Dave Meltzer Discusses Reported Details Of AEW Negotiations, Deal With WBD, Others

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Last night, the news many wrestling fans have been waiting for appeared to leak early, when a report from "Puck" revealed that AEW's new TV rights deal with Warner Brothers Discovery looked set to be completed by next week. The new deal is believed to be for three years, with the option for a fourth year, with AEW expected to earn around $170 million a year, and their programming being featured "twice a week" on TNT, TBS, and TruTv.

Advertisement

On this morning's "Wrestling Observer Radio," Dave Meltzer attempted to answer some questions still lingering following the report. In regards to AEW's presence on TruTV, Meltzer presumes AEW will be airing on there as part of an effort to rebrand the station into a more sports oriented network. He was unclear on whether this meant new content would be airing on TruTV, whether it meant AEW programming would be simulcast on the station while also airing on TBS and TNT, or if TruTV would be airing replays.

Also unclear is the future of AEW PPV, as many have expected the promotion to reach a deal with the streaming service MAX, though "Puck's" report made no mention of it. Meltzer himself was unsure of whether a potential AEW/MAX deal was included in this new deal, or would be a separate deal. While a separate deal would mean even more money for AEW, Meltzer noted that the $170 million figure, if it included PPV's on MAX, would still be a great increase for AEW.

Advertisement

Finally, Meltzer touched upon rumored negotiations between AEW and Fox, which have surfaced ever since the promotion trademarked "Shockwave" for a potential TV show weeks ago. Noting that Puck's report said AEW was negotiating with broadcast networks for a separate deal, Meltzer still believes AEW on Fox is a "long shot," though he feels Fox Sports 1 could be in play, depending on the amount of money AEW was paid. Meltzer does believe something related to "Shockwave" is in the works, as AEW wouldn't have filed a trademark for it otherwise.