Tag: Warner Bros. Discovery

Tony Khan – “AEW Is On The Verge Of Making The Most Important Deal With WBD”

AEW President Tony Khan traveled to Paris last week to meet with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav during the Olympic Games. The two parties are continuing to negotiate a new media rights deal.

In a recent interview with “Q101,” Khan commented on the ongoing talks between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery regarding the new television rights.

Khan said, “Right now is the most important time ever in AEW. We’re on the verge of the most important deal we’ll ever make, this upcoming media rights, and it’s been great working with Warner Brothers Discovery on the future. For all these years, we’ve had so much great experience with Warner Brothers Discovery, and now, under the leadership of David Zaslav, the company, for us, the connection, the things we’ve been able to do, I think it’s getting stronger and stronger. I think now, over five years, it’s really been building to this point where AEW’s going to jump into the media rights and be a very profitable, successful company that has lived up to every expectation we ever could have had because we’ve done so many amazing things in this years. We’ve had all these amazing pay-per-view records. We’ve really come in and we’ve done pay-per-view numbers, whether adjusted or straight-up, head-to-head, very strong compared to the last few years of WCW, and I think that’s really a success story. I think pay-per-views are really fun, but it’s a really interesting business point that our business on pay-per-view has continued to get stronger. This year’s been great for us, we’ve had some huge events, including Revolution, which was one of our biggest pay-per-views ever.”

Since the launch of AEW Dynamite in October 2019, AEW programming has been featured on Warner Bros. Discovery channels. Khan has consistently emphasized the significance of bringing wrestling back to TBS and TNT following the conclusion of WCW in 2001.

Source: eWn

Latest Update On AEW’s Negotiations With WBD

As has seemingly been the case before time itself began, the relationship between AEW and Warner Brothers Discovery and whether it will continue past this year has been a hot topic with wrestling fans. Over the weekend though, things really heated up when reports emerged that AEW and WBD had an agreement, in principle, to keep AEW with TBS and TNT for the next several years, something that was echoed again on Monday.

However, an official announcement on the matter may still be a ways away. Fightful Select has reported on Tuesday that those close to WBD say an announcement from either AEW or WBD regarding a new deal isn’t imminent, and that the framework of a deal currently isn’t done. That doesn’t mean an agreement is far off, however, as those in AEW and WBD still expect a deal to be reached, and for both sides to continue their relationship for years to come.

One possible time the deal could be reached is during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, France, as both AEW owner Tony Khan and WBD President David Zaslav will both be in Paris for the games, and are set to meet while there. While this meeting doesn’t guarantee the deal will be reached, the meeting has been set between Khan and Zaslav for months, and they are expected to have some form of negotiation.

While the news remains an overall positive for AEW, it should disappoint some fans who were hoping for an official announcement this week, possibly as early as today in the hours leading up to “AEW Dynamite.” Instead, those fans will just have to settle for their usual Wednesday night wrestling fix, which will feature a Blood & Guts match between Team AEW and Team Elite.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Report – New AEW-WBD TV Deal To Be Announced Imminently

There have been ongoing discussions regarding the TV rights deal between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery, which is set to expire at the end of this year, and a resolution may be imminent.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s CEO and President, David Zaslav, along with TNT Sports Head Luis Silberwasser, are interested in retaining the five hours of AEW programming per week on TNT and TBS, featuring Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision. The reported figures being negotiated exceed the estimated $110 million annual mark.

AEW has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery since its inception in 2019. During this time, the promotion successfully recruited top talent and grew to become the second-largest wrestling promotion globally. The exclusive negotiation period between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery is now close to expiring.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the deal is expected to be announced, possibly before the exclusive negotiation window ends.

Dave Meltzer also mentioned the conflicting reports circulating about the ongoing discussions. He noted,

“There are expectations the deal would be announced imminently, maybe even before the expiration of the exclusive window for negotiating that is just about over. I will say that we’ve gotten people who say they know from all over saying completely contradictory things about the talks.”

