Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly seeking to merge with another titan of the entertainment industry, which may affect future negotiations with AEW and possibly WWE.
In a new report by Axios, WBD is seeking to join forces with Paramount in an effort to fight back in the “streaming wars” that are being dominated by the likes of Netflix and Disney+.
According to the report, WBD CEO David Zaslav met with Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish in New York on Tuesday, December 19th to discuss a potential merger between the two companies. It is noted that the merger would not be equal as WBD has a market value of approximately $29 billion while Paramount is valued at approximately $10 billion.
According to Axios sources, the meeting lasted many hours and included proposals of how each company could benefit from joining forces. One benefit would be the joining of each party’s streaming service, with WBD owning the MAX service and Paramount owning Paramount+.
Paramount has seen increased pressure to find a new partner as they are reportedly struggling under a “mountain of debt.” It should be noted that talks are still in the early stages according to reports.
How Could The Reported Warner Bros. Discovery Merger Affect Wrestling Fans?
As fans are aware, All Elite Wrestling currently broadcasts all of their weekly shows on the TNT and TBS Networks, which are under the WBD umbrella. The promotion is also nearing the end of its initial 5-year media rights fee for Dynamite, which is reportedly up for renewal in 2024. Tony Khan has previously stated that there have been talks with Warner Bros. Discovery and there is a “strong relationship” between each side.
If the merger were to go ahead it would theoretically mean that there are more options for AEW programming to be broadcast on if WBD chose to renew the rights, as Paramount owns networks such as CBS and VH1. However, according to recent reports, it might not be that straightforward.
Raw’s media rights are also up for renewal in 2024 and have yet to find a new home for the Monday night show. While it was previously reported that WBD rejected a pitch back in October to broadcast WWE Raw, new reports claim that the door has been re-opened, partly due to CM Punk being a part of WWE once again. Various outlets also reported that a new meeting between WWE executives and WBD executives recently took place.
In regards to what is going on with AEW media rights renewals, Tony Khan has provided an update.