Report: Warner Bros. Discovery Wants Long-Term Deal With AEW

There is a new report on Warner Bros. Discovery wanting a long-term deal with All Elite Wrestling.

2023 will be a very important year in the history of AEW with contract negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery looming as their deal is set to expire at the end of that year.

On the latest edition of John Arezzi’s Pro Wrestling Spotlight podcast, the hosts discussed WBD running AEW ads during sports programming like TBS’ coverage of the MLB Playoffs.

Arezzi said:

“They’re trying to make it a sport. That’s what the strategy is. The strategy is that they are pushing AEW into the sports category, not the entertainment category. They’re increasing that because of the new ownership because Warner Bros. is now Warner Bros. Discovery.”

Arezzi continued on to address WBD’s strategy towards All Elite Wrestling, saying:

“Everything I hear of what’s going on even with TNT, it’s gonna be turning into a more sports-centric network. So they are now putting their resources behind these promo announcements to increase ratings. So whether or not they’re tasteful in regards to the violence and the blood, there’s a method to the madness.”

John Arezzi concluded by discussing what the inside sources are saying in regards to a new deal, saying:

“I’m privy to a lot of insider conversations at least on the Warner Bros. Discovery side. I have a lot of people there in very high executive positions that I’ve known for many years that I worked for when I was in television here in Nashville. The same people who are now the leaders of Warner Bros. Discovery on the ad sales front. They see this property, AEW, as someone they want to be in business with long-term. They had a contract which was absorbed by them when they merged that wasn’t the sweetest deal for TNT and TBS. It was kind of one-sided. So now what they are trying to do is to kind of collaborate and work together so they can work on the next long-term deal with them. I can’t get into it too much but there’s a lot of faith behind the AEW product right now from the folks at Warner Bros. Discovery.”

As previously reported, Warner Bros. Discovery are in the works on some new AEW projects in the future.

Stay up to date with the AEW roster’s win-loss record (for televised matches) at this link.

Transcription via Wrestlingnews.co

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