AEW’s future with Warner Bros. Discovery remains in question as contract talks progress.
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According to
the Puck’s Matthew Belloni, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and TNT Sports head Luis Silberwasser would like to keep AEW programming on TNT and TBS but said the clock is ticking.
“I’m told the exclusive window closes in July, and AEW leader Tony Khan is said to be disappointed with the offer currently on the table,” wrote Belloni.
In his piece, the former editor of The Hollywood Reporter suggested that AEW could gain more leverage if Warner Bros. Discovery loses its NBA broadcasting rights, even though AEW’s renewal cost is small compared to the NBA. If Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t secure a deal with AEW, other competitors could vie for the promotion’s programming. However, Belloni questioned AEW’s appeal to other platforms, noting only non-WWE partners could bid. Despite this, Belloni noted that AEW performs well on Turner networks, calling it reliable programming, and that a competing bidder could pressure Zaslav in negotiations.