Warner Bros Discovery In Deep Contract Talks With AEW

AEW has a fine home on television with Warner Bros Discovery. The network also apparently wants to keep AEW around, because they are in talks with Tony Khan’s company about extending their deal.

Sean Sapp noted behind Fightful’s paywall that, “some major changes could be on the horizon for All Elite Wrestling.” Those changes could be in a business sense, where their television rights deal is concerned.

The report went on to state that Warner Bros Discovery is in deep talks with AEW to keep their pro wrestling brand on TNT and TBS. These talks have reportedly been going on for months.

Fightful can confirm via Warner Bros Discovery sources that AEW has long been involved in television rights extension talks. Those that we’ve spoken to said that the conversations have been ongoing for months, and they personally believe an announcement could be made this Summer or Fall of a deal reached.

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WBD sources tell us they’ve been very happy with AEW, especially the flexibility they’ve provided with adding and subtracting shows, providing different kinds of content, and working around preemptions and network changes.

One of the provisions regarding AEW content and WBD was that AEW content would be exclusive to the WBD brands, which signaled the end of AEW Dark and Elevation on AEW channels. However, we’ve long heard that beyond the PPV integration, WBD hasn’t had much of an interest in ROH branding themselves, and it actually dates back to when Sinclair owned ROH. We haven’t heard if that has changed of late. 

The report went on to say that Warner Bros Discovery does have “plenty of say and influence over AEW programming, as we’ve seen in the past with crossovers, and talent that are or aren’t featured.” That being said, it was also noted that “AEW has also been really flexible with overruns, as well as other requests WBD has made.”

It was also reported that AEW All In London is a part of those talks with Warner Bros Discovery and AEW. We will have to see what kind of deal they land on. This new deal with Warner Bros Discovery and AEW will also reportedly be a “huge money increase for AEW, by the way things are looking now.”

We will have to see what happens with Warner Bros Discovery and AEW. They apparently still enjoy working with each other, and another huge deal could be on the horizon.

Would you keep AEW around if you were Warner Bros Discovery? Sound off in the comments!