Netflix is moving forward with an $82.7 billion acquisition involving Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio assets, including HBO and HBO Max. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, pending regulatory approval. While the numbers are staggering, the key issue for AEW is simple: sports programming is not part of what Netflix is buying.Dave Meltzer laid out the full picture on Wrestling Observer Radio, explaining exactly how the deal is structured and why AEW is caught in the middle.>“So Netflix sent out a release basically saying we have purchased the company. WBD’s board of directors approved the Netflix deal again. It was an eighty‑two point seven billion dollar deal, but only for the studios — HBO, HBO Max. Nothing else, right? So all the stations would stay with WBD in their new company, which would also get all the debt.”>“The timetable right now is that it’s going to Netflix pending regulatory approval, and the feeling is that it will be closed in the third quarter of this year, so like in the fall. That would be the time where we’re going to know most importantly the AEW streaming situation.”>“Are they going to stay on HBO Max, or is HBO Max — which is not taking any of the sports programming — not going to take them, and then they will have to start basically on the TNT Sports app? That is going to be done, but that’s going to start with like zero subscribers.”
>“As far as AEW is concerned, this has about fifty‑eight million subscribers in the United States. They have a lot more worldwide, but their deal is only United States.”>“If the new company, which is all the TV stations and also would have TNT Sports, has AEW, by having that they would be getting the pay‑per‑view rights to the AEW product and the streaming rights to the product. So it would all be in one company.”>“So the value of AEW to that one company would be the same. It’s just a question of that company and how much it can spend and things like that.”>“If it was split, the value of AEW to the new TV company is just based on their television ratings alone — which are not that great right now.”>“Obviously the new system has killed them as it’s killed everyone. It’s hurt SmackDown badly. It’s hurt NXT the worst of all.”>“It could also be that now you’re negotiating with two separate companies, and maybe the deals with each separate company might end up being more than with one company.”
>>19651973WE SMOKING THAT TONE PACK RIP BOZO
>feeling is that it will be closed in the third quarter of this year, so like in the fall.Coming for the king? That's a far cry ah, He come alive in the fall time ahNo competition he don't really listenTony in the blue mulsanne pumpin new edition. Ha ha ha ha haLook what you've doneHa ha ha ha ha haHe's a motherfuckin tonedawg
I wonder what will happen to the annual rights fees on their current deal when the streaming option is gone. Something that was reported at the time of the deal (and then conveniently forgotten by the dirt sheets) was that the reported annual amount per year was “when all elements are taken into account.” That almost certainly includes streaming and PPVs. So it seems likely that they’ll take an immediate haircut once they lose their streaming deal, and be put in a very tenuous position for their next renewal negotiation.
Grim.
>>19651973>streaming future in doubtI doubt it, Tubi can always buy the entire AEW library any time they pleases
>>19651973>Meltzer saidkek
>>19652000based tonedog
>>19651981>“So the value of AEW to that one company would be the same.Nothing?
Dave is a retard. Max and the lineal channels will get sold too, probably to Paramount
>>19651981>>“So the value of AEW to that one company would be the same.Which is nothing
>>19652518Not so fast mouth breather.
>>19651973I bet ESPN is creaming their panties at the idea of being able to drop WWE for AEW. They're already sucking up to Tony by giving him PPV of the year over their own business partner.
>>19652709Yeah sure bud. Just like how FOX was creaming themselves to replace Smackdown with Shockwave?
>>19652728I don't remember Fox naming Revolution PPV of the year.
>>19652518What are they going to sell Max for? Nerflix owns all the IP's and programming, only thing they could sell is the infrastructure if Netflix didn't take it.
>>19652464>>19652000You are so fucking pathetic and lame you unloved ugly smelly 57 year old gay dimeless diabetic legless fired bagger faggot pig BITCH.
>>19652773nah u are
>>19651973Oh no! Won't somebody think of the 17k people that watch AEW on Max?
>>19652949Have we ever been given an idea of how many people are watching on MAX?
>>19652968Probably like 1100 or something. Or maybe more.
>>19651981Fucking KEK at the Smackdown whataboutism.>it's the new system what did it!
>>19651973>>19651981It's okay, losing Max won't hurt AEW. Because nobody watches it on Max anyway kek
>>19652709>ESPN wants to drop WWE for a wildly unsuccessful promotion that delivers no value to its partners let alone to itselflol
>>19652968>Have we ever been given an idea of how many people are watching on MAX?Max viewership is so low that it's statistically insignificant. It's included in the Nielsen ratings now and it's made literally no difference.
>>19653298>It's included in the Nielsen ratings nowCheers, mate. That's good that it's the full figure, rather than there being a question mark over how many are watching it.
>>19653296AEW delivers more value pound for pound, with a higher and better educated audience at a quarter of the price.
>>19652000Checked and edrones wrecked
>>19653373This is true. Watching worlds End I was very disinterested the first half of the ppv. Especially the two jap shitters absolutely killed the opening match with their half assed effort. The feeling was lost. But somewhere along the match with 6 guys and stairs and tables and the black dancing guy took a nasty botched table bump and then some match where I had that feeling again. Then it was the marina shefir and orange cassidy match that did it for me. Just move after move after move.i was overcome with a legit sports "contest" Like a dance-off feel to it. The feeling was restored midway.
>>19651981>It’s hurt SmackDown badly. It’s hurt NXT the worst of all.”That's a lie. SD just drew 1.1 mil and close to a 0.3 demo while NXT had its best demo in months with this week's episode.It's just AEW whose ratings are in the toilet.
>>19652773You ended him
>>19653373Incorrect. AEW delivers no value and its audience are the absolute dregs of pro wrestling fans. They're so uneducated and broke that Tony's trying to appeal to them with a fucking White Castle collab because he knows that's where those subhuman poors eat.
