AEW Hoping WWE Media Rights Increase Will Skyrocket Their Own Asking Price

WWE just announced a huge deal to bring SmackDown back to the USA Network for five years. The deal starts in 2024, and that huge money move for WWE could impact their competition as well.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that AEW remains in an exclusive negotiation period with Warner Bros Discovery. Regardless of the outcome, AEW hopes that if WWE secures the expected increase, it will enhance the overall value of televised wrestling. This, in turn, could increase its worth to WBD and in the open market for its next contract.

“The hope from AEW is that if WWE gets the increase they are expecting, it increases the value of wrestling on television and thus increases its value to WBD and in the free marketplace for its next contract. If WWE gets a 40 percent increase for Raw, which will cause another stock price drop, it would be $658 million not including NXT.”

Should WWE obtain a 40 percent increase for Raw, even though it might lead to another stock price decline, the deal would be valued at $658 million, excluding NXT. Raw and SmackDown collectively reach roughly twice the number of viewers aged 18-49 demographic as the combination of Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision. Based on this, it could be argued that AEW’s three shows might be valued at $329 million annually.

It’s important to note that the value of being the top wrestling property in the market is typically much greater than simply comparing ratings to the second-best. If you factor in streaming rights for 12 pay-per-view events annually, the previously mentioned figure of $200 million to $240 million doesn’t seem far-fetched at all.

We will have to see how this pans out, but AEW certainly has their eyes on some big money contracts for their media deals down the line. For more on this story, and many more, please keep it tuned with us here at Ringside News! As always, leave your comments in the space below to let us know what you think!