An update is available regarding Tony Khan’s reaction to the proposed purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) by Paramount. Dave Meltzer addressed the AEW president’s reaction to the news in this week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, noting that while Khan was said to be “thrilled” with the news, others believe that Paramount could, due to pressure from TKO given its contracts with UFC and Zuffa Boxing, move to get rid of WWE’s only significant wrestling competition.
Meltzer wrote: “The most important news story in wrestling, as far as the future and viability of AEW, is just a tiny piece of the puzzle in the proposed Paramount purchase of WBD. There is a ton of speculation as to what it means. Those close to Tony Khan say that he was thrilled when the news came out, feeling this was the best possible scenario for him. Others are claiming it’s the death knell because Paramount, either to cut back on costs, or due to pressure from TKO given they have contracts with UFC and Zuffa Boxing, will get rid of TKO’s only real significant wrestling competition.”
Potential Consolidation of Streaming Giants
Beyond the linear television implications for TNT and TBS, the deal would have a massive impact on the streaming landscape. Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has said the plan is for HBO Max and Paramount+ to merge into a single streaming service.
According to a January report, HBO Max has approximately 135 million worldwide subscribers, 59 million of which are in the U.S. Meanwhile, Paramount+ has 79 million worldwide subscribers, with 35.8 million in the U.S. The merger would effectively create a service with over 200 million global subscribers, providing a significant new home for combat sports and wrestling content, should the new owners choose to keep it.
TKO Influence and the Future of Competition
The “death knell” theory presented by Meltzer stems from the existing relationship between Paramount and TKO Group Holdings. Because Paramount already holds contracts with UFC and Zuffa Boxing, there is concern that TKO could leverage these relationships to encourage Paramount to drop AEW, which serves as the primary competition for TKO’s other major property, WWE.