New Report Suggests WBD Could Pursue More 'Wrestling-Themed Shows'

While some of Warner Bros Discovery's recent decisions have been controversial, to say the least, it appears there could be some positive news on the horizon for AEW. According to a report from Deadline, the TNets division of the company, consisting of TNT, TBS and TruTV, is looking towards less costly series that don't feature A-list stars and could pair well with the company's unscripted and sports programming. Most importantly, wrestling programming is singled out as one of the top options, as it is both relatively cheap to produce and consistently garners high ratings on TNT and TBS. This bodes well for AEW, whose television contract is reportedly up at the end of next year.

Deadline's report also states that WBD is also looking towards more reality-style scripted shows, which could include AEW's long-rumored reality series. TNT had previously aired "Rhodes to the Top," a reality series led by former AEW stars Cody and Brandi Rhodes. That show has seemingly been quietly canceled as Rhodes made the move over to WWE, though it appears AEW is working on some kind of a replacement series. The article also notes that sports continue to be the main priority for the collection of networks, so it's likely fans will see "Dynamite" and "Rampage" occasionally preempted during the NBA and NHL seasons as in years past.

Last year, Tony Khan negotiated an extension for AEW's contract with a pre-merger Warner Bros. that saw the wrestling company gain a significant increase for their television rights deal. It is expected that their next deal will be even larger.