You never know what could be on the horizon in the pro wrestling world. The uncertainty is certainly mounting for AEW, because their television home was just the subject of a huge sale. Now, the company is very much in a wait and see period, and they may be waiting for a while.
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that he spoke with sources in AEW who predicted the outcome involving Netflix and WBD before it became public the following day. At this time, there is no information on AEWs future with WBD, and most people contacted do not expect any major developments in the near future.
Netflix entered exclusive negotiations to acquire Warner Bros. Discoverys studio and streaming assets, including HBO Max, in a deal valued at roughly $82.7 billion. The agreement would place major franchises such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and DC properties under Netflixs control. The transaction requires regulatory approval, which may take a year or longer.
The development is fascinating, especially within the pro wrestling industry. After all, AEW currently airs on Warner Bros. Discovery platforms.
Netflix is already in business with WWE through a 10-year, $5 billion agreement with TKO Group that began in January 2025. The deal makes WWE RAW exclusive to Netflix. The agreement also includes international rights to SmackDown, NXT, and PLEs. So, it will be very interesting to see what Netflix does with AEW when the time comes.
Netflix buying WBD could be a game changer in many ways. It may also put a lot of people out of work, since most mergers see people lose their jobs as part of redundancies. WWE went through the same thing when they merged with UFC under the TKO umbrella.
Only time will tell what happens in this situation, but we will have all the updates you need here at Ringside News. With so much going on in this deal, it looks like AEWs future is up in the air.
Whats your take on WBDs deal with Netflix? Do you believe that AEWs television home will have to change? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
