AEW President Tony Khan spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about today’s announcement, hailing it as the “biggest day in AEW’s history.”
Khan also shared that tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite, marking the fifth anniversary of the show’s debut, will commemorate the newly announced deal.
Khan said, “This is the perfect time to make this announcement about our future.”
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO of U.S. Network Kathleen Finch mentioned, “AEW has an unparalleled ability to attract an audience. The advantage now for WBD is to introduce this fantastic event to a streaming audience, the Max audience, which may not have been exposed to AEW significantly until now; starting in January, it will be available every Wednesday and Saturday nights, as well as the library available to stream.”
Finch also expressed WBD’s enthusiasm for the growth opportunities presented by the new agreement with AEW.
She continued, “We are truly excited about the growth and the excitement that the fandom can bring once we’ve got a new platform to expose AEW to.”
As mentioned, the new multimedia deal also includes live pay-per-view events to stream on HBO MAX. Finch indicated that the technology for the AEW pay-per-view element is still in development, and a specific launch for pay-per-view events on MAX is yet to be determined.
However, she noted that including pay-per-view events in the MAX lineup will “open up a lot of exciting possibilities for the fans and for the MAX platform as well.”
Khan added, “It’s a very exciting opportunity for us to be pioneers on such a massive platform. It’s truly thrilling for AEW to be the ones that receive this opportunity. I believe there’s a wealth of fantastic content on the platform, and I think we can bring something fresh to the greatest library of film and television in the world.”
Khan also discussed his rapport with the WBD executives and CEO David Zaslav, noting that they invited him to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics with them and their families.
Khan stated, “I couldn’t ask for better bosses than Kathleen and [WBD CEO] David Zaslav. They’ve been incredibly supportive of AEW since the time that Discovery and Warner Brothers merged to form Warner Bros. Discovery. I’ve received so much love and support from this team.”
Finch also commented on Khan, saying, “What he has accomplished in five years is so extraordinary that I think we sometimes overlook that. It’s the five-year anniversary tonight of something that should actually be 10 or 15 years old given all the growth that it’s had.”
She continued, ?We did not want to let our wonderful partnership with Tony and the entire group at AEW to go anywhere else. What?s exciting about the deal is it is the same deal that we have had, but it?s more because what we?re able to do now is expand the franchise to a potentially brand-new audience on Max. It?s a younger, engaged audience that we think can really tap into this fandom in new way.?
The new multimedia agreement will keep AEW Dynamite and Collision on WBD’s TBS and TNT networks, with the shows being simulcast on MAX in the US.
Beginning in 2025, MAX will commence streaming live AEW pay-per-view events at a “discounted price.” Pricing and further details on how the pay-per-view events on MAX will operate will be disclosed in the coming months, as WBD is still developing the necessary technology to stream live pay-per-view shows.
While both AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery have declined to reveal the financial details of the contract, sources suggest that the deal is for three years with an option for a fourth year.
Sports Business Journal is reporting that the deal is estimated to be $170 million annually, including the rights fee and other components. A previous report from entertainment insiders Puck also mentioned a ballpark figure of $170 million.
The SBJ report also mentions that Warner Bros. Discovery will retain an equity stake in AEW. While this stake has not been officially confirmed, Khan has never refuted the report. The exact size of the equity stake remains unconfirmed.
Bernie Cahill, an Activist Founding Partner, was involved in the negotiations for AEW, while David Zaslav and WBD’s senior leadership team helped finalize the deal on WBD’s side.
