AEW TV Deal Updates, Another Possible Network Partner Revealed, Rumor Killer On No Year-Round Show
As noted on Thursday, All Elite Wrestling is said to be in advanced talks with WarnerMedia/Turner Sports for their weekly TV show, believed to air on TNT, TBS or Tru TV, but most likely TNT. It was noted by The Wrap that the deal is "definitely not signed" and the talks are "pretty complex" but "not imminent." It is not a sure thing that AEW will be revealed at their 2019 Upfronts presentation to advertisers on May 15, which was previously reported by a known insider on Twitter.
No deal has been signed as of Thursday, but there is some truth to TNT possibly being the home of the AEW TV show, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Word is that there is a potential TV deal from the Turner group and a second proposal from another group on the table. Prowrestling.net adds that the Showtime network has also been talked about as a potential rival suitor for AEW programming.
The idea is for AEW to have both a weekly primetime TV show and to be involved with a streaming package with the broadcast partner they they sign with. It was previously noted that AEW could air programming on TNT's Bleacher Report Live streaming service.
The story on Thursday from The Wrap noted that the AEW TV show may not be year-round, which would indicate a potential off-season for the organization as they look to be more wrestler-friendly. The Observer reports that this is not accurate as the show would air year-round.
The current plan is for AEW to run a two-hour live TV show, likely airing on a weeknight, but not Monday or Friday due to WWE's RAW and SmackDown. If they go with TNT, the show would not air on Tuesday nights due to TNT's contract with the NBA. This leaves Wednesday or Thursdays as open nights on TNT. We previously noted that AEW had trademarked the "Tuesday Night Dynamite" name, indicating plans for a Tuesday night show, but Tuesday has reportedly been off the table for a while now. The day of the week could be different if they went with another network.
There's no word yet on when the weekly AEW TV show could premiere, but October has been mentioned and would be the best bet scenario if negotiations are completed soon enough to make October viable, according to The Observer.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
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