• A Single TV Company Could End Up Airing Both WWE & AEW’s Shows
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Comcast is planning on buying Warner Bros. Discovery to merge it with their existing ‘NBC Universal’ brand.
Here’s what the report reads:
“Given the company’s daunting challenges, it has become accepted wisdom at the highest levels of the industry that another deal waits in the wings for Warner Bros. Discovery.
For reasons related to the complicated structure of that merger, no negotiations can happen until April 2024. But at that point, many industry observers believe that Comcast’s Brian Roberts will make a long-awaited move, looking to combine NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery.
That deal would face some interesting antitrust issues but would give his company scale and a viable streaming service. ‘Obviously Peacock sucks’ says one exec with knowledge of both companies. There are some good synergies. I’m sure [Roberts] is licking his chops because the [WBD] stock is so low. And I think that’s Zaslav’s endgame. Get the place sold.”
This is really interesting, because NBC Universal owns the USA Network, where WWE’s RAW & NXT airs. If they end up buying Warner Bros. Discovery, then both WWE & AEW’s shows will be aired by a single TV company.
During an interview on In The Kliq podcast, AEW President Tony Khan was asked about these merger rumors and below is what he said:
“I could definitely not speculate on that and I would never speculate on that. I’m very happy with what we have right now. We have this great leadership from Discovery that’s come in and taken over, working with great management from Warner Brothers and now we have this really strong company Warner Brothers Discovery that is the single largest creator of content in the world and they’re showcasing AEW greater than we have ever been showcased before.”
While NBC used to air the World Wrestling Federation’s Saturday Night’s Main Event TV special from 1985 to 1991 and again (under the WWE banner) between 2006 and 2008, the TV Channels of Warner Brothers Discovery have quite a history with major professional wrestling products themselves.
Professional Wrestling aired on TBS from 1971 until 2001, including Georgia Championship Wrestling (1971–1984), the World Wrestling Federation (1984-1985), Mid-South Wrestling and – most famously – Jim Crockett Promotions / World Championship Wrestling (1985–1988 / 1988-2001).
TNT on the other hand used to air WCW’s weekly flagship show ‘WCW Monday NITRO’ between 1995 and 2001.
Turner Broadcasting System (including both above-mentioned channels TBS & TNT) merged with Time Warner during the mid-90s and eventually ended up merging with internet company AOL (America Online) by 2001 and became known as ‘AOL Time Warner’, which unfortunately led to WCW being sold to Vince McMahon.
Years – and quite a few mergers – later, the company now known as ‘Warner Bros. Discovery’ gave Tony Khan’s All Elite Wrestling a chance on their major channels TNT (since 2019) and TBS (since 2022).
Also Read: Tony Khan Takes A Shot At WWE’s Crown Jewel Event
WATCH: Torrie Wilson Reveals Her Buns In A Bikini (Part 1):
• ON THIS DAY IN WWF HISTORY (September 21, 1985) – WWF Championship Wrestling
On this day in 1985, the World Wrestling Federation aired another episode of their weekly TV show ‘WWF Championship Wrestling’.
This episode was pre-taped at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York and featured matches & interviews on the road to the “WWF The Wrestling Classic” PPV.
You can find the card below:
– Uncle Elmer & Cousin Junior vs. Barry O & Jerry Adams
– Terry Funk vs. Jimmy Jackson
– Corporal Kirchner vs. Steve Lombardi
– British Bulldogs vs. Tiger Chung Lee & John Rizzo
– Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake vs. Salvatore Bellomo & Red Walsh
