A few years ago, AEW acquired the ROH brand in order to make use of the talent, tape library, and brand. This was also intended to keep the library away from WWE, since they were interested in purchasing the promotion solely for that reason at the time.
Since then, ROH has maintained a presence on AEW television, airing ROH TV every Thursday night on the HonorClub streaming service and hosting a few pay-per-view events each year. According to reports, Warner Bros. Discovery did not want the ROH brand, so they were unable to secure a TV deal and were forced to air their weekly program on a streaming service.
There has been speculation about ROH’s position with AEW in negotiations for a new television deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. While speaking at the ROH Death Before Dishonor media scrum, AEW President Tony Khan discussed the ROH brand’s future.
On the possibility of more cohesion between AEW and ROH:
“It’s really interesting what the promotion has grown into, but I’m really proud of it. I think ROH holds an important place. I recognize that AEW is at the very top of pro wrestling. The ROH brand could frankly benefit from even more association. I don’t think it’s out of the question to say or sacrilegious to say. I think it would only help grow the ROH brand if I were to license it or sublicense it if it were AEW ROH. I don’t think that’s a crazy thing or sacrilegious or bad. I think it would be good for everybody. People would see more of the connectivity that exists between promotions and what we’re going for.”
On the possibility of ROH airing on one of the Warner Bros. Discovery networks:
“It’s not crazy at all to think Ring of Honor could be televised in the Warner Brothers Discovery family. Would Ring of Honor frankly have a lot more value as AEW Ring of Honor? Yeah, probably. I think I’ve come to that realization as far as the presentation. That might mean a more cohesive absorption of the promotion into the fabric of what we’re already doing, but not in a way that would affect things.”
You can check out the media scrum below:
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
