AEW & Warner Bros Discovery Talks for New Media Rights Deal Update – AEW & WBD “Close to Finalizing” New Deal Worth Around $170 Million Per Year, FOX Talks Status

As noted before, AEW’s television deal with Warner Bros Discovery is currently expected to expire at the end of this year while their exclusivity window for talks with WBD for a potential new media rights deal expired at the end of this past July. WBD recently made an offer that is believed to be worth “at least double” of AEW’s current deal. Besides WBD, FOX is also currently believed to be in talks with AEW for a potential separate deal.

Puck’s John Ourand reported in the newest issue of his The Varsity newsletter that his sources stated that AEW and Warner Bros Discovery is currently “close to finalizing a package” for a new media rights deal and a formal announcement “could come as soon as next week, barring any last minute challenges.”

In regards to the terms of AEW’s new media rights deal, Ourand reported that those spoken to stated that AEW’s new deal is expected to be four years in length with the first three years guaranteed and the fourth being an option year. Ourand reported that AEW will be airing their programming on TNT, TBS, and TruTV “twice a week” but did not provide any details on what this means exactly nor if there would be any changes to AEW’s current programming lineup. In regards to TruTV, Ourand reported that AEW programming airing on TruTV will be part of WBD’s current strategy to make the network more sports-oriented.

In regards to monetary amount, Ourand reported that AEW’s new deal is expected to be worth in the ballpark of around $170 million per year. Ourand confirmed that AEW is currently in talks for another media rights package with outside WBD broadcast networks.

Ourand also reported that should AEW get a media rights deal with FOX for FS1, the total value of their new media rights deal is expected to be worth around $180 million to $200 million per year.