Previously on eWrestlingNews (eWn), we reported that Tony Khan, the President of AEW, flew to Paris last week. His mission? A meeting with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, amid the Olympic Games. The two powerhouses continue brokering discussions over a fresh media rights agreement.
In a recent engagement with “Q101,” Khan devoted some time to chat about the continuing negotiations. He delved into what the new television rights conversation means for AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Khan expressed, “This is undoubtedly the most critical period in AEW’s history. We stand on the cusp of securing the most monumental deal we’ve ever negotiated – the impending media rights. Engaging with Warner Brothers Discovery on our future steps has been incredibly rewarding. Throughout the years, we’ve had an exceptional working relationship with Warner Brothers Discovery. Following the transition to David Zaslav’s leadership, I believe that relationship has only strengthened. Over the past five years, it’s been a journey leading up to this point where AEW is set to break into the media rights sector. It sets us up to be an abundantly profitable and successful venture that has surpassed every expectation established because of the amazing achievements over the years.”
Khan further added, “We’ve set new records with our pay-per-view events, with viewership numbers, both adjusted or straight-up, when compared to the last few years of WCW. This is truly a success story. Our yearly financials show steady growth. This year was exceptional for us, we hosted big events, major hits like Revolution, one of our largest pay-per-views ever.”
Since initiating the AEW Dynamite series in October 2019, the AEW programs have found a home on Warner Bros. Discovery channels. Khan constantly underscores the criticality of wrestling’s comeback to TBS and TNT, especially after WCW ended in 2001.