Tony Khan Confident AEW Will Become Second-Most Profitable Wrestling Company in History

Under Tony Khan’s leadership, AEW has built a strong partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery for its programming. Khan has worked hard to make sure that AEW’s content fits WBD’s standards and expectations. He now believes that once AEW finalizes its upcoming media rights deal, the company will become the second-most profitable wrestling promotion in the world, solidifying its position in the industry. This deal is seen as a major step forward for AEW’s growth and future success.

Warner Bros. Discovery has been a proud broadcaster of AEW’s popular shows such as Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision. This exclusive partnership has been so impactful that it led to the discontinuation of AEW Dark on YouTube, allowing for a more focused and cohesive presence on the network’s platforms.

During the AEW All Out media call, Tony Khan addressed a question from Dave Meltzer about MJF’s recent comments regarding AEW’s potential to become the second most profitable wrestling company in history. MJF had defended the company in an interview, predicting this milestone. When asked if this is realistic by 2025, Khan said he believes it’s possible, though there are still several factors to work through.

Khan noted that while he’s unsure exactly how much money WCW made in 1998 or how much Jim Crockett Jr. earned, he feels confident AEW is on track to become the second most profitable wrestling promotion ever. He emphasized that the company is still in the early stages of its journey, comparing AEW’s progress to the front nine in a golf game. He also reiterated that the upcoming media rights deal is crucial and close to being finalized, describing it as a “huge touchdown” for the company.

“I think it is reasonable. Whether those cash flows happen overnight when the new deal kicks in, I can’t say those things for sure yet. There is still a lot to be figured out. I do think the die is cast that AEW is going to be the second most profitable wrestling company, at this point, of all time, which is very impressive for a promotion that is just over five years old and has been on television for less than five years. It’s amazing how quickly we’re expended. The expansion of the television product going from two hours a week to five hours a week. Being very excited about what the future holds in our media deal. It’s a really great time for the company.

As getting into the semantics and mechanics of the accounting, and how we’re counting all the dollars, I’m not sure exactly how much money WCW made in 1998, nor am I honestly sure how much Jim Crockett was making in 1986, but over the duration of this deal, I expect, over this multi-year period that we’re about to enter into, that we will be the second most profitable wrestling company in the history of the wrestling business. It’s a really exciting thing, and it’s also only the beginning. It’s the beginning of a really long journey. It’s been long journey, but it’s still early in the long journey. We’re really building for the future.”

Since AEW’s inception, the partnership with Warner Bros Discovery has been crucial to the promotion’s growth. As negotiations for a new agreement continue, it remains to be seen whether AEW’s future will be bright, as Tony Khan certainly believes that to be the case.

What’s your view on Tony Khan’s major claim about AEW’s future? Do you believe it will become a reality? Let us know in the comments section below!