As we’ve been reporting here on eWn, AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery continue to negotiate on a new television deal.
According to a report from Fightful Select, several sources at WBD have confirmed that another offer was made for a long-term TV deal to AEW. While there’s still some red tape to deal with, WBD is “very confident” in the deal getting done in the near future. It is said that both sides considered Tony Khan’s meeting with David Zaslav at the Paris Olympics to be “productive” and that the latest offer came after that meeting.
One source said that the offer is “literally extensive” but did not expand on what that means. The offer is currently being reviewed by AEW, and both sides are optimistic that a deal will be made. As of this writing, there is no word on when any deal will be announced.
AEW was reportedly offered “at least double” the amount of their previous deal, and while there aren’t any publicly-available numbers, it is said to be a significant amount of money that has evolved a lot over its length. The current deal features Dynamite, Collision, and Rampage exclusively airing on WBD Networks.
Additionally, “any and all combinations and possibilities” have been explored with a new deal. AEW has produced reality shows and done several crossovers on WBD digital channels. Among the aspects that could potentially change the amount of any deal are pay-per-view events, next-day streaming rights, library rights and packages including Ring of Honor.
Finally, it was added that there were internal rumors at WBD that a “shift in PPV strategy” had been discussed. Representatives for WBD had indicated earlier in 2024 that any deal would likely be done with Max in mind.
AEW’s current TV deal runs through the end of 2024.
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