Posted in: AEW, Max, Sports, TV | Tagged: aew, TBS, tnt, tony khan, warner bros discovery

AEW: Tony Khan Open to Partners, "Would Love" Longer WBD Deal & More

CEO Tony Khan on AEW having a "great deal right now" with Warner Bros. Discovery, being open to investors, and a possible move to streaming.

Published Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:07:07 -0500

by Ray Flook

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Last week, we learned that Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) Max would be adding The Bleacher Report (B/R) Sports Add-On package that will offer all live games airing on networks like TNT, TBS, and truTV – in addition to live pre- & post-game programming, an extensive sports doc library (boosted by HBO Sports & WBD Sports catalogs), Bleacher Report highlights & events, special features, extended series, and more (including vodcasts from Mookie Betts, Von Miller, and others). From that, we shared our thoughts on what that could mean for the future relationship between Tony Khan's AEW and the WBD – and now, Khan is offering some insight into that very relationship and the possibilities that the future holds for his professional wrestling company. Taking part in a media call ahead of this weekend's AEW WrestleDream event, Khan shared that AEW has a "great deal right now" with WBD "but would love to have an even longer agreement" (including being open to a streaming deal for AEW events). But while Khan shares that he's "been open to taking on additional partnerships or things of that nature" (including WBD possibly "having a piece or a bigger piece" of the company"), he also makes it clear that he's not looking to give up control of the company anytime soon: "I would always want to maintain 100% voting control, as I have now, and want to maintain the majority of stock, which I have now." Here's a look at some highlights:

Has Khan Spoken with WBD About Investing in AEW? "It's something we've [AEW & WBD] talked about a lot. There have been a lot of conversations about that. It's always been something I've been open to. Between Warner Bros. Discovery and myself, a lot of the financial and structural details of our partnership, we've been able to keep between us, but there are things that have always said to be true, that I own 100% of the voting stock of this company and that I have 100% of the decision making power in the company. I've been open to taking on additional partnerships or things of that nature. We have a really great deal right now with Warner Brothers Discovery, and I would love to have an even longer agreement. As for them and their stake in the business, that is something that would be between us, but I would also be open to that, to Warner Brothers in a future deal, having a piece or a bigger piece, potentially, but I would always want to maintain 100% voting control, as I have now, and want to maintain the majority of stock, which I have now."

Would Khan Move AEW Programming to Streaming? "I am very open to putting AEW events on a streaming platform. I think it would be a great thing. I think we're frankly close enough to the end of our media obligations here and our current deal, where that sounds like a new deal to me. And it's the kind of thing that would be part of a new media rights package – and that would be really great for us, so it's something I would really like to do. It's outside the scope of our current contract, which is for our live TV events and our pay-per-view events, and we've got something really great happening."

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