Update On Conflicting Reports Regarding AEW Having to Pay For TV Rights in Potential Turner Deal

Our interview with The Wrap TV editor Tony Maglio sparked a big reaction yesterday. Tony said on our 411 Wrestling Interviews Podcast that AEW might have to pay for TV time with Turner. This led Dave Meltzer to come out and call Tony’s reporting “false.”

Tony took to Twitter today to state that he checked with his source again and maintains that any hefty rights fee for AEW is “highly unlikely” and that the time-buy that he talked about on our podcast could be worked out via an ad revenue split (in other words, AEW would essentially be paying for their TV time out of the ad revenue they generate from their show). He also addressed people on Twitter turning this entire story into a Tony Maglio vs. Dave Meltzer thing. Tony specifically stated on our podcast that he thinks Meltzer is “the best at what he does.” Check out Tony’s tweets below.

“Checked back in with an AEW/Turner negotiations source. Person still believes any hefty rights fee is “highly unlikely.” A “time-buy” could also just be worked out via adjusted ad rev split. Lots of ways to account for TV money, as we know. (Complex) negotiations continue.”

Checked back in with an AEW/Turner negotiations source. Person still believes any hefty rights fee is “highly unlikely." A "time-buy" could also just be worked out via adjusted ad rev split. Lots of ways to account for TV money, as we know. (Complex) negotiations continue.

— Tony Maglio (@TonyMaglio) April 19, 2019

Lotta people making these AEW/Turner negotiation reports a weird me vs @davemeltzerWON thing. I think Dave’s the best at what he does, said so on the podcast. Our sources are likely just different people w/ different interests telling us different things. It’s ongoing, we’ll see. https://t.co/KLo1GGm1B6

— Tony Maglio (@TonyMaglio) April 19, 2019

Here are Tony’s tweets from yesterday which include Meltzer’s response to the story.

Oh this is about me. Never said AEW show would be 1 hour. Said 1 hour makes more sense than 3 when asked if it’d be a 3 hour show. We all assume 2. Dave also apparently made a thing out of me reporting that a source on Turner talks said not doing 52 weeks is a possibility. https://t.co/2HCp1EGpJr

— Tony Maglio (@TonyMaglio) April 19, 2019

You know who has also said an off-season is a “possibility”? AEW.

Many things are possible when a deal is not signed. I’ve also said multiple times an off season would be problematic and my personal opinion is that it’ll be 52 weeks/year.

Job is to report what told by sources. https://t.co/i0Gb3kYDba

— Tony Maglio (@TonyMaglio) April 19, 2019

You can listen to our full podcast, in which Tony and Jeffrey discuss the AEW TV deal is great detail, below.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the 411 Wrestling Interview Podcast on 411mania.com.

Introduction (0:00)
On how far along AEW’s conversations are with Turner Sports (0:52)
On why Turner is willing to have wrestling return to their networks (3:33)
On what format AEW’s television show will likely take and off-seasons in wrestling (8:26)
On whether reports of the AEW TV deal could possibly jinx or affect it (19:27)
On wrestling journalism vs. general entertainment journalism (21:03)
On Turner’s potential streaming homes for AEW (25:13)
On WWE and AEW’s handling of John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight episode (30:21)
On the importance of Smackdown’s deal with FOX and whether it makes Smackdown the “A” show (40:00)
On AEW’s impact on WWE’s talent deals and whether it can be competition to WWE (43:12)
On how Vince McMahon Feels about the AEW TV deal and AEW possibly paying for their airtime on Turner (49:10)

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