wrestling / News

More on AEW Dynamite Renewal, Possible Day For AEW Dark on TNT

January 16, 2020 | Posted by Jeremy Thomas
AEW Dynamite logo All Elite Wrestling Dynamite Image Credit: AEW

– New details are coming out of the latest report on AEW Dynamite being renewed by TNT through 2023 and the pickup of AEW Dark for television later this year. On this morning’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed some of the financial aspects of the deal and the news that a second show has been picked up by WarnerMedia.

According to Meltzer, the new deal — which is for $175 million over four years — means that AEW is getting guaranteed money for this year and is a big increase in what they’ve been getting out of the deal with WarnerMedia, to the point that it will make them profitable.

The previous deal with Turner had no guaranteed money for AEW but gave them a split of ad revenue and paid $26 million a year in production costs. They will no longer have their production costs paid, which means that this is essentially an increase of $19 million a year, but they are also still getting the ad revenue split and will be able to factor in another hour of that through the new show. Meltzer described the money from the ad revenue as a “substantial number.”

As was previously noted, TNT has an option to pick up the fifth year at a greatly increased price to AEW. This allows Turner to stay out of a potential bidding war with AEW should the company’s success warrant such an occasion. Of significant note, if TNT does exercise that option than it would mean that WWE and AEW’s TV contracts will both be expiring in 2024, which would be an interesting situation.

The report also noted that the second AEW series, which Turner prsident Kevin Reilly confirmed yesterday would be AEW Dark, is intended to be a “strong #2 show” and not a B-show. Discussing potential days, Meltzer noted that Sunday and Monday are out because AEW won’t go up against the NFL, and Wednesday already has AEW. Saturday would have them going up against the UFC and would sometimes conflict with their own PPVs, and Tuesday and Thursday are busy for TNT during the NBA season.

Reilly said yesterday that the new show would be weekly, but possibly not 52 weeks out of the year, and would air on TNT.

article topics :

AEW Dark, AEW Dynamite, Jeremy Thomas