All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has quickly grown into a major player in the world of professional wrestling thanks to Tony Khan’s innovative guidance. A big part of its growth has been its relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which has helped air AEW’s most popular shows, like Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision. This relationship, which was meant to make AEW’s material more in line with WBD’s standards and expectations, has run into a new problem: the episode of AEW Dynamite on June 19 got record-low ratings, which has made people worry about how it might affect future deals with Warner Bros. Discovery.
Discovery Partnership Between AEW and Warner Bros
Warner Bros. Discovery is happy to be home to AEW, which has put on some of the most exciting wrestling shows in recent years. The relationship has been strong, as shown by the fact that AEW Dark had to stop airing on YouTube so that the show could focus on WBD channels. This move showed how important the partnership was, with both sides putting a lot of effort into making the show a success.
Record-Low Numbers of Viewers
The June 19th episode of AEW Dynamite had only 502,000 viewers, which is a record low. It also got a 0.16 rating in the important 18–49 age group. This was a record-low for the show, which usually gets better numbers and more people. There have been a lot of talks and guesses in the business about when and what might happen because of the drop.
The Stand of Warner Bros. Discovery
Even though the numbers are worrying, Warner Bros. Discovery sources have stressed that the drop in viewers does not mean that a new deal with AEW can’t happen. According to Fightful Select, a WBD source said that the low viewing wasn’t seen as a big deal when deciding the future of the relationship between AEW and WBD.
“Another WBD source says this number doesn’t change the chances of a new deal between AEW and WBD.”
Fans and other important people were persuaded that the long-standing friendship between AEW and WBD is still strong. The fact that WBD sources were sure of themselves shows that they have faith in the AEW name, even after the recent defeat.
Things that affect viewership
Several things have been suggested as possible reasons for the record-low number of people who watched AEW Dynamite on June 19th. One of them was a much-anticipated Kendrick Lamar performance that was shown that same night. Neither AEW nor WBD officials said anything public about this, but online responses suggested that the show may have taken some viewers’ attention away from Dynamite, even if only slightly.
Where the AEW-WBD Deal Is Going
It is said that AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery’s media rights deal is worth more than $110 million a year. This large number shows how much money was invested and how much both parties benefited from the partnership. Even though not many people watched, the deal still has a lot of promise because of how well AEW is doing overall and how well it is known in the market.