Meltzer further stated that AEW President Tony has indicated that the new deal is positive and transformative, while competitors have reportedly suggested otherwise, demonstrating the complexities of these negotiations.

AEW is set to present the 2024 Forbidden Door pay-per-view event in partnership with NJPW this Sunday.

Source: eWn

Warner Bros. Discovery Implementing Stricter Language Policies For AEW

Warner Bros. Discovery has seemingly adopted a more stringent approach towards profanity on their broadcasts.

Explicit language was prominent in prior episodes of AEW Dynamite, but recent broadcasts have indicated an increased use of censorship.

The June 26th episode of AEW Dynamite notably featured instances where certain words and phrases were censored, including during a promo by MJF.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer remarked on the apparent shift in Warner Bros. Discovery’s stance on profanity, noting even the censorship of mild language, which was not a common practice.

Meltzer said, ”There’s definitely something that’s changed in WBD when it comes to language because they were bleeping tame stuff and they used to let almost everything go. Somebody somewhere has decided that what they were doing before is no longer kosher.”

Despite these changes, AEW continues to offer an edgier product with depictions of blood and violence. Whether Warner Bros. Discovery will extend its scrutiny to the level of violence depicted in AEW programming remains to be seen.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Latest Update On AEW-WBD Potential Media Rights Deal Ahead Of Upfronts

AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery have not yet reached a new television deal, and it is not expected to be part of WBD’s upfront presentation on Wednesday. 

A recent report from Fightful Select provides further insights into the ongoing negotiations between AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery and the expected timeline for a new rights deal announcement.

Sources close to the matter suggest that the announcement of a new deal is being closely guarded, with a probable timeframe for the announcement being summer to fall.

The report highlights the uncertainty surrounding the end date of AEW’s exclusivity deal with WBD, which is expected to continue into the summer. However, a firm date for its conclusion remains unknown. A pilot for a new AEW-related program with WBD was slated to be announced for social media channels this week. It is said that the program is not a reality show.

According to sources at WBD, there has been ongoing interest in the company to include AEW pay-per-view events on HBO Max. Discussions between the two parties have been in progress for an extended period of time to determine the specifics of this potential agreement. Initial proposals for this arrangement were put forth as early as last year.

These sources have also indicated that nearly every agreement made by WBD is strategically aligned with Max, emphasizing a heightened focus on the streaming platform compared to when AEW originally entered into its last agreement with WBD.

Additionally, there have been rumors that WBD may lose its media rights to the NBA. If this were to occur, the company reportedly plans to reinvest funds to maintain its position on cable and explore other properties to attract viewers.

It remains unknown whether this potential reinvestment will involve AEW. With that being said, AEW Dynamite almost always ranks number one on all of cable TV on Wednesday nights without any competition from the NBA/NHL or other sporting events. Sources from both parties have spoken highly of each other and the negotiation process continues.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Boss Tony Khan Addresses WWE/WBD Rumors

Rumors have circulated about the possibility of WWE moving “WWE Raw” from The USA Network to a Warner Bros Discovery channel, possibly TBS or TNT, which would put them in conflict with WBD’s current wrestling product, All Elite Wrestling. As a major year for media rights negotiations, in wrestling and beyond, AEW President Tony Khan is seemingly unfazed by the rumors.

“It’s part of sports. Everybody discusses contracts and free agency and things of that nature,” Khan told “Going Ringside” on News4JAX. “I think everybody’s aware that everybody’s gonna be talking to everybody in the media this coming year. So they’ll certainly be a lot of opportunities. We have a great history with Warner Bros. Discovery and continue to produce great ratings so we should be in a very good position next year.”

WBD’s negotiations with both WWE and AEW are likely hamstrung by the media conglomerate’s current negotiations with the National Basketball Association, as NBA programming has been the central pillar of the Turner Networks programming and the amount of money offered to either promotion would likely be affected by whether or not WBD retains the Basketball league. AEW has been with WBD since the beginning of the wrestling promotion, which premiered “AEW Dynamite” on WBD networks in 2019, soon adding “AEW Collision,” “AEW Rampage,” and quarterly “Battle of the Belts” specials.

