Update on AEW & Warner Bros Discovery Finalizing New Media Rights Deal & Status of AEW PPVs and ROH

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. AEW and WBD are currently believed to be close to finalizing a new media rights deal that would be 3-4 years in length and worth in the ballpark of around $170 million per year.

Fightful Select reported that their sources confirmed John Ourand’s report about AEW and WBD being close to finalizing a new media rights deal and provided some additional details.

It was reported that AEW’s new media rights package will be enough to make AEW a profitable company. It was reported that those within AEW had the goal of a five-year deal for $200 million per year as a “large benchmark” they had hoped to achieve. While AEW’s new deal is slightly less in terms of years and monetary amount, it was reported that there is now potential for AEW to surpass that goal.

It was reported that those spoken to within AEW and WBD stated that AEW pay-per-view events may be part of a separate deal for MAX and not be included in the $170 million per year media rights package. It was also reported that with AEW’s recent talks with FOX, it appears that the exclusive contract AEW had with WBD for AEW content will be ending with this new media rights deal.

In regards to Ring of Honor, it was reported that it is currently not known if ROH is included in any of these deals but it remains a possibility.

In regards to FOX, it was also reported that the status and details of AEW’s current talks with FOX for AEW content is currently not known.

Those spoken to reportedly stated that AEW officials have kept most information about their new media rights contract a secret within the company with talent being unaware of many of the details.

It was also confirmed that an official announcement of a new media rights deal could be made as early as next week.