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AEW, WWE, Smackdown, USA, WBD, NBA -- how all the dominoes could fall

Added 2023-11-01 20:25:08 +0000 UTC

With Tony Khan’s “important announcement, there has been plenty of speculation regarding a potential broadcast or streaming home for AEW. As of a few weeks ago, there hadn’t been a deal reached between WBD and AEW for Max, but WWE and Universal did reach a deal for Smackdown fairly recently.

Fightful Select has learned that one deal may affect the other in certain ways. NBCUniversal was eager to land Smackdown, which has been viewed as the top Smackdown show as far as viewership and being “football proof.” However, sports may play a role in the dominoes falling.

WBD contacts spoke with Fightful and confirmed a rumor that we heard that they expect NBCU and USA Network to make a bid on NBA programming rights, which have been a staple of TNT for years. This would likely affect the budget that could exist for USA/Universal getting Raw and NXT as well. NBA is expecting a massive increase for the TV rights in 25-26.

This would also affect WBD’s budget, in the event that they somehow lose the NBA. AEW and WBD as of a few weeks ago have not yet agreed on a deal which we’re told would include AEW television rights, PPV, as well as the library. Those at WBD stated that Khan has a a particular value that he believes the AEW library is worth.

WBD sources that we spoke to said that they’ve been very happy with the AEW partnership and look for it to continue. When we asked about viewership numbers that are often the talking point, one source there noted that it isn’t anything that the company hadn’t anticipated, especially going up against football in the fall.