Move over, Hollywood big shots! Tony Khan, AEW President and professional wrestling’s most enthusiastic hype man, has headlined Variety’s 2024 Dealmakers list. Yes, the same Tony Khan who probably hasn’t slept since 2019 but still manages to negotiate deals bigger than a Big Show chokeslam.
Khan’s inclusion stems from AEW’s shiny new media rights deal with Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD), worth a whopping $555 million. That’s a lot of zeros, folks—enough to buy all the replica championship belts you could ever dream of. This deal locks AEW on TNT and TBS until 2027 while adding weekly simulcasts on MAX. Oh, and AEW’s entire tape library? Now on-demand for U.S. fans. It’s like Netflix but with more body slams.
“Our new arrangement signifies that AEW will make history,” Khan said, radiating enough optimism to light up an entire Dynamite set. And history-making it is. The deal boosts AEW’s valuation to over $2 billion, making it the third most valuable combat sports company behind UFC and WWE. Not too shabby for a company that started with a prayer and a Young Bucks match.
But wait, there’s another Khan on the list! WWE President Nick Khan is also featured, alongside TKO’s Ari Emanuel, Mark Shapiro, and CFO Andrew Schleimer. WWE snagged a $5 billion deal with Netflix, ensuring its global dominance and what Schleimer called “extraordinarily important money.” Because let’s face it, nothing says global exposure like binge-watching Raw after Stranger Things.
So, while Nick Khan may have the bigger deal, Tony Khan’s innovation and relentless hustle have made AEW the industry’s ultimate underdog story. And who doesn’t love an underdog?