While it may have taken longer than expected, all indications have been that All Elite Wrestling (AEW) would sign a new media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery before its current one expires at the end of this year.
And it appears that such a deal is finally coming to fruition, with Puck’s John Ourand reporting that the pro wrestling promotion and WBD could announce their new deal as early as next week.
Not only that, but Ourand has the first true details regarding what AEW’s impending media rights deal will look like. Per the sports media insider, the agreement will be a three-year deal with a fourth-year option at a price tag in the ballpark of $170 million annually, with AEW programming set to air on TNT, TBS and TruTV “twice a week” as a part of the deal.
AEW also might not be done negotiating just yet, with Ourand noting that “AEW is also pitching another package, primarily to broadcast channels.” The pro wrestling company has previously been linked to Fox, which just finished its five-year run airing WWE SmackDown on Friday nights.
Despite Ourand’s reporting, plenty of questions remain, chief among them being whether AEW’s pay-per-view rights are included in the deal. While the deal appears to be an unmitigated victory for AEW either way, still having the PPV rights to sell separately would allow the company access to yet another significant revenue stream.
It’s also unclear where and when AEW will air across the WBD networks. The company’s flagship show, AEW Dynamite, started at TNT before moving to TBS on a permanent basis on Wednesday nights. Friday night’s Rampage has aired since 2021 on TNT and AEW added a third show in Collision on Saturday nights on TNT in 2023. truTV hasn’t consistently aired AEW programming, but the network has seen a new push towards sports recently. If WBD airs two shows per week in a new rights deal, it could mean one of the three existing programs may be left open to move to Fox (with a possible rebrand) if AEW is able to strike a new deal there.
But regardless of how such uncertainties play out, a media rights deal with a $170 million per year price tag is an obvious win for AEW — especially considering that it still has more inventory to sell. Over the course of the past few months, AEW owner and president Tony Khan hasn’t shied away from the significance of his company’s next media rights deal and it appears the agreement will have been well worth the wait.
[Puck]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.