wrestling / News

AEW TV Deal Announced, Will Air on TNT Later This Year, Double or Nothing to Stream On B/R Live

May 15, 2019 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
AEW Logo Sandra Gray, AEW Figure Fighters, Kevin Kelly Image Credit: AEW

– All Elite Wrestling’s long-discussed television deal is official, as the promotion is partnering with WarnerMedia to air on TNT later this year. WarnerMedia announced on Wednesday morning that it is partnering with AEW for content that will include “multi-platform access for fans to watch AEW events, airing live weekly matches on TNT in prime time, as well as streaming them through WarnerMedia’s B/R Live and on pay-per-view.”

No specific time frame was given for the content beyond “later this year,” and no day of the week was mentioned. Jim Ross said in early April that the plan was to have a two-hour show that would begin in October. It’s possible that more details may be announced later today at the WarnerMedia upfronts presentation.

The announcement notes that “WarnerMedia and AEW together will build this powerhouse sporting league from the ground up and will begin airing weekly matches later this year. With this league, AEW is introducing a new generation of wrestlers to fans, offering fun, gripping and authentic athletic matches that will make wrestling more accessible to a broad audience. WarnerMedia will utilize its position as a next-generation global media company to build this league into a global pro-wrestling franchise.”

“All Elite Wrestling is a talent-forward, fan-first league whose inclusive approach to creating high-quality athletic wrestling competitions is already making waves with fans and attracting top-tier wrestlers,” said Michael Quigley, executive vice president, commercial operations, content strategy and monetization, TBS and TNT. “It is high-adrenaline, gripping entertainment and we can’t wait to bring it to fans everywhere with this game-changing new business.”

“Wrestling fans have wanted – and needed – something different, authentic and better for far too long,” said Tony Khan, President and CEO of AEW. “AEW is answering the call. AEW is about more than wrestling. It’s about a movement fueled by wrestling fans who have been underserved and perhaps even disappointed by what the industry has produced in recent years. AEW is rising to the occasion with DOUBLE OR NOTHING and today taking it a step further by partnering with WarnerMedia, which is as committed as we are to making wrestling fans the one and only priority. With WarnerMedia, AEW is poised globally to redefine wrestling as we know it today.”

AEW’s goals are described in the press release as follows:

Focused on producing fast-paced, high-impact competitions, AEW offers fans less scripted, soapy drama, and more athleticism and real sports analytics, bringing a legitimacy to wrestling that it has not previously had. Wrestlers will also be given more freedom to explore their characters and highlight their athletic abilities. Introducing statistics to wrestling for the first time ever, AEW will raise the stakes for its matches and deepen fan engagement by tracking each competitor’s wins and losses as the wrestlers pursue championships, analyzing their moves, assessing damage to their opponents, and providing insights into their winning streaks.

The announcement hyped Double or Nothing and noted that B/R Live will be the exclusive digital streaming partner in the United States for the event, which takes place on May 25th. The hour-long pre-show special The Buy-In will stream on WarnerMedia and AEW’s social media channels and will include the Casino (Battle) Royale, featuring twenty-one competitors entering in waves every three minutes followed by one final entrant. The winner will receive future title shot against the first ever AEW World Champion.

TNT also made it official with a post to Twitter, as you can see below: