Estimated Value of AEW’s New TV Rights Deal with Warner Bros Discovery Unveiled

Tony Khan has built a strong partnership between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery. By making sure AEW’s content fits Warner Bros. Discovery’s standards, Khan has set up an important announcement about their deal. The value of the TV deal has now been revealed, showing how significant this partnership is.

Warner Bros. Discovery has been crucial in broadcasting AEW’s popular shows, such as Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision. The partnership has been so successful that AEW has chosen to cancel AEW Dark on YouTube and concentrate solely on Warner Bros. Discovery’s platforms. This move has fueled many rumors about the importance of their ongoing negotiations.

We had reported that AEW’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery had been finalized as Tony Khan even confirmed that AEW will continue airing on TBS and TNT for a long time now.

John Ourand from Puck News shared updates on the ongoing negotiations between AEW and its TV partners. He reported that the deal is nearing completion and is expected to be a four-year agreement with three years guaranteed and an option for Warner Bros. Discovery to extend it by one additional year. The figure of $170 million per year has been mentioned as a likely estimate.

“Insiders are telling me that a formal announcement could come as soon as next week, barring any last-minute challenges. It looks like it will be a four-year deal (three years guaranteed, plus an option), and the $170 million per year number floating around wrestling message boards is apparently in the ballpark.”

Under the new deal, AEW shows will air twice a week on TNT, TBS, and TruTV. This strategy is part of WBD CEO David Zaslav’s plan to boost the value and sports focus of these networks, especially after losing the NBA media rights to Amazon.

“According to the parameters of the agreements, AEW matches will air on TNT, TBS, and TruTV twice a week—further evidencing Zaz’s strategy of making the latter two networks more valuable and sports-oriented in the cable bundle as the potency of TNT declines sans professional basketball rights.”

According to the report, the AEW-WBD deal could be officially announced as soon as next week, coinciding with AEW’s return to Arthur Ashe Stadium in NYC, where WBD representatives are often present. The report does not address the potential Max streaming deal but notes that AEW is working on a separate package for broadcast channels. There’s no timeline for when AEW might start pushing this additional deal.

“Meanwhile, this deal marks a clear success for AEW, which launched five years ago with a threshold WBD deal. AEW is also pitching another package, primarily to broadcast channels. There’s no timetable for when AEW will start to push that deal.”

We have also reported that the new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery could lead to significant changes in AEW’s schedule. As AEW’s deal with WBD nears completion, other networks like FOX are reportedly eyeing AEW programming, but fans feel the situation is certainly favorable for AEW at the moment.

What’s your opinion on this story regarding the estimated value of AEW’s new deal with Warner Bros. Discovery? Do you feel AEW will truly prosper once the deal has been announced? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!