AEW Secures Stunning Deal with WBD for Streaming Success
Photo Credit: WWE
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All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has officially solidified its relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) in a groundbreaking deal that promises to reshape the landscape of professional wrestling television. Starting in January 2025, AEW’s flagship programs Dynamite and Collision will continue to air on TBS and TNT while also streaming live on MAX. Additionally, AEW’s pay-per-view events will be available on MAX at a discounted rate starting later in 2025. According to reports from Fightful Select, the deal brings both excitement and change for AEW and its fans.
In the days following the announcement, Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp uncovered more details about this lucrative deal. AEW’s Dynamite and Collision will remain on their respective days—Wednesdays and Saturdays—while the future of AEW Rampage hangs in the balance. The show, initially requested by WBD in 2021, will no longer air on the network, with both sides focusing on the primetime programs. There are rumors that Rampage may find a new home, but no concrete plans have been revealed as of now.
Another intriguing facet of the deal centers around AEW’s library. The intention is for the full library of Dynamite, Collision, and Rampage to be included on MAX, although it is uncertain what will happen if Rampage moves to another platform. Financially, the specifics of the agreement remain undisclosed; however, various sources estimate that the deal is worth between $150 and $170 million per year. This figure represents a significant increase from AEW’s previous earnings, indicating a successful negotiation process.
But not all aspects of the arrangement have been met with enthusiasm. AEW’s pay-per-view events will still incur costs even after being made available on MAX. This has raised concerns internally among AEW personnel, drawing parallels to the challenges faced by WWE as they transitioned to a subscription-based model which has limited their PPV revenue. While some may argue that the ease of access to WWE’s premium live events has transformed their success, there are worries that AEW could face a similar conundrum down the line.
Moreover, discussions surrounding WBD’s potential equity stake in AEW were met with mixed responses, with both companies neither confirming nor denying these claims. Despite this ambiguity, the deal also allows AEW to regain rights to additional programming, following the exclusivity enforced in previous agreements.
As this new partnership unfolds, it is clear that AEW is poised for a transformative era in professional wrestling, standing at the threshold of wider streaming access and a more lucrative financial landscape. As fans look forward to these developments, the ongoing conversation about the future of pay-per-view offerings within this framework will likely continue to shape AEW’s strategy.
In conclusion, the partnership between AEW and WBD signals a bold step forward for both entities, and as the details continue to emerge, it will be fascinating to see how this impacts AEW’s growth and the wrestling industry as a whole.
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