Another major media shake-up is coming, and it could have had serious implications for All Elite Wrestling.
Despite that fact, AEW is apparently unconcerned.
Paramount has officially won the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), edging out Netflix after submitting an improved offer of $31 per share. Netflix ultimately withdrew from negotiations, clearing the path for what is being described as a massive $110 billion merger.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory clearance and approval from WBD shareholders.
And yes, AEW was very much part of the conversation behind the scenes.
Had Netflix secured WBD, AEW’s television rights deal reportedly would have shifted to Discovery Local Networks, while Netflix would have taken over the company’s streaming rights. That scenario would have marked a significant change in how and where AEW programming was distributed.
Instead, with Paramount now set to acquire WBD, AEW’s existing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to remain intact.
That’s a big sigh of relief internally.
According to one report, sources say AEW executives are not concerned about the merger between WBD and Paramount. In fact, the company is said to be optimistic about the transition and looking forward to working alongside Paramount once the deal becomes official.
With the merger still months away from finalization, all eyes will now be on how the new corporate structure takes shape, but for AEW, it appears business will continue as usual.
AEW airs their weekly Dynamite and Collision shows on HBO Max, in addition to TBS and TNT, respectively. As noted on Monday, it is expected that Paramount+ and HBO Max will be merging into one single streaming platform, which would obviously be another way that the merger directly affects AEW.
We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding the Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger continue to surface.
(H/T: PWInsider Elite)