>>19653483Hard to argue against any of this so I'm not going to even try. You win.
>>19653864But Meltzer said the contrary
Can someone who specializes in Meltz austim tell me what this means?
>>19651973dear KEK and The Pendulum please save AEW
>>19651973>[MELTZER WON]That seems like it would be a big Meltzer Loss anon
>Meltzer is only right when it fits my narrativeWill you ever stop giving attention to this old hack?
>>19651981>>“If it was split, the value of AEW to the new TV company is just based on their television ratings alone — which are not that great right now.”>>“Obviously the new system has killed them as it’s killed everyone. It’s hurt SmackDown badly. It’s hurt NXT the worst of all.”It's hurt Dynamite worst of all clearly. Meltz Magoo is unsurprisingly a disingenuous geriatric who should use the rope before embarrassing himself any further. It would be poetic if the MELTZMORIAL SPECIAL AEW DYNAMITE hit a milly. A final swan song before cancelation.
>>19654618Meltzer's right when he's right. It just so happens that every time he's right it fits my narrative.
>>19654618>Meltzer is only wrong when it fits my narrativeYou Gayew Clowns are the only ones who lose your shit over the Stars Of David and act like they mean anything.
>>19654764He's only "right" in this case because Lil Nicky pushed his shit in repeatedly with facts and logic (and no rubber), so Dave had no choice other than to adopt the prevailing wisdom or look like a fucking clown.The WBD left behind by Netflix will be saddled with tens of billions in debt, the primary reason it was worth an inflated stock price in the first place. WBD as-is isn't worth the per-share Netflix offered for it. More to the point, the post-Netflix WBD will be in cost-cutting mode because Paramount doesn't want them and sure as shit won't overpay, that's why Paramount explicitly said that WBD channels aren't worth shit.If (when) WBD is in cost-cutting mode, then all options are on the table. Is AEW on WBD truly a market-rate price, or was there some element there of thanking/rewarding AEW for taking less in 2019? Because the new WBD board isn't going to give a shit about all that. They need to make revenue, not give revenue away. If AEW isn't willing to take a pay cut, fair or unfair (I lean towards unfair), they'll be out the door. Not personal, just business.It's a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation. The better AEW does, the higher the premium they should be able to command, the more likely WBD says "we can't afford premium shows right now, sorry guys". The worse they do, the more WBD will be justified in lowballing them, insisting they renegotiate the contract, etc. Not a good spot to be in.
>>19652968Not for AEW but there were a couple press release posts for NBA games touting viewership across all platforms that, one removing the known Nielsen TV number, indicates minimal viewership on Max. Like 40k to 50k if I remember correctly. And that’s obviously for something with a much bigger fanbase than AEW.
AEW as a whole is getting shockwaved, it's damn true
When prowrestling as a whole is doing well, you only hear about AEW. When AEW as a whole is doing bad, you only hear about how WWE is doing worse.I'm getting real sick of AEW's bullshit and it might be time to give Tony Khan a little warning. I promise, I won't break any bones above the hip.
>>19651973AEW just keeps losing, I love it!
>>19651981>the value of AEW to the new TV company is just based on their television ratings alone — which are not that great right nowOH NO NO NO!bye bye trannies
>>19652000>000Just like aew ratings kek
>>19651973>$82.7 BILLION deal>"Most importantly, the AEW streaming situation"Dave truly is a retard, AEW's streaming is quite literally the least important thing in this deal. Nobody but Dave and Tony would are autistic enough to say this and really believe it lol
>>19652487What exactly makes a crippled Irishman worship a Paki manchild?
>>19652658NTA but doesn't mean they might not try to buy it and if so it'll be pennies on the dollar.I doubt they will though not unless the cable channels will also come with some real estate or something more tangible.
>>19651973
>>19652709ESPN gives even fewer shits about wrestling than they do hockey. They somewhat cover it, because they know it's a big market, but they have pretty much one guy on it and he's essentially an obese smark, in terms of taste.Being paired with WWE is just a way for them to be cozy with the market leader of the sport, and that's all they care about.
>>19651973Cancelled
>>19660133They only care about WWE because they are attached to UFC
>>19651973My sources are telling me that WBD is actually going to drop AEW off Max in April. Regardless of who buys them
Uh oh. Stinky!
This is what AEW fans look like>#CheckTheBasement
>>19662852That's me
>>19662852That literally looks like Orange Cassidy shaved and put on glasses and a hat
>>19664002Rofl
It's joever
>>19651973Tony looks worried
WBD has regrets about AEW. They're going to get dropped on Max.
Lol no bueno
>>19651996Based
Uhhh pendulum sisters? How we do defend this?
>>19651973Lol
Is this bad or good?
Ruh roh
>>19670515Bad
TYBS
>>19651973WBD is ashamed of AEW. They want nothing to do with them
WBD cancelling AEW and 340 million people watched Raw last year
>>19651973Once wbd drops aew on max dynamite will go from 490k to 475k
>>19651973AEW exclusively on twitch
>>19651973Lol it's over for the tranny rodeo
>>19651973Trump is going to block the deal.
>>19651973Where will AEW end up? Rumble?
>>19651973I thought 2025 was Tony's worst year looks like 2026 already beat it
>>19677319>SAVE US MR PRESIDENT Paramount or Netflix. AEW is getting cancelled. Pick your poison.
>>19651973Still Tony?
>>19651973In 2026 TNA will be on AMC and AEW will be on no platform
>>19651973Netflix >We are very happy with WWEWBD>Yeah we're going to cancel AEW
>>19675046Not sure about the WWE part but the AEW/WBD part is true
>>19652773Killshot
>>19652773He has nothing for this kek
>>19651973Oh no stinky!
