Dave Meltzer Explains Current Status Of Paramount-WBD Deal & Possible AEW Fallout

The saga regarding Paramount Skydance’s attempt to purchase Warner Brothers Discovery is continuing far longer than anyone thought, thanks to a coalition of states filing lawsuit to block the transaction from happening. With the future of the deal uncertain, many are beginning to believe that Paramount may be forced to give up some parts of WBD in order to secure the purchase, including CNN, TNT, and TBS, the homes of “AEW Collision” and “AEW Dynamite.” And if that is to happen, Dave Meltzer believes there could be some worry within AEW. On the latest “Wrestling Observer Radio,” Meltzer explained why AEW owner Tony Khan was not in favor of that happening.

“If they do [offer TBS and TNT], that becomes a real issue with AEW, because…Tony Khan…what I can say is he is wanting to work with David Ellison,” Meltzer said. “They are friends and…there’s no guarantees. I mean, there’s people that think this deal going through is a death nail for AEW. Tony Khan has been the exact opposite. The one he didn’t want was, I think, Netflix getting HBO Max, because they were not going to pick up TNT and TBS, and I think he thinks that the synergy, the most powerful that AEW can be is if TNT, TBS, and HBO Max are all owned by the same company, and that company has someone in charge who he’s friendly with and will work with him.”

Meltzer believes that a big reason Khan wants the deal to go through is because it would allow TBS, TNT, and HBO Max, which simulcasts AEW TV and airs their PPVs, to be under one umbrella, thus allowing for more synergy with the product. Though he noted that AEW could take on multiple TV partners, much like WWE has, Khan’s philosophy, according to Meltzer, is to have “everything together on one side, negotiate with them, and have someone that he has a good relationship,” like WBD’s David Zaslov or former Warner Brothers TV exec Kevin Reilly. 

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Wrestling Observer Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription