Why AEW Dynamite Always Has LONG Overruns (AEW News)

The real reason for those regular AEW Dynamite overruns.

AEW Dynamite Kenny Omega Will Ospreay
AEW

For those avid AEW fans out there, it's become an increasingly regular habit that Dynamite episodes go way, way, way over the scheduled two-hour broadcast. And now, there's a little more information on these Dynamite overruns.

Speaking during the latest Fightful Select SRS Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp noted that part of the reason for these overruns is AEW "appeasing" Warner Bros. Discovery. For WBD, they're getting a free extra 30 minutes or so of action with these overruns, as they don't count towards the hours that AEW owes WBD as part of their ongoing agreement. As Sapp said, if Warners wants the overruns, why wouldn't AEW give it to them, particularly as Tony Khan's company is looking at remaining with WBD when their existing deal is up in 2028.

In regard to those overruns, they usually range between 20-30 minutes, though this past week's Dynamite clocked in at two hours and 35 minutes, meaning an extra 35 minutes of action. Some fans have previously complained about their recording device cutting off at the two-hour mark and causing them to miss the end of Dynamite, and some even complained that recording the show after Dynamite this week still saw the final five minutes of Dynamite not record.

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These latest comments come on the back of the Wrestling Observer's Bryan Alvarez recently stating that, from the people he's spoken to in AEW, "nobody" likes these overruns. Alvarez added that these overruns are actively losing viewers for Dynamite, that some of the company's biggest angles are playing out to a reduced audience, and that, as mentioned above, AEW isn't getting paid for any of this.

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Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer and Presenter, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund and Eli Roth to Kevin Smith and the Russo Brothers, to Kevin Conroy and Frank Miller, to Bret Hart and Sting, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, and Brian Flynn, to many, many more. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is a long-standing season ticket holder and an FSA Award-winner for his time co-hosting the Fearless in Devotion podcast.