AEW and Warner Brothers Discovery were finally able to announce the details of their new media rights deal on October 2. The deal will not only see AEW stay on TBS and TNT until at least 2028, but the company will also have its two main shows, "AEW Dynamite" and "AEW Collision," streamed simultaneously on MAX, with the rest of the AEW library following as 2025 rolls on.
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In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed some extra details about the deal now that it has finally been made official. Meltzer revealed that the $555 Million deal that was announced on October 2 was the main part of the agreement, and the goal was to always announce it on the fifth anniversary of "Dynamite." However, there are still some negotiations going on. The most notable being the future of "AEW Rampage," which looks to be finishing at the end of 2024 in favor of a new third show, "AEW Shockwave," which is still being shopped around to other networks. "Rampage" may still have a future according to Meltzer, but it is unlikely given what the company wants to do with "Shockwave."
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FOX has been "Shockwave's" main target given they just lost WWE programming, with Meltzer stating that if AEW were to get on FOX, the best days for them would either be Tuesdays or Thursdays, as "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown" already occupy Monday and Friday, AEW already have shows on Wednesday and Saturdays, and Tony Khan doesn't want to compete with the NFL on Sundays. However, there would be competition on both of those nights in the form of "WWE NXT" on Tuesdays, and some NFL games on Thursdays.
While the future of "Rampage" looks almost certain, some of AEW's other programs have more uncertain futures in regards to airing on TV. The quarterly Battle of the Belts specials were reportedly not part of the new deal, and while the show can still be shopped around and air in the same way WWE is bringing back Saturday Night's Main Event, the upcoming Battle of the Belts XII event on October 19 looks to be the final installment. Meltzer also revealed that talks still exist for other new deals, including the potential to air on TruTV, and ROH finally getting its own deal after nearly two years of streaming on HonorClub.
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The other main part of the deal that Meltzer shed light on was the profitability of AEW. The new deal not only reportedly guarantees AEW will be a profitable company for the next three years, but also looks to make them the second-most profitable wrestling company in history behind WWE. However, it's where AEW President Tony Khan decides to put the added $95 Million in television revenue that is the real question.
Meltzer noted that there is no pressure or urge to try and set profit records, with one of Khan's main goals being investing profits into the international growth of AEW, something that has already been evident in the announcements of the Wrestle Dynasty event in Japan, February's Grand Slam in Australia, and the 2025 Forbidden Door pay-per-view that will take place in London, England, which will then be followed up with the return of All In: London in 2026. Talent are also set to benefit greatly from the deal too, as the injection of money means bidding wars between AEW and WWE will likely result in the talent being paid more money than ever before.
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