AEW's Tony Khan Talks Upcoming Media Rights Deals, Praises WBD CEO David Zaslav
AEW CEO Tony Khan has praised the Warner Brothers Discovery leadership, particularly CEO David Zaslav, ahead of AEW's media rights renewal.
In the post Double or Nothing media scrum, Khan was asked about AEW's negotiations with WBD regarding a new deal. He stated that 2024 is an exciting and important year for AEW, and spoke of the importance of wrestling returning to TNT and TBS.
"It's a really big year [for AEW]. I think a lot of you know some of these details, but to peel back the curtain, this is our media renewal year, and like a lot of athletes or teams, in a big year with a big opportunity, we're all really swinging for the fences here. So it's going to be really important for us. We've been now going on five years at Warner Brothers Discovery and it's been the most amazing relationship," said Khan. "When we started this, something that was really important to me was bringing wrestling back to TNT and TBS because it really ... to the American fans, it is something I grew up on and it's a tradition that goes back over 50 years and it had been interrupted for too long and it's really great having wrestling on TNT and TBS. It just fits like a glove in my opinion."
Khan talked about how "AEW Collision," which began a year ago, has been a success, while also adding that new pay-per-views like Dynasty have also done well, and believes that all three pay-per-views of 2024 have been excellent.
Khan praises WBD's Zaslav
Tony Khan also detailed his relationship with WBD and their CEO David Zaslav, highlighting how Zaslav is keen to have more AEW programming on WBD.
"I know we were having great talks and I'm very blessed to be engaged with the awesome leadership of Warner Brothers Discovery. Mr. Zaslav has been amazing for AEW," said the AEW CEO. "Again, like I was just saying, to be able to create new opportunities after several years of being here and a couple of different, great regimes, including the awesome regime that helped us launch this, it's been so refreshing to have Mr. Zaslav come in with a fresh perspective and want more AEW and give us the opportunity to do a Meal and a Match, give us every Saturday night on TNT for 'Collision,' and I would absolutely love to stay here as long as they would have us."
Khan reiterated how AEW has been treated well by TBS and TNT, and that he's pleased to be working for Zaslav and WBD, and hopes that the partnership will continue. AEW's deal with WBD to air "AEW Dynamite," "AEW Rampage," and "AEW Collision," expires on December 31, 2024. Recent reports have indicated that WBD is happy with AEW, despite a recent slump in ratings. An official announcement of any new deal between AEW and WBD could reportedly be released in the summer or fall.