Recently, All Elite Wrestling announced that it had signed a new, multi-year media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery that will keep “AEW Dynamite” and “AEW Collision” on TBS and TNT, respectively. These programs will also be simultaneously streamed on MAX, with the complete AEW library coming to the platform later in 2025. The AEW-WBD deal will reportedly run through 2027, though there is an option to extend it through 2028 at an increased price.
During a recent interview with Instinct Culture’s own Denise Salcedo, AEW Wrestling Administration Coordinator Will Washington weighed in on this development, specifically as it relates to the growth of AEW.
“MAX is such a big deal,” Washington said. “We’re talking about one of the largest, top five streaming services in the world, top four actually. But when you think about where MAX is and what MAX provides and the type of prestige programming that is on MAX, and for AEW to get to be alongside that I think is a really big deal. I think for us to be live alongside that is a really, really big deal.
“Shoutout to what [WWE] RAW has been able to accomplish with Netflix. I think that streaming, you can’t even say it’s the future, it is the present. Everybody is streaming their programming. I think that for us to be able to move Dynamite and Collision into that streaming realm whilst still being able to retain those habit viewers, I think is a really big deal for the next phase of what All Elite Wrestling is going to be.”
Backstage Reactions
When asked about the backstage reactions to the AEW-WBD agreement, Washington indicated that there was an overall positive energy. Washington also recalled a behind-the-scenes gathering coordinated by AEW President Tony Khan.
“We had a moment in the arena where after the announcement went public, Tony rallied the troops. [He] let everybody know that AEW is here to stay,” Washington said. “AEW is going to remain on TBS; it’s going to remain on TNT. It’s got a new home on MAX as well. It’s just going be an exciting time. I think everybody backstage felt that. I think everybody backstage was encouraged by it and there were high-fives and hugs all around. I think everybody was just congratulating each other. Obviously, we all had congratulations to Tony, and he was congratulating all of us because, again, like I said, AEW is truly a team effort.”
Watch Denise’s full interview with Will Washington below: