Buying a sports team is different, because there's an existing framework from the league, and support from other owners and and personnel in the league with a vestes interest in making sure things don't immediately fall apart. Taking over a sole entity like WWE when you have no existing track record operating in that space is a risk. You're buying a live event company, a content provider, and a rather sizeable merchandise company. shyt, WWE had experience doing all of this, and basically offloaded most of the work for streaming and merch to Peacock and Fanatics since it was just an easier and more direct path to the money.
Arguments like this are why the subject of someone buying ESPN comes up at least once a year, and then quietly goes away. The hassle of figuring out what to do with ESPN Events alone is enough to make suitors back off. No one wants to be responsible for organizing and running all the shyt they do.
It's doubtful. WBD is still trying every trick in the book to get rid of the debt they took on to merge the two companies, and there's word that they're serious about trying to play hardball with the NBA over renewing their rights package. Even if they were willing to sell for pennies on the dollar, WBD isn't in position to buy right now.
