Possible Bad News For AEW’s Next Television Contract Talks

The pro wrestling world could see a huge shift in momentum as AEW and WWE are both in talked for new television deals. Although we know that SmackDown is going to The USA Network, that still leaves hours of content on the table for both AEW and WWE.

The complex negotiations involving the Raw, NXT, and AEW television packages are not unique to the wrestling industry. The trend in major sports packages, stretching back for decades, suggests that the substantial increases in deal values may be on the decline.

This shift can be attributed to the shrinking cable television viewership and the challenge of generating revenues from streaming services, given that viewership numbers are not consistently strong.

While NASCAR’s negotiations with FOX and NBC are ongoing, only minor increases have been proposed in their deals. In response, NASCAR is exploring alternatives, such as selling a package of six races to entities like WBD or Amazon, as reported by John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. Additionally, a $115 million per year deal for the Xfinity series was secured with CW. Conversely, the Pac-12’s attempt to secure a deal worth $500 million, double their previous agreement, resulted in lost interest from ESPN and Amazon, leading to significant ramifications for the conference.

Apart from AEW and the ongoing WWE RAW and NXT negotiations, it was noted that NASCAR is currently in the market, and the NBA will enter the market in 2024-2025. The outlet emphasized that while the NFL, NBA, and major college conferences are expected to secure substantial deals, the smaller ones may face challenges, as the market is saturated with various offerings. This situation is described as the most competitive sports-rights marketplace in decades.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter went on to note that this whole situation may not be the greatest for AEW. After all, AEW’s fan base is not as large as WWE’s at all.

“The NBA and NASCAR are much bigger deals than WWE, but WWE is of substantial size. AEW is not and based on this article, this would not appear to be a positive for AEW’s next deal based on key players in the market, timing and ratings not being on fire.”

WWE’s major events on Peacock stand as an exception due to their exclusivity. However, for most sports, like college football simulcasts on platforms such as Peacock or ESPN+, they typically represent a modest three to five percent of the total audience. ESPN+ has not surpassed 556,000 viewers for any single event, with college football being the highest-rated program.

You never know what kind of big deal could be announced next. There are obviously a lot of things in play, and a ton of money at stake. Keep checking back with us here at Ringside News for more on this story, and so many more in the pro wrestling world!

What do you think will happen next with AEW’s next television rights deals? Let us know what you think in the comments section!