WWE has already signed a deal with The CW to bring “WWE NXT” there in 2025 when its current deal with USA is up, and USA has already landed the rights to “WWE SmackDown,” which is set to move from Fox.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Warner Bros. Discovery Officially Announces Launch Of AEW Collision, Brand Split News

AEW issued the following regarding the launch of AEW Collision:

TNT LAUNCHES A SECOND NIGHT OF WRESTLING WITH “AEW: COLLISION” FEATURING HEADLINERS THUNDER ROSA, MIRO, SAMOA JOE, POWERHOUSE HOBBS AND ANDRADE EL IDOLO ON SATURDAY, JUNE 17

NEW YORK (May 17, 2023) – TNT launches a second night of professional wrestling with a new tentpole series, “AEW: Collision” on Saturday, June 17, it was announced today by Kathleen Finch, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, US Networks Group, Warner Bros. Discovery, during the company’s 2023 Upfront presentation at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This live, two-hour, in-ring show will air every Saturday night from 8-10 p.m. ET and feature more wrestlers, more stories and more action to super-serve fans. “AEW: Collision” will feature headliners including Miro, Samoa Joe, Thunder Rosa, Powerhouse Hobbs, and Andrade El Idolo.

In only four years following the launch of “AEW: Dynamite,” AEW’s footprint has more than doubled across TNT and TBS. Along with “AEW: Dynamite,” Friday night’s “AEW: Rampage,” the recent follow-doc “AEW: All Access,” and now “AEW: Collision,” TNT and TBS deliver the best matches and most entertaining moments in professional wrestling today. AEW has reached 23M total viewers so far this year across all of its shows on TBS and TNT.*

“We’re doubling-down on wrestling with ‘AEW: Collision,’ which gives fans two more hours every week,” said Jason Sarlanis, President, Turner Networks, ID and HLN, linear & streaming. “AEW’s roster of talent has expanded so quickly that we felt it needed another night to bring our audience the epic rivalries, unforgettable matches and stars they love to watch. Adding ‘Collision’ to our programming mix on TNT will allow us to satisfy the massive demand we’ve felt from our hardcore fanbase and be the ultimate complement to ‘AEW: Dynamite’ on TBS.”

“With the addition of ‘AEW: Collision’ on TNT, I’m extremely proud that a Turner network will be the home of Saturday night wrestling for the first time in more than two decades,” said Tony Khan, CEO, GM and Head of Creative of AEW. “The debut of ‘Collision’ is significant across numerous sectors including television, wrestling, entertainment and sports, and reinforces AEW as the bold property we envisioned when we launched in 2019. ‘Collision’ will deliver live every Saturday night more of what fans and viewers tell us they want – athleticism, big personalities, exciting storylines and hard-hitting wrestling action, all of which have become synonymous with AEW.”

About TNT

TNT, a Warner Bros. Discovery brand, is Cable’s #1 entertainment network, known for big, lean-forward television that takes viewers on a thrill ride of electrifying stories, dynamic characters and premium events. TNT is home to some of television’s most popular sports franchises and unscripted and scripted originals including “AEW: Rampage,” “AEW: Collision,” “Rich & Shameless,” and “The Lazarus Project”. TNT also presents primetime specials and sports coverage, including the NHL, NBA and NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships. Website: www.tntdrama.com

About AEW

Founded by CEO, GM and Head of Creative Tony Khan in 2019, AEW is offering an alternative to mainstream wrestling, with a roster of world-class talent that is injecting new spirit, freshness and energy into the industry. “AEW: Dynamite” airs every Wednesday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TBS and attracts the youngest wrestling audience on television. The fight-forward “AEW: Rampage” airs every Friday from 10-11 p.m. ET on TNT, and the new “AEW: Collision” airs every Saturday from 8-10 p.m. ET on TNT. AEW’s multi-platform content also includes “Being the Elite,” a weekly behind-the-scenes YouTube series, and “AEW Unrestricted,” a weekly podcast series. For more info, check out Twitter.com/AEW; Instagram.com/AEW; YouTube.com/AEW; Facebook.com/AEW

