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Chris Jericho says AEW’s new TV deal is great for wrestling.
All Elite Wrestling announced that they had signed a new media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery on October 2. The multi-year deal is valued at upwards of $150 million per year.
Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho discussed the new TV deal during an appearance on Busted Open Radio. (H/t Jeremy Lambert of Fightful for the transcription)
“I think we proved a lot of so-called ‘experts’ [wrong] and we made them look like idiots,” Chris Jericho said. “We knew what was going on with this. The landscape changes constantly; numbers go up and numbers go down, but the overall demo of what AEW brings to the table as a live sporting event is invaluable.
“We knew it was something that people would want to be involved with. Warner Brothers Discovery didn’t want us to go anywhere, and you can see, $185 million a year for a company that has only been going five years. That’s never happened before. Ever. “
Chris Jericho: AEW Is Thriving And Healthy
Jericho continued by noting that not even WWE had a deal like this five years in. He stated that AEW was not going anywhere, and this TV deal was good for the wrestling business.
“Obviously, WWE is the gold standard,” Chris Jericho said. “They didn’t have a deal like that five years in. With all the growing pains, good and bad, that AEW has, we’re still such a young company. That showed we have a real commitment. We’re not going anywhere. Tony Khan is not going anywhere. I’m not going anywhere, much to people’s chagrin.
“Neither is the rest of the company. It’s going to be a really great next three to five years. There is nothing worse than if AEW didn’t get a great television deal. There is nothing better for the business and the fans than for AEW to thrive and be healthy. We are.”
