Sunday Ticket, which provides access to out-of-market games. However, it doesn't include everything.

Amazon Prime Video carries Thursday Night Football. Netflix has exclusive Christmas games, while Peacock offers exclusive broadcasts. Meanwhile, CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network carry nationally televised games. 

For my comparison, I’m focusing exclusively on streaming. I’m excluding cable TV and satellite TV prices, since most people don’t use them exclusively for the NFL. In this comparison, I’m using YouTube TV for traditional television broadcasts and Sunday Ticket for out-of-market games. 

Here's what a comprehensive NFL streaming package could cost for the 2026 season.

These figures use standard subscription prices and assume the viewer cancels the monthly subscriptions after the NFL Playoffs.

There are ways to reduce that total. For example, eligible customers who secured promotional Sunday Ticket pricing could save more than $100. Fans who already subscribe to YouTube TV or Amazon Prime may not consider those subscriptions additional football expenses.

Still, spending nearly $900 for a single NFL season is a significant investment.

WWE fans face a similar problem.

WWE Fans Need Multiple Streaming Services, Too

Back in the day, following WWE was easy. Weekly programming aired on cable television, while major events were available through pay-per-view.

The launch of WWE Network in 2014 made things even easier. For $9.99 per month, fans could watch major events, access an extensive wrestling library, and enjoy additional programming.

WWE eventually moved its Premium Live Events to Peacock in the United States, where fans could watch WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and other events with a standard subscription.

However, WWE's latest television agreements have scattered its programming across multiple platforms. Here's where American fans can watch WWE in 2026.

Monday Night Raw: Netflix

Raw moved to Netflix in January 2025, ending its long relationship with traditional cable television.

The good news is that Raw is available through Netflix's cheapest subscription, which currently costs $8.99 per month. The bad news is that Netflix doesn't carry all WWE programming in the United States.

Fans who subscribe to Netflix exclusively for Raw would spend $107.88 a year.

Friday Night SmackDown: USA Network

While Raw moved to streaming, SmackDown remains on traditional television through USA Network.

Fans with cable television that includes USA Network can watch SmackDown without buying another subscription. Cord-cutters need a live television streaming package that includes USA Network.

One option is Sling Blue, which starts at $45.99 per month in eligible markets. At that price, a year of SmackDown access would cost $551.88.

That's a considerable expense for someone who only wants to watch two hours of wrestling every Friday night.

Premium Live Events: ESPN Unlimited

WWE's Premium Live Events remain one of the company's biggest draws. WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank feature major storylines, championship matches, and some of the year's biggest moments.

In 2026, WWE moved its main-roster PLEs to ESPN's streaming platform. Fans wanting direct streaming access need ESPN Unlimited, which costs $31.99 per month or $319.99 annually.

A fan paying monthly throughout the year would spend $383.88. Choosing the annual subscription saves you $63.89.

For longtime wrestling fans, that's a substantial increase compared with the days when PLEs were available for $9.99 a month through WWE Network or Peacock.

Saturday Night's Main Event: Peacock

Despite WWE moving its major PLEs to ESPN, Saturday Night's Main Event remains on Peacock.

Peacock Premium costs $12.99 per month, so fans who keep the service year-round would spend $155.88. Fans can save money by subscribing only during months when WWE schedules these specials.

What About NXT?

Fortunately, NXT doesn't necessarily add another expense. WWE's developmental brand airs weekly on The CW, and you can watch for free with an over-the-air antenna.

NXT Premium Live Events also air on The CW. ESPN Unlimited subscribers can access CW Sports programming, including NXT, through the ESPN app.

Fans already paying for ESPN Unlimited don't need another subscription for NXT.

That's almost $1,200 a year to follow WWE. Choosing ESPN Unlimited's annual subscription would lower the total to $1,135.63.

Fans could also save money by subscribing to Peacock only when Saturday Night's Main Event is scheduled.

Still, year-round access to every major WWE program can get surprisingly expensive.

WWE fans could spend $300.65 more per year than NFL fans who want to watch every game. That's roughly 33% more than our estimated NFL streaming package.

Granted, the two differ significantly. The NFL season runs from September through February, including the playoffs and Super Bowl. WWE produces programming year-round, with weekly shows and major events spread across all 12 months.

NFL fans get access to hundreds of games, while WWE fans pay for fewer weekly shows and special events.

Determining which offers better entertainment value is subjective. Some fans would rather watch three hours of Raw than an entire Sunday of football. Others wouldn't watch wrestling if WWE paid them.

Both groups of fans face the same problem. Watching everything has become incredibly expensive.

The Real Winner Is the Streaming Industry

The NFL and WWE have spent years negotiating lucrative television and streaming agreements. Those deals generate billions of dollars for the companies while spreading their programming across an increasingly complicated collection of services.

For fans, the result is a growing subscription bill. NFL viewers who want every game must navigate traditional television broadcasts, Sunday Ticket, and multiple streaming exclusives.

WWE fans have Raw on Netflix, SmackDown on USA Network, Premium Live Events on ESPN Unlimited, and Saturday Night's Main Event on Peacock.

And while fans can cut costs by skipping certain events or canceling subscriptions between broadcasts, most dedicated viewers don't want that experience.

The NFL's nearly $900 streaming package might seem expensive, but WWE fans could pay 33% more over a year.

The biggest competition between football and professional wrestling isn't happening on television. It's happening in your wallet.