AEW’s TV Partner In Shock Company Split
Warner Bros. Discovery announced a change to its TV and streaming distribution package, which may have an impact on AEW for years to come.
When AEW launched in 2019, one of the key reasons for its success was that owner Tony Khan secured a television distribution deal for his company. In October 2019, Wednesday night Dynamite started airing on TNT, the former home of WCW Monday Nitro.
As the years went on, Rampage aired on TNT as well, and eventually, Dynamite moved to TBS, which is also part of the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) family. Collision became a Saturday night staple as well, but that’s something that could change in the future.
It was announced in October 2024 that Tony Khan’s AEW had signed a three-year deal with WBD, ensuring their shows would remain on TBS and TNT for at least three years, with a fourth-year option. That deal was valued at $185 million per year and also included AEW shows airing on the Max streaming service in the US.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced today that their broadcast entities and other properties will be split into two separate publicly traded companies by mid-2026,
Global Networks will be the home of networks that they own, like TBS and TNT (the home of AEW content), CNN, Discovery, Discovery+, Bleacher Report and more. WBD’s Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels will head that division.
There will also be a Streaming & Studios division headed by WBD’s President and CEO David Zaslav. Streaming & Studios will be the home of the WBD movie studio, DC Studios, WBD’s television production, HBO, the Max streaming service, which will be renamed HBO Max, and a vast TV and movie library.
David Zaslav commented on WBD’s decision for the change.
“The cultural significance of this great company and the impactful stories it has brought to life for more than a century have touched countless people all over the world. It’s a treasured legacy we will proudly continue in this next chapter of our celebrated history,.
By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape.”
There is no word yet on how this will affect AEW, but they have a television contract for over two more years and will likely remain streaming on Max.
AEW Collision May Be Moved To A New Timeslot
For the first time, Tony Khan’s AEW had a four-hour television block on June 4th, called Fyter Fest. It was two hours of Dynamite followed by two hours of Collision right after it.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, WBD thinks that AEW Collision should move to a different night.
“WBD is looking for what time slot is best for Collision permanently. With WWE and other sports so prevalent, Saturday night isn’t it.”
Collision has also aired on Thursday nights in recent months, in addition to Saturdays. Tony Khan’s family owns the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, and Khan has said that he doesn’t want to go against the NFL. From September through the end of December, the NFL has Thursday night games every week, so Khan and AEW may be reluctant to go against the NFL, especially during those four months of the year.
AEW will also have a four-hour television block on June 11th called Summer Blockbuster. That will feature a huge match between Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland.