WWE's latest move risks fan backlash

It's worth noting that if you already have an ESPN package, then the new DTC content will be free of charge. However, the decision to essentially triple the price of PLEs is another sign of the change occurring within WWE under TKO's leadership. 

Now, if you're a United States resident, it will cost you up to, or over, $60 per month to keep up with all of WWE's programming, assuming you have a standard Netflix package. 

WWE is following the same path as the NBA and NFL, where average fans — the lifeblood of the company — are being exploited for their loyalty. In an era where the cost of living continues to trend upward and budgets are stretched thin, TKO is clawing for more and passing those expenses onto the fan base.

WWE was built on accessible entertainment, which made fans want to contribute via merchandise sales. Now, with this latest move, WWE further removes itself from its roots, and with it, risks driving a portion of its fan base into the welcoming arms of AEW. 

There's a level of hubris on show from those leading WWE at the moment. If prices continue to soar and fans are hit with another charge once the company finds a home for its vault content, WWE may find that more and more fans are tuning out of weekly programming and just paying attention to highlights on YouTube. For a company banking on the continued month-to-month support from the very fans it's exploiting, that would be a disastrous turn of events.