Latest On When AEW Media Rights Deal May Be Announced, Relationship With WBD

A new report has some additional details on AEW’s negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery and when a new rights deal may be announced. As reported earlier today, the two sides have not yet come to a deal and it is not expected to be part of WBD’s upfront presentation tomorrow. Fightful Select reports that according to sources close to the situation, a new deal announcement is being kept close to the vest and a more likely window for an announcement is summer to fall.

The report notes that AEW’s exclusivity deal with WBD continues into the summer, though there is no firm date known on when it ends. It is also noted that there’s a pilot for a new program related to AEW with WBD that was set to be announced for social media channels this week. It is noted that the program is not a reality show.

WBD sources have indicated for a while that the company has had interest in adding AEW PPVs to Max, and said the two have been in talks for a long time about what that deal might look like. Proposals for such a situation were made as far back as last year. Those sources added that nearly every deal WBD makes is done with Max in mind and that there’s a heavier focus now on the streaming platform than when AEW signed its last deal with WBD.

It has been rumored that WBD may lost their media rights to the NBA and Fightful’s report notes that they were told if that does happen then the company will be looking at reinvesting funds to maintain their position on cable and will need to look at other properties to bring in viewers. There is no word on whether that will be related to AEW. Sources on both sides have been very complimentary of each other and of the negotiation process.