AEW TV deal update: WBD, PPVs, potential Fox component

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer gave an update on where things stand with AEW’s impending new media rights deal.

Meltzer reports that AEW & Warner Bros. Discovery have reached an agreement for their new deal. It looks like the deal will include a pay-per-view component, though Meltzer doesn’t know the exact specifics regarding how PPVs will be handled.

“Everyone knows, but the WBD deal is a done deal,” Meltzer said. “There are going to be changes, from what I gather there is going to be a pay-per-view component in this deal. Exactly what it is, I don’t know. But if they’re doubling the number [of the past media rights deal] and WBD is getting the rights to the pay-per-views, that makes doubling the number make more sense in a lot of ways — if they get that. I don’t know exactly if it’s going to be how UFC does it, if it’s going to be how WWE does it. But there is going to be a deal with Max with the pay-per-views in some form, is what it looks like.”

Since AEW applied to trademark “AEW Shockwave” last week, there have been rumors that AEW is in discussions for an additional show that would air on a Fox network. Meltzer does not believe that a deal between AEW and Fox is done yet. If the new show does come to fruition, Meltzer suspects it would not be on the main Fox network, instead airing on a different Fox channel or streaming platform.

“The Fox deal is not done. I know a lot of people have been talking about the idea on the Fox network. I would strongly suspect — I do not know — but I would very strongly suspect it would not be on the Fox network,” Meltzer said. “It would probably be another station, whether it’s FS1, whether it’s a different station, whether it’s a streaming component, I don’t know. And I don’t believe it’s a done deal either. I think it’s something that they’re working on. Although as far as the Shockwave thing, they did trademark the name of Shockwave. So they have to be pretty darn close to a deal to actually go to the lengths of trademarking the name.”