AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery are presently embroiled in discussions regarding their ongoing television rights deal, as reported earlier by us here at eWn. The collaborative efforts and cross-promotion strategies of both entities have instilled them both with a higher degree of confidence in their partnership. The outcome of their ongoing negotiations is expected to have a significant impact on the trajectory of AEW in the wrestling industry.
In a recent report from Fightful Select, it has been confirmed that both AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery are optimistic about the continuity of their partnership. Warner Bros. Discovery has taken an active role in cross-promotional initiatives, such as incorporating the House of the Dragon and facilitating the Reebok deal for The Young Bucks.
Even though Warner Bros. Discovery displayed an eagerness to AEW by presenting an offer several months ago, the specifics of the proposal remain undisclosed. Negotiations have been continuous since the previous year, including discussions about the potential for integrating AEW pay-per-view events into their Max service. AEW has chosen to deal patiently as the dialogue continues.
The report further elaborated on the matter, stating, “There is already an offer on the table from the WBD side to AEW and has been for months, though the details regarding that are few and far between. There have been ongoing talks for quite some time, dating back to last year, when overtures were made to get AEW PPV on Max. However, AEW has opted to wait so far and conversations continued.”
Predicting a specific monetary value for the deal is complicated given the vast number of variables involved. Reportedly, AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery have been holding frequent meetings every Monday to discuss integrations, creative planning, and any potential challenges.
In addition, experiments with different time slots and three-hour blocks have been conducted to establish the most suitable nights and timings for AEW shows, which include Dynamite, Collision, and Rampage.
Warner Bros. Discovery is showing interest in airing AEW pay-per-view events on the Max service from 2023 onwards. However, it is assumed that AEW will initially negotiate a collective deal for their properties. Sources have revealed that a streaming agreement is likely to be included in AEW’s next contract with Warner Bros. Discovery.
A source from AEW stated that if Warner Bros. Discovery loses the rights to broadcast NBA games, it could potentially have a significant impact on AEW’s future. The source drew a parallel between the situation and an NFL quarterback setting the contract market, suggesting that this scenario could make room for greater flexibility in other programming.