AEW (All Elite Wrestling) may be on the verge of some major changes as they are currently in deep negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) to extend their TV rights. According to a report from Fightful Select, these talks have been ongoing for several months now, and there is a possibility of an announcement being made sometime this summer or fall if a deal is reached.
The network has expressed great satisfaction with AEW’s performance in recent times, particularly highlighting the flexibility they have shown in terms of adding and subtracting shows, providing different forms of content, and accommodating network changes and preemptions. While WBD does hold considerable influence over AEW programming, as evidenced by past crossovers and talent decisions, it appears that AEW has also been cooperative in meeting the network’s requests, including overruns.
One interesting development discussed in the recent negotiations is the possibility of airing the AEW All In event from London on August 27. While it remains unclear what this means for viewing options, there has been speculation that the event may be streamed on WBD’s Max (HBO Max) service instead of the traditional pay-per-view format.
A source from WBD has also confirmed previous reports that the next deal between the two parties would result in a significant increase in revenue for AEW. The exact details of this “huge money increase” have not been disclosed, nor has the length of the potential extension.
In January 2020, AEW and WBD announced a four-year extension of their original TV deal for Dynamite, which included the addition of the Rampage show. This extension was valued at $175 million in total, or roughly $45 million per year, with an option for WBD to re-sign AEW in 2024 at a substantially higher price. While it was initially expected that AEW and WBD would announce a new TV deal in the spring, the mid-May announcement turned out to be for the new Collision show rather than an extension of the main TV deal. AEW President Tony Khan later clarified that the company did receive a new contract when Collision was announced, but it was primarily to cover the expenses of the new show, not for additional time as many had anticipated. Khan did mention that AEW was being compensated generously for Collision.
The potential new TV rights extension with WBD could mark a significant milestone for AEW, both in terms of financial gains and the continued growth of their brand. As negotiations continue, fans and industry insiders will be eagerly awaiting any updates regarding this potential deal.
For more news and updates on AEW’s negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery, be sure to stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com.
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