Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your wrestling tights because the world of AEW TV rights negotiations is more dramatic than a steel cage match on a hot summer night. Our insider at the Puck, Matthew Belloni, has dropped a bombshell: AEW’s charismatic overlord Tony Khan is less than thrilled with the current offer from Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). Yes, you heard it right. Despite the bromance between Khan and WBD CEO David Zaslav, Tony’s not quite ready to put a ring on it.
For now, the negotiations are as exclusive as the VIP section at Studio 54. But come July, Khan will be free to play the field, potentially sparking a bidding war that would make even Ric Flair blush. So why the dissatisfaction? Rumor has it, Khan’s poker face is hiding a readiness to swipe right on other offers.
Publicly, Tony’s all smiles and high-fives about the AEW-WBD partnership. He’s been pouring compliments like a bartender at closing time, especially after Sunday’s AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view. Khan’s been laying it on thick about his love for TNT and TBS, but behind the scenes, he’s like a wrestling prom queen ready to ditch her date if a better offer comes along.
Now, here’s the twist: WBD might be about to lose their NBA rights after the 2024-2025 season. That’s right, no more slam dunks, alley-oops, or buzzer-beaters. This should make AEW the prom king in WBD’s eyes, right? Not so fast. Despite the looming NBA void, WBD’s offer hasn’t exactly been a championship belt.
Khan first tied the knot with WBD in 2019, bringing “AEW Dynamite” to our screens. They renewed their vows in early 2020, adding “AEW Rampage” and later “AEW Collision” in 2023. The deal was for four years, with an optional fifth year that WBD eagerly exercised. Now, as the contract’s about to hit its final bell, Tony Khan’s got his eyes on the prize – and maybe a few new suitors.
Stay tuned, wrestling fans. This contract saga might just be the biggest storyline in AEW history.