Dave Meltzer Breaks Down The New AEW-WBD Media Rights Deal

After months of murmurings, the wait is finally over. On October 2, AEW and Warner Brothers Discovery made it official with a new media rights deal that ensures the two companies will be arm-in-arm for the foreseeable future. In the latest "Wrestling Observer Newsletter," Dave Meltzer broke down the details of the multi-year agreement, which dropped just a few hours before the fifth anniversary of "AEW Dynamite" on TBS.

"Sources close to the negotiations said this was a three-year deal at which will total $555 million," according to Meltzer. "This is broken down as $180 million in 2025, $185 million in 2026 and $190 million in 2027. WBD has an option year built in for all of 2028 at a significantly higher number." Meltzer noted these numbers are higher than those previously reported in other sports media outlets and TV trade forums. The deal also involves the streaming service MAX in a big way. Along with simulcasting "Dynamite" and "AEW Collision," AEW plans to migrate its entire video library as 2025 unfolds. The deal will also offer AEW's pay-per-views at a discounted rate to MAX subscribers, similar to how UFC does with ESPN+ subscribers. Both the video library migration and PPV delivery system are expected to take some time to roll out.

Also, as previously rumored, the new deal discontinues "AEW Rampage" on Fridays, with AEW's purported new "AEW Shockwave" show still being shopped around. FOX is still considered the strongest contender to acquire it, with Meltzer confirming with FOX that Tuesday or Thursday would be the likeliest landing spot should a deal happen. Meltzer also says that since WBD now possesses exclusive rights to AEW's programming on cable and streaming, "Shockwave" will have to exist on a broadcast network.