Update On WBD-AEW Deal And Offers

Things continue to move well on the AEW-WBD front.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp  has spoken with a number of sources within AEW and WBD about the possibility of an impending announcement. WBD sources confirmed there was still some red tape to get through, but that another offer for a long-term television deal was made recently to All Elite Wrestling from the company that they’re very confident in. Figthful reported earlier this summer that Tony Khan was set to meet with WBD’s David Zaslav in Paris during the Olympics. Khan confirmed as much was planned, and Fightful has heard that both sides considered that meeting productive. We’re told that the deal came after that.

One WBD source called the offer “extensive,” but didn’t elaborate on what that, meant outside of saying the terms of the deal were “literally extensive,” but that the offer is in AEW’s hands and that they’re reviewing it. AEW and WBD seemed optimistic that a deal would be agreed to, but we didn’t hear of when an announcement could be made. 

Sources close to the situation said that even previous to the most recent offer, All Elite Wrestling had been offered “at least double” the amount of their previous deal. A few important things to note is that there are no publicly available numbers for their current television deal, and that deal evolved greatly over the body of the deal. It’s also worth noting that we don’t know if “at least double,” are for the same amount of programming, or if additional elements are involved. 

AEW currently has Dynamite, Collision, Rampage worked into their deal, as well as exclusivity for AEW programming, which is why Dark no longer appears on Youtube. We’re told that “any and all combinations and possibilities” have been explored. AEW has also produced reality shows, done numerous specific crossovers, and ran pilots on WBD digital channels. PPV, next day streaming, library rights and ROH packages are all things that could greatly alter the amount on any deal compared to what it was at for the first four years of AEW.

There were rumors internally that WBD had discussed a “shift in PPV strategy” as it pertained to AEW, but they did not respond when we reached out for comment on that. WBD reps had noted earlier this year that any deal that they negotiate will likely have Max in mind. WBD had made inquiries with AEW as of last year about the possibility of that shift in PPV strategy, per WBD sources. 

Sources in WBD and AEW continue to be steadfast in claiming that they have been in ongoing discussions regarding a new deal, or adjustments to their deal and how to continue working together since last year. Sources from each side that we spoke to expect the partnership to continue “for years to come.”

AEW’s current deal goes through the end of the year, as they originally had a short-term agreement with WBD in 2019, before extending long term for the start of 2020. 

Regarding word that a WBD memo outlined the value of AEW programming, that was actually a prediction and estimate spreadsheet produced by a Fightful Select subscriber, and was posted in our discord. WBD said that they knew of no such memo.