Update on AEW & Warner Bros Discovery Working Relationship & Wednesday’s WBD 2024 Upfronts

Warner Brothers Discovery will be holding their upfronts press conference later today at The Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.

In regards to AEW’s potential involvement, PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that his sources stated that AEW will be mentioned as part of WBD’s upcoming presentation. Johnson reported that it is not expected that WBD’s presentation will include the announcement of a new television deal with AEW nor are the two sides believed to have locked in a new media rights deal as of this time.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources confirmed PWInsider’s report and provided additional details regarding the status of the talks between AEW and WBD and their current working relationship.

Sapp reported that those spoken to within AEW and WBD stated that the announcement of a new deal is currently expected to be kept “very close to the vest” and that this Summer or Fall could be the more likely announcement point. Sapp reported that AEW’s current exclusivity window with WBD runs into the summer but an exact date on when it expires is currently not known.

Sapp also reported that there is a pilot for a new AEW-related program that was set to be announced on AEW and WBD’s social media channels this week. Those spoken to reportedly described this new program as not being a reality series.

Sapp also reported that those spoken to within WBD stated that WBD officials had been interested in adding AEW pay-per-view events to their MAX streaming service for quite some time. Those same sources reportedly also stated that the two sides have been in talks for quite some time as well in regards to what a deal would look like with some proposals being made back as far as last year. Those same sources reportedly also stated that almost every deal that WBD does is now made with MAX in mind and that at the time of AEW’s last deal, there was not nearly the heavy focus that their is now towards the platform for the company.

In regards to WBD’s current media rights talks with NBA, Sapp reported that those spoken to within WBD stated that if WBD does end up losing the rights to the NBA, they will be looking at reinvesting funds to maintain their current position on cable and will need to look at other properties to help attract viewers. Sapp reported that it is currently not known if any of WBD’s current plans for this situation is related to AEW or if it will affect it in any way.

Sapp also reported that those spoken to within AEW and WBD were complementary towards each other and the current process of the talks between the two companies.