AEW, WBD Fail To Come To Terms On New TV Deal
Latest on the wrestling media rights landscape heading into 2024.
AEW and media partners Warner Bros. Discovery recently failed to come to terms on an agreement encompassing television rights, pay-per-views, and the Tony Khan-helmed promotion's library. However, the partnership remains a happy one.
Fightful Select reported on the fallen-through deal. Per the outlet, Khan "has a particular value that he believes the AEW library is worth."
WBD sources have indicated that the media group is "very happy" with its AEW partnership. They are looking for it to continue, despite the above.
Fightful asked about AEW's viewership numbers, to which a source commented that the current situation was foreseen, particularly with the promotion going up against football games during the fall.
That WBD and AEW were yet to agree on new terms was accurate as of a few weeks ago. Warner's budget could be impacted by NBA rights; if the group loses basketball to another broadcaster (NBCUniversal and USA Network are expected to bid), its budget may be impacted. Currently, the NBA expects a huge rights deal increase for 2025/26.
NBCU/USA buying the NBA rights would have a further knock-on effect, too. WWE Raw and NXT are still in play, so if NBCU/USA assigned part of its budget to the NBA, the pot would theoretically be smaller for the WWE shows.