wrestling / News
UPDATED: Even More On AEW TV Deal: More Major Networks Besides Turner Interested
UPDATE: Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is the latest to confirm that AEW is in talks with Turner for a TV deal and that that deal has not been signed yet. However, Meltzer does have a few different details than the earlier report by The Wrap.
* Meltzer says the part about AEW’s weekly show having an off-season instead of being a year-round show is “not accurate.”
* He said TNT is “one of the suitors in play.”
* He added that two other major US broadcast networks that also have streaming services are interested in AEW.
* Meltzer noted that Turner has experimented with streaming PPV, as they did the Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson golf challenge last year, but it was a technical disaster and they were forced to give everyone the stream for free and issue refunds.
ORIGINAL: The Wrap reports that AEW is in advanced talks with WarnerMedia and Turner for a weekly TV series that would likely air on TNT, although the deal is “definitely not signed” at this time. This confirms reports from yesterday that there were ongoing talks between the two parties, although that report seemed to suggest it was a done deal.
A source suggested that the details for the talks are “pretty complex” and “not imminent.” While they likely want to have an announcement at Turner’s mid-May upfront (an event where TV platforms announce their new programming to advertisers), it’s not confirmed that they will.
Here are some other details:
– The weekly series will most likely be on TNT, but AEW will likely have a “multiplatform existence.”
– Turner’s B/R Live is the most likely destination for additional AEW content.
– There is a possibility that the AEW series will not be year-round. This would be due to the promotion being new and wanting to go easier on wrestlers than WWE.
AEW will hold their first big event, Double or Nothing, on May 25 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. In an interesting tidbit, The Wrap reports that Double or Nothing will stream on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.