AEW President and CEO Tony Khan discussed various topics with Sports Illustrated’s Jon Alba, emphasizing that the core of AEW programming is closely tied to WBD (Warner Bros. Discovery).
Khan said, “The lifeblood of AEW is our relationship with Warner Brothers Discovery. Pay-per-view is a huge part of our business, TV, and pay-per-view. The bulk of the revenue that allows us to run AEW and build the best wrestling roster in the world and put on great events is the TV and PPV contract with Warner Brothers Discovery, which is a fantastic relationship, and I’m very excited about what is happening there. I have great relationships all around with everybody involved. I’m very excited about the future landscape of media and Warner Bros. I have a great relationship with Paramount through the National Football League. I think the world of David Ellison and feel I have a good relationship with him as well. I’m excited about the future of Warner Bros.”
On the Paramount Skydance acquisition of WBD:
“I think it will be huge for AEW because we know we’re going to be with TBS and TNT for a significant period of time already, and I expect to be with them for a long time to come. TBS, TNT, and HBO Max now have a very secure future, and there are lots of other platforms coming under the corporate umbrella, which I’m very excited about. There are tons of sports that exist on these platforms. I would love to be on the same channel as the UFC. I have a great relationship with Dana White and Hunter Campbell. While their sister promotion is also in pro wrestling and is of a competitive nature, there, on my behalf, I would love to be on the same channel as UFC. If it was up to me, and certainly these are all things that have to be worked out in the future with leadership, but I would love that. There has never been an opportunity to have AEW on a platform that carries the National Football League. Every AEW TV show has been, and I hope will continue to be, associated with Warner Brothers and, through the partnership, but absolutely also bring in CBS and all the exciting things this could bring with the new sports division as well. I am thrilled AEW is going to have a chance to be part of the media company that carries so many great NFL games. The prospect of having AEW under the same sports umbrella as the NFL for the first time ever is something I am very excited about potentially happening.”
(H/T to Fightful for transcribing the above quotes)
