This week saw the official announcement of AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery’s new multi-year multimedia rights agreement.
AEW pay-per-views will be available on Max later in 2025, at a reduced cost per event. Dynamite and Collision will continue in their regular timeslots.
Although Variety reported that the deal is valued at up to $150 million per year when all factors are considered, this appears to be a conservative estimate. Dave Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio that the deal is worth $555 million over three years, or approximately $185 million per year. This does not include the revenue from PPV events.
According to Dave Meltzer’s latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, AEW is expected to be very profitable with the new deal. Meltzer stated, “For next year, we go with $95 million in added money from the new deal, which would leave $61 million in profits as a worst case and $76 million as a best case, or perhaps a little less if attendance, merch or PPV decline.”
It should be noted that, unlike WWE, AEW is not a publicly traded company and thus does not disclose its actual numbers. The figures above should be considered estimates. Regardless, AEW is in a great position for the future and puts the wrestling industry in a much-needed situation.
