AEW denies disappointment with first WBD TV rights renewal offer

AEW has denied a Monday night report from Puck that the first offer made by WBD toward a new TV rights deal was disappointing.

According to Dave Meltzer, AEW sources have told him that the first offer was not disappointing to Tony Khan, but that the two sides have yet to reach any deal. Negotiations for both TV and streaming are ongoing with WBD and not TNT Sports.

The Puck report from longtime Hollywood insider Matt Belloni stated that his sources indicated Khan was disappointed with WBD’s first offer and that the exclusive negotiating window between both sides was coming up in July. He also reported that both WBD head David Zaslav and TNT Sports head Luis Silberwasser want to keep all three AEW shows.

After the reporting came out, it was pointed out by some online that Belloni is longtime friends with WWE CEO Nick Khan and that Belloni has had Khan on his podcast before, leading some to believe it was a planted piece. WWE met with WBD during their TV rights negotiations which Tony Khan said was “part of sports” when asked about it.

The current AEW/WBD deal is believed to expire at the end of this year.