Max Will Begin Streaming AEW Events in January, Pay-Per-Views Coming Later in 2025
Max Will Begin Streaming AEW Events in January, Pay-Per-Views Coming Later in 2025
‘AEW: Collision’ and ‘AEW: Dynamite’ episodes will stream on Max as part of the new deal, as will AEW pay-per-views.
All Elite Wrestling and Warner Bros. Discovery finally have a new deal. The two sides have announced that they have agreed on a multi-year contract that will allow WBD to continue airing “AEW: Dynamite” and “AEW: Collision” on TBS and TNT respectively. The agreement will also bring much more AEW programming to WBD’s streaming service Max than it has ever had in the past, including monthly pay-per-views.
Key Details:
- “AEW: Collision” and “AEW: Dynamite” will stream live on Max in addition to airing on linear channels.
- AEW pay-per-view events will stream on Max at a discounted rate for subscribers.
- WBD and AEW have been working on a streaming deal for at least a year.
WBD’s announcement stated that “AEW: Collision” and “AEW: Dynamite” will continue to air on Saturdays on TNT and Wednesdays on TBS, but starting in January, they’ll also stream live on Max simultaneously with their linear broadcasts.
Max will also gain the right to stream AEW pay-per-view events in the new year. Unlike WWE premium live events that stream exclusively in the United States on Peacock, AEW events will not be free to Max subscribers. However, the platform’s subscribers will be eligible for a discounted rate to order them. WBD said it will “collaborate” to distribute PPVs with AEW, suggesting that Max will not be the only place fans can watch them. PPVs will begin to appear on Max “later” in 2025, but the exact date was not disclosed.
“Tony Khan and the entire AEW team have been incredible partners, and we are thrilled to strike this expanded agreement to deliver amazing new AEW content and stories to TNT and TBS, as well as bring the thrilling live action to Max for the first time,” WBD’s CEP of U.S. networks Kathleen Finch said. “We are focused on creating fresh and authentic experiences for AEW’s passionate and engaged fanbase while also introducing them to our growing lineup of high-action sports and entertainment at TNT and beyond.”
AEW and WBD had been negotiating on a deal that would send the wrestling promotion’s content to stream on Max as far back as September 2023. Talks continued as the two sides entered an exclusive negotiating window for TV rights in early 2024, and in April AEW president Tony Khan said he expected the new deal with WBD to have a streaming component.
“We are honored to announce the extension of our incredible partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery,” Khan said of the newly signed deal. “This extension continues the tradition of iconic wrestling events broadcast on TBS and TNT, while also establishing a new legacy for AEW through weekly live streams on Max for years to come. We thank David Zaslav, Kathleen Finch and everyone at WBD for their tireless support of All Elite Wrestling since its inception, as well as the AEW fans, talent and staff that helped make this possible.”
Interestingly, the press release does not make mention of the future of “AEW: Rampage,” which currently airs on TNT on Friday nights. Is it destined for another channel? Fox has reportedly shown interest in acquiring some AEW rights, and could be in talks with the wrestling league to try and grab “Rampage” for itself. The broadcast channel had previously been the home of WWE’s “Friday Night Smackdown,” but the weekly show recently moved to the USA Network as Fox is now focusing on college football on Friday nights.
That situation will bear watching, but one of the biggest problems surrounding the distribution of AEW shows has now been solved. Fans will now have a way to stream live AEW matches on Max, both weekly and for the big PPV events that viewers wait all year to see.
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