In simply over 5 years All Elite Wrestling has modified the panorama {of professional} wrestling world wide. This isn’t a take that must be litigated or debated, as a result of it stands as goal fact. The largest challenger to WWE since WCW, the corporate has successfully ended WWE’s vice-like monopoly of the game, offering extra alternatives to expertise than ever earlier than, and having a knock-on impact that’s pressured everybody to enhance their product for the betterment of wrestlers and expertise.
On the middle of this revolution is AEW founder and CEO Tony Khan, who has develop into a lightning rod for criticism — a few of which is deserved, some unfairly leveled as a consequence of wrestling’s rampant model tribalism. I spoke with Khan concerning the first 5 years of AEW, how the corporate has modified, and what looms on the horizon for followers.
The largest hurdle for any sports activities model isn’t getting its first TV deal, however touchdown its essential second. Networks are keen to take a chance on new programming, however following that up is the place the rubber meets the street. In early September AEW introduced a brand new multi-year contract with Warner Bros. Discovery, which is able to hold its weekly programming on TBS and TNT, whereas additionally increasing to incorporate the Max streaming service.
“It’s going to be a really thrilling time for AEW in the beginning of 2025,” Khan says. “We are going to make historical past as the primary ever simulcast professional wrestling present throughout TV and streaming.” The AEW CEO says that he all the time hoped a deal can be reached to maintain his program with Warner. Except for the cash, holding wrestling on TBS and TNT has numerous private significance for him as a die-hard wrestling far for almost all of his life.
“There’s this actually nice custom of professional wrestling on TBS and TNT that goes again 50 years,” Khan says, “and it’s actually particular that AEW is now a part of that custom.” When it comes to what’s modified for AEW from these first preliminary exhibits in 2019 to now, Khan sees it extra as a continuation of what he wished his firm to be.
“The aim we’ve all the time had in thoughts was this media rights renewal. We would like it to be successful. For the entire firm, for followers, and attain an settlement that may set AEW up for the long run. I feel that’s what we’ve executed with the settlement we made right here.”
When requested if it was troublesome to honor the custom of wrestling on TBS and TNT with out invoking WCW (which WWE owns the library and logos for), Khan acknowledged that it was at occasions, however was fast to notice that he considers the legacy of wrestling on Turner Broadcasting to return earlier than WCW, to Georgia Championship Wrestling, and the years of success throughout the territory system.
Now there are new “territories” in wrestling, so to talk. The game is extra international that at any level in historical past, with unparalleled cross-promotion between completely different wrestling firms worldwide. For AEW it’s two greatest agreements are with CMLL in Mexico, and New Japan Professional Wrestling (NJPW). I requested whether or not these agreements might result in a multi-promotion title being established to actually crown a unified “world champion” of wrestling.
“We’re coming into a brand new part of our partnership with New Japan Professional Wrestling on the verge of Wrestle Dynasty. So there’s likelihood there I feel to deepen the partnership between AEW and NJPW and strengthen it. We’ve received an important likelihood to construct on the success of Forbidden Door and develop a brand new three way partnership at Wrestle Dynasty that could be a nice praise to Wrestle Kingdom. It ought to make for a superb two nights of wrestling on the Tokyo Dome.”
Together with this huge worldwide enterprise comes a large shift to AEW’s pay-per-view slate in 2025, with its greatest stadium present “All In” transferring from London’s Wembley Stadium to Globe Life Subject in Arlington, Texas — residence of the Texas Rangers. Will probably be the primary AEW present to happen in a baseball stadium, and I requested Khan how that may change the character of the present.
“AEW All In is greater than a tentpole for us. I feel it’s a large wrestling establishment. We launched it to nice success in London, and I’m excited to deliver that to Arlington, Texas on July 12, 2025. Tickets are on sale now, and it’s a large endeavor. It’s been many years since any different wrestling promotion has tried to run a significant stadium present in a baseball or soccer stadium. That’s what we’re going to strive right here, and I feel it’s a really daring play that might be rewarded.”
There are numerous issues to nonetheless work on for AEW. Even ardent followers have been important of the corporate’s storytelling proper now, and are ready to see how key abilities are built-in again into the roster after struggling important accidents which have triggered them to overlook time.
The hope is that with the media rights deal now executed AEW can return to focus extra on the inventive facet of their enterprise, and that may take their programming past unimaginable in-ring performances and make it a extra well-rounded firm.
One factor is for certain: AEW is on the verge of changing into the longest-running wrestling TV present that isn’t WWE. With 20 extra episodes AEW Dynamite will surpass WCW Monday Nitro for many episodes from a non-WWE present. There are challenges alongside the best way, however Tony Khan and AEW are prepared for no matter comes subsequent.
