Tony Khan‘s AEW had to face some ups and downs at the beginning of this year. The promotion was seemingly going through a rough time when they were short on live attendance during weekly shows. This was harmful to the company’s morale. However, AEW eventually made a comeback in other sectors of its performance.
Although the workforce might still wish for a bigger audience, they improved in other aspects like ratings and demographics. Now, this hard work has paid off as Warner Bros. Discovery has reportedly shown appreciation for the diligence of the company.
Tony Khan reportedly gets praised for work
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Collision and Dynamite currently air on TNT and TBS, respectively. Both come under WBD. But the future of AEW seemed to be in danger when reports regarding NBA’s deal with WBD nearing its end came out. There were speculations that WBD might have to return the broadcast rights back to Tony Khan. However, that fear ended when Tony Khan announced the negotiations that had started between his company and WBD.
Now, according to PW Insider, a source from the entertainment conglomerate has told the media house that the multi-national company is reportedly happy with the progress that Tony Khan has been making with AEW. The demo and ratings have risen every week over the last four weeks, satisfying WBD and making AEW’s future brighter.
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This is good news for the 41-year-old businessman, as his wrestling company will have a good future in the safe hands of a big media company. Moreover, the multi-million dollar deal that has been offered to AEW in exchange for its rights also appears lucrative.
What is the deal between Tony Khan and WBD?
Earlier, Tony Khan had announced in an interview with Sports Illustrated that his promotion has entered negotiations with the WBD. Later on, new reports started coming in about the offer that the entertainment conglomerate made. The figures could be considerably more, or slightly more, than $110 Million per year.
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This is reportedly 50% more than the deal that the company had signed earlier and the contract it was operating under up until now. These numbers show how much profit AEW is going to reap if things keep going the same way for them. Even if the NBA leaves the network, there is a probability that WBD will be interested in keeping Tony Khan around as one of the bigger sports entertainment shows on its network.
Do you agree with the sources about AEW’s improvement? Comment your thoughts below.