Major Update On New AEW-WBD Deal
The latest details on a potential new WBD deal for AEW.
With AEW's existing deal with Warner Bros. Discovery running until the end of 2024, there's now a notable update on the two parties continuing their working relationship.
As per Fightful Select, WBD sources have confirmed that, while there is a little bit of "red tape" to get through, the media conglomerate has made a new offer to AEW for a long-term TV deal. These sources state the offer is "literally extensive" and WBD is confident in it, with the offer now in AEW's hands to review. Both WBD and AEW remain optimistic that a deal will be agreed upon, although there's no word yet on when any possible announcement could take place.
Following previous reports that Tony Khan was to meet WBD CEO David Zaslav in Paris during the Olympics, it's said this meeting was viewed as productive from both sides, with this new deal offer coming together in the aftermath of this get-together.
Fightful adds how sources close to this situation claim that AEW was offered "at least double" their current deal prior to this most recent offer. However, there are no publicly available numbers for their TV deal and it's not known whether this "double" would be for the same amount of programming as previously or if new elements would be incorporated.
At present, the existing AEW-WBD deal covers Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision, with an exclusivity that meant Dark and Dark: Elevation were pulled from YouTube. Fightful has been told that "any and all combinations and possibilities" have been explored, with PPVs, library rights, and Ring of Honor amongst things that could alter the amount on any new deal when compared to AEW's existing WBD deal.
Finally, sources from both AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery told Fightful that they expect this partnership to continue "for years to come" - even if a new deal hasn't quite been agreed on as of this writing.