During a recent interview with WrestlePurists, AEW World Champion MJF commented on AEW’s relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery, the next potential TV rights deal for All Elite Wrestling, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the interview below:
On AEW’s relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery: “Turner loves us right now. We are in the top three on a weekly basis. We are, frankly, the second hottest property that they own. The first hottest is the NBA, which, to be fair, had a bit of a head start on us. So, we’re sitting pretty, and sometimes I’ll read ‘the sky is falling stuff’ online and it makes me chuckle. I’ll bring something to everyone’s attention that nobody wants to talk about, and it’s even becoming blatantly obvious for Raw and SmackDown. Cable as a whole, cord-cutting as a whole, since 2019, is astronomical, it’s astronomical. Now, the way this business and industry is set up, especially with streaming now, things are changing. Now, pro wrestling is one of the hottest products that a cable provider can or a big cable network can own because live sports is king. In the streaming world, for cable, live sports is king. That’s what we are. so 890,000 people in 2023, frankly, is the equivalent to a million people in 2019.”
On the reality of cord-cutting: “That’s just a fucking fact that people don’t want to talk about because people get weird about the cord-cutting thing. If you actually do the math, and you look up how many houses and households have been stopped [using cable]… genuinely, we’re giving people a reason to buy a fucking cable box. That is the undeniable truth about both WWE and AEW. I think that [Warner Bros. Discovery] is going to give us a really good deal, and I think that’s the next step for AEW because once they give us that good deal, you can pay big money players like me what we’re worth, and that’s huge.”
On AEW’s roster: “Right now, undoubtedly, and I think everyone would admit this, I feel like we have the strongest bell-to-bell roster probably in the history of the sport, and I don’t feel like that’s hyperbole at all. Me, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong — fucking piece of shit, Brody King, RUSH, Ricky Starks, Will Hobbs, Samoa Joe, Miro, Malakai Black. It’s an embarrassment of riches, bro. I could go on and on until my face turns blue.”
On AEW’s next media rights deal and a potential streaming deal on Max: “That’s my deal. That’s what I think the next step is, just us coming to a term of agreement with Turner. Outside of that, what I also will say is, I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I think if we do get on Max that would be massive.”
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AEW World Champion MJF recently sat down for an interview with WrestlePurists to discuss various topics, including AEW’s relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery, the potential TV rights deal for All Elite Wrestling, and the strength of AEW’s roster.
One of the key points MJF highlighted was AEW’s strong relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery. He mentioned that Turner, the network that airs AEW programming, is highly supportive of the promotion. MJF stated that AEW consistently ranks in the top three on a weekly basis and is currently the second hottest property owned by Turner, with the NBA being the first. He also addressed concerns about cord-cutting and emphasized that cable as a whole has seen significant changes since 2019 due to the rise of streaming platforms. However, he believes that pro wrestling remains a valuable asset for cable networks because live sports content is still highly sought after.
MJF expressed confidence that AEW will secure a favorable TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which will enable them to pay their top talent what they are worth. He believes that AEW’s success in attracting viewers will give them leverage in negotiations.
When discussing AEW’s roster, MJF claimed that they currently have the strongest bell-to-bell lineup in the history of professional wrestling. He mentioned several notable names, including himself, Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Brody King, RUSH, Ricky Starks, Will Hobbs, Samoa Joe, Miro, and Malakai Black. MJF described it as an “embarrassment of riches” and expressed his admiration for the talent within the company.
Regarding AEW’s next media rights deal, MJF mentioned that negotiations with Turner are ongoing. He also hinted at the possibility of AEW securing a streaming deal on Max, which he believes would be a significant milestone for the promotion.
In conclusion, MJF’s interview shed light on AEW’s strong relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery, their confidence in securing a favorable TV rights deal, the exceptional talent on their roster, and the potential for a streaming deal on Max. As AEW continues to grow and gain popularity, fans eagerly await updates on these developments.