New Report Casts Doubt On AEW Instituting Hard WWE-Style Brand Split With Collision

Despite an earlier report stating that some talent in AEW were under the belief that the company would be instituting a “firm” brand split in the near future, Mike Johnson of PWInsider Elite is reporting that’s not the case. Instead, some talent are said to be exclusive to the newly-announced “AEW Collision” on Saturday nights while others stay on “AEW Dynamite,” and many will float between both shows based on storyline needs. A hard brand split between “Dynamite” and “Collision” was reportedly never even under consideration.

Sources: eWrestlingNews and Wrestling Inc.

News On AEW’s New Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery, Doesn’t Include Being The Elite

The new television deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and AEW, in addition to the rumored Saturday night show, AEW Collision, will be announced during WBD’s presentation at The Theater at Madison Square Garden next Wednesday. 

How much money AEW will be getting from the new deal is still unclear.

Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the new deal consists of all of AEW’s programming with two exceptions – ROH and Being The Elite as BTE is owned by The Young Bucks. 

“What is known is that the deal will encompass all television and streaming programming that has the AEW banner, but not ROH, which is considered a separate company. That would be five hours of wrestling programming per week, the two hours on Wednesday on TBS, one hour on Friday on TNT and the two hours on Saturday on TNT, as well as any and all spinoff programming other than Being the Elite, which is expected to be kept as something separate since it’s a property owned by the Young Bucks,” Meltzer wrote.

Source: eWrestlingNews

Warner Bros. Discovery Reportedly Banned The Briscoes For More Than Jay’s Offensive Slurs

Mark Briscoe appeared on “AEW Dynamite” this past Wednesday and took on Jay Lethal to honor the memory of Jay Briscoe, who passed away earlier this month. However, Tony Khan confirmed that he “fought hard” to get Mark on the show as Warner Bros. Discovery executives previously banned them from appearing on AEW programming on TBS and TNT. Furthermore, their reasons for doing so were reportedly two-fold.

Previously, it was noted that WBD had a problem with Jay’s homophobic tweet from 2013, for which he apologized several times in the years that followed. At first, it was assumed that Mark had been banned because he was associated with his brother, but the latest edition of the “Wrestling Observer Newsletter” reported that WBD executives had issues with the Briscoes for wearing the Confederate Flag on their gear in the past.

Per the “WON” article, this is why AEW wasn’t allowed to host a tribute show for Jay on TBS or TNT following his death. AEW’s deal with WBD means that the media company has the power to ban anyone from AEW programming, so the situation was out of Khan’s hands until he convinced the relevant executives to reconsider.

It now seems that WBD has relaxed its stance regarding Mark Briscoe showing up on AEW television. Earlier this week, it was revealed that he’s been given the green light to appear on AEW television going forward. Meanwhile, the latest episode of “Dynamite” featured a tribute video for Jay and discussions about his career from the show’s commentary team.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Warner Bros. Discovery Blocked Jay Briscoe Tribute Show On AEW Dynamite

This past Tuesday, Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin Pugh, passed away following a car crash in Delaware at 38 years old. 

The wrestling world has been reacting ever since. The tributes continued on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite, as the broadcast opened with a graphic of Briscoe and multiple wrestlers had “Jay” armbands during their matches.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Warner Bros. Discovery did not allow AEW to do a full tribute show to Briscoe due to homophobic tweets Jay posted over a decade ago.

This is not the first time that WBD has blocked Briscoe’s involvement on AEW television, as they previously didn’t want AEW President Tony Khan to feature Jay or his brother Mark on its programming. Jay had apologized for the tweets multiple times over the years. 

Khan tapped a Ring of Honor-branded “Jay Briscoe: Celebration of Life” event after AEW Dynamite went off the air that will air on HonorClub and ROH’s YouTube channel for free.

Source: eWrestlingNews