As WWE continues to negotiate its next TV rights deal for its flagship show, discussions with one of its most intriguing potential partners appear to be heating up.
According to PWInsider.com’s Mike Johnson, top executives from WWE were in New York on Monday to meet with executives from Warner Bros. Discovery regarding a potential deal for WWE Raw. Among those reportedly in attendance at Monday’s meeting were WWE president Nick Khan, chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque and TKO Group Holdings president/chief operating officer Mark Shapiro, as well as WBD chief revenue and strategy officer Bruce Campbell.
WBD obtaining the rights to Raw would obviously have massive implications for not just WWE, but the professional wrestling industry as WBD has been the television home of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) since the rival promotion’s inception in 2019. Like WWE, AEW’s television rights deal is set to expire in 2024, with the company’s owner/president Tony Khan having publicly stated that he would prefer to remain at WBD.
“I feel there is not enough loyalty in the entertainment business,” Khan said during a conference call with reporters in September, per Fightful. “Yes, it’s no secret, and it is a business. We’ll be up at the end of 2024 and I would love to stay at Warner Brothers Discovery forever.”
It appears that feeling, however, may not be mutual.
In Raw, WBD would be adding the highest profile weekly wrestling show while creating a business relationship with WWE that could expand down the line. While AEW has largely been successful from a ratings standpoint, their numbers and brand recognition pale in comparison to WWE’s — especially since the firing of CM Punk earlier this year.
Speaking of Punk, it appears his return to WWE last month following his departure from AEW may have played a role in WBD’s renewed interest in Raw. On Wednesday’s episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, longtime wrestling insider Dave Meltzer said that Punk’s return to WWE “opened up what may have been a shut door” regarding negotiations with WBD.
“How open that door is or what’s going to transpire? I don’t know. But Punk, he’s a significant player and that’s one of the reasons he’s going to be at the house show in Los Angeles this week,” Meltzer said. “Everyone’s headquarters is in LA and I’m sure they are going to invite everyone they are courting there.”
While Shapiro has previously stated that WWE could take its negotiations for Raw all the way up to the expiration of its current deal with NBC Universal, it’s worth noting that the company has already signed its next deals for SmackDown (NBC Universal) and NXT (The CW). While it’s unclear whether Raw would air on TNT, TBS or even the Max streaming service should WWE and WBD reach a deal, it appears it’s time to start taking the idea of what once seemed like an unlikely partnership between the two seriously.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.