Recently, there have been claims circulating on social media suggesting that AEW (All Elite Wrestling) was informed by WBD (Warner Bros. Discovery) that they would not exercise the option year for their media rights deal in 2028. This deal is set to run through 2027, with the option year as a potential extension.
John McCullen tweeted about a claim from agent Nick LoPiccolo, who stated that AEW was made aware of WBD's impending sale to help the wrestling promotion develop a “contingency plan” in case the new ownership decided not to pick up the option.
Both AEW and WBD have issued statements refuting these claims. The reports noted that both entities denied allegations suggesting that WBD informed Tony Khan and AEW in the summer of 2025 about the sale, which would lead to others making decisions regarding AEW's programming. They specifically rejected the idea that WBD CEO David Zaslav personally informed Khan about the upcoming sale, stating that no showrunners were notified, including Khan himself.
The initial misunderstanding of these claims was partly due to their origin with LoPiccolo, who has been openly critical of AEW President and CEO Tony Khan and the promotion. Nonetheless, the report itself is not inherently negative toward AEW; it simply reflects the common-sense perspective that once WBD is sold, they will no longer be responsible for making decisions regarding AEW's programming.
WBD entered a merger agreement with Paramount Skydance earlier this year after a competitive bidding war with Netflix. This deal, which shareholders approved at the end of last month, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval. AEW will have approximately 12 to 16 months to secure a new media rights deal, whether with Paramount Skydance or elsewhere.
