AMC circling TNA Wrestling broadcast rights
AMC circling TNA Wrestling broadcast rights
A&E and The CW have also been reported as potential landing spots for the wrestling promotion.
Is TNA Wrestling ready for the spotlight? A new report on the details of the wrestling promotion’s pursuit of its next media partner indicates that TNA is indeed ready to step up to a new level of distribution, and that it has attracted interest from AMC and other linear channels with much larger footprints than its current TV home.
Key Details:
- Your name in lights: AMC has shown interest in acquiring TNA’s media rights.
- Double it!: A move to AMC could double TNA’s prospective audience size.
- Other parties circling: Previous reports indicate A&E and The CW have also shown some level of interest.
As reported by SI, AMC has emerged as another interested party in the pursuit of TNA’s broadcast rights. Currently, TNA events are distributed on AXS TV and TNA+, but the promotion is looking to increase the value of its next media contract.
AMC would give TNA Wrestling a potentially big jump in reach. SI reports that AXS TV had an estimated footprint of 30 million homes as of 2023, whereas AMC was available in approximately twice that number of households. TNA could also share some of its streaming rights with AMC for distribution on AMC+, if it desired. But that may not be in the cards, given that TNA also has a direct-to-consumer service called TNA+.
Other interested parties in TNA Wrestling include A&E and The CW, so the wrestling promotion has some options to work through. The right partnership could vault TNA to a new level of cultural relevance, whereas making the wrong choice could leave it staring up at the likes of WWE and AEW forever. TNA has had a bit of a resurgence recently following a creative partnership with the WWE that has seen TNA stars appear on “NXT” broadcasts and Premium Live Events, and vice versa.
Sources told SI that TNA’s next deal would include more live shows, though it was not indicated if it wants its slate to be fully live. TNA certainly faces competition for the eyeballs of wrestling fans; AEW struck a deal with Prime Video to stream pay-per-view events earlier this year, and also partners with HBO Max to offer on-demand streams of many of its shows.
The biggest fish in the pro wrestling pond will also have a new distribution partner as of next year. WWE will stream premium live events on ESPN’s new streaming service starting in 2026, so TNA has a ways to go before it’s ready to stand on par with the giants in the business. However, TNA is looking to take the next step in media distribution, and AMC could be a viable partner to make that happen.
AMC+
AMC+ is a premium subscription streaming bundle owned by AMC Networks. It offers curated access to award-winning originals, indie films, and prestige television. Launched in June 2020, the service combines content from AMC with flagship brands such as BBC America, IFC, Sundance TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and IFC Films Unlimited, delivering a rich library of exclusive programming and early episode access.