All Elite Wrestling brought sports entertainment back to Warner Bros. networks TNT and TBS for the first time in two decades, and the promotion’s presence has only expanded in the last five years with weekly shows on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
They have had a thriving relationship with WB Television up to today despite a perceptible drop in ratings from week to week. However, the fate of their TV time might be up in the air soon as their media rights deal with Warner comes up at the end of the year.
It’s a ticking clock that fans and analysts everywhere are paying attention to, but AEW co-founder Tony Khan doesn’t sound worried. In a recent interview with WGN Radio promoting upcoming shows in Chicago, Khan had nothing but optimism and kind words toward his working relationship with Warner Discovery and its head executive.
“I want to keep bringing the shows here as long as possible. We have a great partnership and we’re having great talks. I hope that we are with TBS and TNT for a very, very long time,” Khan said (via Fightful).
“We’re really happy to be here and I’m really blessed to work for a great leader like Mr. David Zaslav, who has been so great to AEW, and helped us expand [with] more events and expand TNT Saturdays, and has helped us continue to have these great Wednesday nights on TBS,” he added.
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That makes one confirmed fan of Zaslav who has gained a reputation for good or ill for finding tax breaks and loopholes for his business that consume active productions. Batgirl, Scoob Holiday Haunt, and Coyote vs. Acme were canceled without warning along with various other Warner Bros. projects in just 2022.
To be fair to Zaslav, he inherited a mess when Discovery acquired WarnerMedia and had to get the money under control. Things between WBD and AEW might be cozy right now, but we could see a change in the next six months if the latter’s ratings keep declining.
If Zaslav doesn’t find the arrangement lucrative enough anymore, and there is no wiggle room left, he has two salient options: cut bait or offer Khan less money.